Support for Brain Tumor Surgery & Recovery

(This is Alyssa’s post a few weeks prior to surgery)

What started as a precautionary CT scan for my sinuses in May 2025 unexpectedly turned into a life-changing diagnosis: a brain tumor.

Thankfully, I was able to get an MRI within days, and with the help of my amazing friend, I quickly got connected with a neurosurgeon. I met with the team at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and we’ve scheduled surgery to remove the mass on June 30th. Based on current imaging, the tumor is most likely benign, but we’ll know more after pathology.

In the meantime, I’ll be flying back to Vegas to take six exams over the next three weeks so I can finish this PA school session and try to stay on track. Recovery is still a big unknown, and there’s a chance I may need to take a year off and rejoin the next cohort. But no matter what, I’m determined to return and finish what I started.

I’m so incredibly grateful for the love and support of my friends, family, and professors during this time. If I don’t get back to messages right away, it’s because I’m recovering. ❤️‍