Victoria Grace 2.0 (How a bad cough led to a stent in my brain)

Hi everyone!

It's 1/14/2026 and hopefully my last night in a hospital for a long, long time.

At the bottom of this blog post is a link for a GoFundMe my friend made for us and other ways to donate to help offset income loss and unexpected medical bills.

Between missed work and an insane amount of medical bills after 15+ days in the hospital since December 26th - anything helps. I'm not too proud to ask for help because of the twins. But here's a good summary of what's been going on.

For those of you who have been following along on Instagram or Facebook, you've likely noticed two back-to-back hospital stays. I always worry that current clients (and potential clients) see me hospitalized and think, "Oh no!! Should I be worried?"

Please know that the things going on have been going on for years and I've been showing up in spite of them. What finally sent off red flags for my medical team were things that I have been dealing with and sort of chalking up to being close to 40. & now hopefully we have a solution. I've basically been walking around existing with a swollen brain and pseudo tumor symptoms (which explains my inability to remember names of people I've known my whole life, extreme fatigue, pain I chalked up to stress, etc). So now that things are being fixed I'll actually be a better version of myself. Victoria Grace 2.0, if you will. One doctor thinks this issue has been going on in some capacity since I was 10. Everyone agrees since at least 2021 or so.

From discharge forward, I'll actually be a better more functional Vicki than I have been in years. 2026 clients kind of win, actually. I told my school they hired me at apparently a low-capacity version of myself, so once I'm back on my feet - I should be a better version of Miss McFall the special education teacher, also. Can't wait for my kids to meet a healthier version of me, too.

SO about those red flags and how I ended up here.

In mid-December I caught COVID (as did my kids, fun times). We stayed home until we felt better, and then I went back to work. By the middle of the week, I was starting to feel pretty bad again but figured it was just from being exhausted. I pushed through because it was the last week of school before break. & then on day one Brooklynn ended up taking an ambulance ride to the hospital for what looked like a seizure. It wasn't - it was her heart rate dropping to the low 30s. We ended up getting home too late for me to make a trip on a Saturday to urgent care. So, I told myself if I didn't feel better in a few days, I would go back to urgent care and make sure my cough wasn't turning into pneumonia. I had been battling whooping cough from about June to late October and figured I was not handling the next assault on my lungs because of it.

But then it was Christmas time - and we had stuff to do to prep for Christmas (like assemble furniture for the twins and prep to cook dinner). So, I figured I would go the day after Christmas if I wasn't better.

I did a lot of sleeping between Brooklynn's stay and Christmas Day. & took multiple naps on Christmas - I was dizzy tired and felt like I had been taking NyQuil around the clock (I had not been). So the day after Christmas I woke up at 10 ish, made an appointment for urgent care at 3, and went back to sleep. When my alarm went off I was so tired I almost didn't go. But I drove to Urgent Care and they were closed (even though I got an appointment confirmation). Well, I went ahead and drove to Haywood's ER, since it was next door - because my cough was getting out of control and when I coughed I kept losing vision in my left eye. Something I had been dealing with for a couple of weeks but as the cough got worse, it did, too. Turns out, that is not a normal symptom of coughing and is in fact a huge red flag to lose vision.

I ended up spending a few hours on December 26th at Haywood advocating for myself. I mentioned a history of high intracranial pressure (where there's too much spinal fluid on my brain) and the doctor was honestly a little hateful and retorted, "Well we don't have neuro at this hospital. You'll have to leave and call someone." I'm not sure how many of you have tried to make an appointment with a specialist lately... but it isn't fast. So, I continued to advocate. I told her that I was told vision loss could be serious and emergent with my history and that I needed an MRI to make sure there wasn't too much fluid or a lumbar puncture/spinal tap. She told me she could do a CT (those of you with any experience with IIH or a quick google search will know that CT's are not a definitive way to test for high pressure and will only sometimes show signs of increased CSF on the brain).

"I would have to send you somewhere else for an MRI or spinal tap..." - her, still being kind of rude.

"That's fine if you have to, I understand," - me, trying to not be rude because people pleaser.

Well we did the CT. & suddenly she came back with a different attitude and a little robot to do a tele-consult with a neurologist because the CT was showing signs of increased pressure (empty sella syndrome). Five minutes after talking to neuro about my cough (which x-ray showed wasn't pneumonia which was good) he told me I needed to be seen at a bigger hospital.

The doctor at Haywood came back in and told me if I drove myself, I would get there a few hours faster. I asked if I needed a ride (she said I did not, but they left my IV site in so to go straight there). I did not - I made a quick pit stop at my house on the way to grab my laptop because editing backlog and IEPs to write. Then I headed that way with a bag Nick packed for me with a change of clothes JUST in case I got admitted for the night.

When I arrived at the ER I had a head start since it was ER-to-ER transfer. I still waited about an hour in the waiting room. When I got back to an actual room the doctor came in and asked if I actually drove myself to the hospital. I told him I did - and he was like, "I have some things to say about that..." He was pretty upset and said they had flagged me on my transfer paperwork as "imminent stroke" and "needed to transfer because not transferring could result in worsening conditions or death." I told him that, to be fair, they did ask me not to cough or yawn because when I did, I lost vision.

Then he admitted me.

It was the next day before they could do an MRI and a lumbar puncture.

At some point between admission and the MRI they started me on an anti-seizure medicine that I've taken before but didn't react well to long term.

At some point before moving to the step-down unit for ICU, I got to see these four.

Then they came back twice (I think) before the flu restrictions started at Mission.

My opening pressure on the spinal tap was 32 so they drained it back down to a healthier number of 16. It should have been below 25 originally. The MRI showed narrowing of two veins in my brain that were lending to the back up of fluid - so they started me on a medicine called Diamox. Which I tried once before when my pressure was 35 in the hospital and it didn't go well, I ended up in metabolic acidosis. But it's the best way to treat high pressure in the brain.

I was talking to my friend, Jessi, on the phone and suddenly got this horrible, "Oh crap - I'm about to be unconscious," feeling and told her I was pushing the call bell, but she may need to talk. I sort of remember people coming in. Then neuro came in and I talked to her from a laying down position. She said my pupils were dilated like I was stuck in a state of flight-or-flight. & then it happened again. So, they hooked me up to heart monitors thinking it was my heart and started doing bloodwork.

Sometime later my mom showed up with Mexican food (which I was super excited about). But I guess I got up to use the restroom, came back, and said I felt weird. & this is where the long-term hospital stay started - because I could feel my arms, legs, or face and according to my mom and the charge nurse, for about three hours every five minutes I would cycle in and out of waking up, saying I felt weird, losing consciousness for a moment, and I would have facial drooping on both sides. SO, they moved me to the neuro-step down floor because they weren't sure if I was having strokes or seizures.

I wouldn't end up going home for a week because they didn't stop right away. To date, they still aren't 100% sure if they were caused by the Diamox or if my brain freaked out when they took the extra fluid it was used to - but my discharge papers said TIAs (tiny strokes that don't do permanent damage). They were worse if I had a coughing fit or if I talked too much (ironic for me if you've met me). They happened during an EEG, so they could rule out epilepsy.

Sometime around all of this my bloodwork came back and I was acidotic again (so they stopped Diamox) and my neurologist deep dived my blood work since High School and came back pretty sure I've been misdiagnosed for Addison's Disease since I was little. I had no cortisol curve (important for so many things and probably the reason my legs have hurt so bad I have had trouble walking for a few months, because now that they've fixed it I can stand up straight easily). They started me on a medicine to mimic the curve people have naturally for cortisol. The episodes continued to be less frequent.

Eventually, with some coaxing, they let me go home the day before the twins' 12th birthday without a stent in my brain because that doctor wouldn't be there for a few days and I was feeling well enough (we thought) to go home.

On the way home we stopped for dinner and I had a few more small episodes. I chalked this up to being tired.

Then we went to Nick's parents to get the twins' Christmas gifts (and ours) and headed home. The next two days weren't spent resting because their birthday party was at our house that Sunday and school started for me again on Monday. I made it through they party and made it to work every day that week. I told Nick on Thursday I had a weird violently shaky episode in the front office on the way to an IEP meeting and had to get it together. That was probably the first red flag something was wrong the second time, but I was determined to make it through the workweek even though every day I was coming home increasingly exhausted.

Friday started off fine. I even remembered to start fixing a bulletin board border that some kids had pulled down partially. The kids made it to class, and I started trying to talk to them. Then I got a really weird, cold, fainting feeling and felt like I might throw up. My neighboring teacher hung out while I walked downstairs to get sick in the teacher's restroom. I had more of the violent shakes. Then I came back upstairs. Then had to go RIGHT back downstairs. Then I almost didn't make it back up the stairs again.

This is sort of fuzzy for me, but I think the teacher called the nurse. Then my principals were there. I was upset and embarrassed and crying because I felt really dramatic having to be taken out in a stretcher. While I was in the stretcher the cold arms, legs, and face episodes started again, and the paramedics called a Code Stroke on the way to Mission. When we got here the same neurologist who had been following me closely was in the ER, so she cancelled the Stroke Code and ordered a lumbar puncture.

One of my principals and the school nurse followed the ambulance and brought Nick my backpack (I was super confused when he got there with it) and my mom met us at the hospital as well. Once they knew I was stable, they went back to school and told me not to worry about upcoming IEP meetings (of course I did, but I appreciated them for offering to juggle).

It had been a little over a week and the pressure was already back up to 40 (higher than it has ever been documented for me) and my cortisol levels were only 3.8. Less than 3 and people begin to have risk of shock and organ failure. SO neither of those things were good and they admitted me again. This time, they said I wouldn't be leaving without a stent or a shunt since I don't tolerate medications that keep fluid down. So I begged Nick to bring me my laptop so I could work on sub plans for next week (this week, as I'm typing) and edit a little as I felt well enough.

Turns out, I've mostly slept this whole time.

Monday or Tuesday (I can't remember) they went back and forth about sending me home and doing a stent after some blood thinners, doing the angiogram that day and the stent the next, or soon.

They called in an optometrist the day before the back and forth to see if my eyes were okay - and both optic nerves were being crushed and I had papilledema in both eyes (not good, but not permanent damage yet). Which made the stent even more necessary.

Then they called me back for the angiogram and decided to do it all at once. Sort of last minute.

I did end up getting a stent in the right side of my brain.

The first night I was in a lot of pain in the ICU in my back and shoulder - like super tight muscles from being stuck on my back for a long time. I had a couple of small seizures in the PACU (they said that can be normal coming out of anesthesia) and it caused some bleeding at one of the entry sites for the angiogram. So I was stuck on my back with my leg in a brace to hold it still for a few hours, and that made the pain worse. Pain medicine didn't help and I cried a good bit I was so uncomfortable. Eventually, they let me roll onto my side and that made a huge difference.

About this time Nick went to go get pizza.

Which was the best 9pm pizza in the world.

Until 2am, when I woke up violently ill.

I kicked Nick out of the ICU and a sweet nurse held me while I had violent shakes and got super sick (which did not make the stent site feel well). Again - a normal part of post anesthesia they said for some people.

The next evening, the moved me from ICU to where I am now (a general place) but I haven't been able to go home yet because I'm still having pain where the stent was placed (especially if I cough - it feels like someone is hitting me in the head with a hammer) and I have some stiff neck pain that's making it hard to hold my head up without it hurting (or look in either direction). Right now, my cortisol levels are doing much better and I'm not exactly acidotic, but the labs are kind of borderline.

So hopefully I get to go home tomorrow (Thursday).

I have an appointment the 27th to see an endocrinologist about my labs and possible untreated Addison's or Adrenal Deficiency. So, fingers crossed for answers, because I would love to have solid reasons for this.

 I'm not sure when I'm clear to go back to work. I was hoping Tuesday, but if I can't move my head easily that may be too soon. I'm also not sure how much pain where the stent is is normal - if I cough or yawn, it hurts pretty badly.

But. When it does stop - I'm (says everyone) going to feel like a new person for the first time in years. So if 2022-2025 Vicki seemed productive or good at anything, just know that she was in pain from head to feet (literally), barely able to stay awake, and working through brain fog that felt like being drunk (even though I don't drink). I'm excited to meet the version of me who can exist without a headache and extreme fatigue, or leg pain so bad I can't stand up straight without lots of effort. The version of me that doesn't forget my best friends' name when I'm telling a story. The one without blurry vision sometimes.

The timing of a long-term hospital stay (back-to-back) was not ideal with Christmas, their birthday, and them getting braces. January is always my slowest month photography wise due to the cold - so if you're reading this and feel like you could pitch in to the GoFundMe (or if you'd rather do Cashapp, Venmo, or PayPal) it is much appreciated.

I do have insurance, and have seen where the hospital is discounting things, but they aren't covering everything (including prescriptions, which the hospital did work hard to make sure weren't $700 a month for one of the blood thinners).

Cash App: $VicGrace22

Paypal: victoria@victoriagracephotography.com

Venmo: VicGrace22

As always, thank you for helping us when we need it.

I do try to pay it forward the rest of the time.

& if you send a donation, please reach out for a link to the Fine Art Gallery.

I would love to give you a tangible "Thank You."

Fundraiser for Victoria Mcfall by Bobby-Tamera Davis : Help Vicki Through Surgery and Recovery

PS - the one symptom I'm not getting from Addison's and adrenal crisis is weight loss, and I'm a little bitter about it. IYKYK. But the doctor said some people with adrenal crisis + PCOS have a very hard time losing weight because of the extreme fatigue and head pain - so that's the camp I'm falling under, and will be working extra hard to lose about 20-30lbs over the next year because when you have high CSF, the BEST way to treat it is to lose a significant amount of weight. So, if you notice me cranky at lunch with a salad, no you didn't.

PSS - I've got lots of people to thank for making the hospital stay as un-miserable as possible. Brides who worked in radiology and the hospital and checked in on me. Admin for constant reminders that they've got things handled at school. My co-teachers and EC cohorts for handling sub plan logistics, IEP meetings, and rescheduling meetings for me. Everyone who has texted encouraging words and sent prayers my way. My friends (Taylor and Tamera) and family (Nick's mom and dad) for helping Nick with the twins so he could be here. My mom for bringing snacks and clean clothes repeatedly (and food). Nick for bringing the girls to see me when he could and toughing out sleeping in a sad recliner the night I was in ICU. My dad for calling to make sure we don't need anything this time, and for showing up with presents last time. My sisters for checking in and sending things. Jessi and Brandon for spending part of their vacation hanging out here at Mission. Photography friends for making sure they are available for future shoots IF I need them. People who have donated so far (and everyone who made sure Space Camp's final payment was made for Chloe).