Australian model Emily Sears, 35, has brain surgery to remove a ‘cluster of abnormal blood vessels’ after suffering epileptic seizures
Australian model Emily Sears has revealed she underwent life-saving brain surgery to remove a ‘cluster of abnormal blood vessels’ that caused epileptic seizures.
On Tuesday, she shared a photo to Instagram of herself recovering from her operation at UCLA Neurosurgery in Los Angeles, where she is based.
The 35-year-old appeared to be fast asleep with bandages wrapped around her head after the procedure, which took place last Thursday.
Life-saving operation: Australian model Emily Sears revealed to her 4.9million followers that she had brain surgery to last Thursday to remove a ‘cluster of abnormal blood vessels’ after suffering epileptic seizures (pictured)
In the caption, she revealed to her 4.9 million followers that she had suffered a major seizure in April 2019 and was rushed to hospital.
After several days of tests, she was diagnosed with a cavernous malformation, or cavernoma, which she explained was a ‘cluster of abnormal blood vessels in the brain that cause epileptic seizures’.
‘My whole life was put on hold from that point on from my work life to my social life, my relationship with my body and my identity,’ she wrote.
Health problems: The Australian model, 35, told her followers that she suffered a major seizure in April 2019 and was diagnosed with a ‘cavernous malformation’ or ‘cavernoma’, which she explained was a ‘cluster of abnormal blood vessels in the brain that cause epileptic seizures’
Emily opted to undergo craniotomy surgery because she did not want to live on ‘medication for the rest of my life’.
By choosing to have the surgery, she risked losing her ability to speak.
She was actually awake during the operation because she needed to alert the doctors if they removed any vital tissue along with the abnormal blood vessels
‘It was as strange and surreal’: She said that she was awake and speaking to the doctors during the operation: ‘I needed to be able to speak to make sure they didn’t remove any vital tissue along with the blood vessels’
Thankful: Following the successful surgery, she said: ‘This experience has changed my world view more than I could ever express, and the overall feeling I am left with is gratitude’
She explained: ‘I remember every moment of being awake, there were two surgeons and one waved at me… it was as strange and surreal as it sounds!’
After the successful surgery, she was left with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
‘I am humbly grateful for the ability to access healthcare, for the fact that my condition had a cure and for the support of my friends, family, industry peers and for my incredible man who has stuck by me the whole time,’ Emily wrote.
Former flames: Emily first shot to fame after she was romantically linked with Australian cricket legend Shane Warne in 2017 (Pictured together)