In early October 2016, doctors found an abnormality between the eyes and brain of freshman Emilie Negro. Negro’s family was stricken with fear. Luckily, it was just a fluid buildup called a pseudo brain tumor. Although not deadly, Negro could still lose the ability to experience life through her eyes.
A pseudo brain tumor is actually not a real tumor at all. It is a buildup of fluids behind the eyes that puts pressure on the optic nerves and damaging them. If not treated, a pseudo brain tumor can cause permanent blindness. Treatment for a pseudo brain tumor is a surgical procedure that involves draining the fluid causing the pressure through the spine.
“Sometimes going down the stairs or in class I will black out for a second. That is a little scary, but I usually just get really bad headaches,” Negro said.
All she can do when these things happen is wait ten to fifteen seconds for her eyesight to come back to her. She also has medication that helps reduce the fluid buildup for awhile.
Unlike her friends and family, Negro wasn’t scared and has remained fearless while dealing with her condition.
“When we found out, my sister was in shock and my mom started crying because we have family that has had brain tumors. The first thought that went through my head was, ‘Do I need surgery?’,” Negro said.
Currently, Negro pays weekly visits to an ophthalmologist, an eye specialist, and a neurologist, a brain specialist.
“When I go to the ophthalmologist, they do an eye checkup, and they take pictures of my brain and stuff at the neurologist,” Negro said.
Negro and her sister, Samantha, have grown a lot closer since finding out about Negro’s condition.
“My mom and I go to every appointment with her. We really have gotten close,” sister Samantha Negro said.
Through all of this, there is one thing Negro wants everyone to know, she isn’t going to die.