Isabella, Michael Strahan’s daughter, shared about her difficult healing process following brain surgery to eliminate a rare and quickly growing tumor.
The 19-year-old student from the University of Southern California was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in October. She started experiencing severe headaches and vomiting every morning.
After being diagnosed, she had emergency surgery and then spent a tough month in rehab, where she had to learn how to walk again.
The teenage daughter of Good Morning America host Michael Strahan shared the harsh truth about the surgery in a set of videos on YouTube.
Isabella Strahan, shown in the picture, shared her journey of healing following an urgent operation to eliminate a 4cm tumor from her brain.
After her surgery, the teenager needed to spend a month in rehab at the hospital, where she had to learn how to walk again.
Isabella mentioned in a YouTube video that it has been tough, challenging, and very difficult, but she is confident she will overcome it.
The new model talked about the side effects she had after the surgery. She had to use a walker and a wheelchair after having the 4cm tumor removed.
The university student mentioned that she felt extremely emotional after the operation. She attributed this to the steroids she was prescribed and would cry whenever she encountered someone unfamiliar.
Isabella mentioned that she has been in New York for her recovery longer than her time in college, which lasted 68 days.
She promised the viewers, “I’ll return soon. Just need a short break.”
The 19-year-old needed to freeze her eggs due to the impact of radiation and chemotherapy on her fertility.
She confessed, “I didn’t enjoy that. Needles aren’t my thing, so this whole experience… I’m used to blood draws and IVs, but shots? That was tough.”
I had to endure three painful shots in my stomach every day for about a week.
Isabella was on Good Morning America recently with her dad Michael, sharing her heartbreaking diagnosis.
The freshman in college mentioned she was excited to return to school, teasing that she’s envious of her twin sister, Sophia, taking her final exams.
The 19-year-old needed to freeze her eggs due to the impact of radiation and chemotherapy on her fertility. She is shown in the hospital with her twin sister, Sophia.
The teenager had her egg retrieval procedure on Thanksgiving day. She went home, slept for six or seven hours, and then joined her family to celebrate the holiday.
Isabella began radiation treatment after Thanksgiving. Just one week later, she made the decision to shave her head.
She remembered cutting her hair towards the end of the second week. It was around 4am when she made the decision to get rid of it all, jokingly referring to it as a mid-life crisis.
I noticed that my hair began to thin and fall out. It was so bad that I couldn’t even bear to look at myself without hair.
She expressed her sadness, mentioning that she had been cultivating it for about 18 years.
‘Because [I] don’t really cut my hair.’
Isabella mentioned she owned a wig, but felt better without wearing it.
She simply stated, “It’s not my hair. However, it does look very similar.”
Isabella remains optimistic about the future, even though she will be receiving six months of chemotherapy at Duke University, where her twin sister, Sophia, is studying. She appreciates the comfort of homecooked meals and the company of her dogs.
Following Thanksgiving, Isabella commenced radiation treatment. Just one week into the treatment, she opted to shave her head.
The university student confessed her enthusiasm for eventually going back to her regular life.
She expressed her longing, saying that she cannot attend school currently. It’s astonishing how much she desires to take Sophia’s final exam or simply return to school. However, she believes that this situation will eventually change.
Isabella shared her diagnosis with the public for the first time during a segment on Good Morning America last week, alongside her father, Michael.
Dr. David Ashley, Isabella’s physician, also made an appearance on GMA. He explained that even though the tumor type was extremely uncommon, with less than 10 cases reported annually in patients of her age, her prognosis was positive.
Dr. Ashley mentioned on GMA that Isabella has a WNT subtype of medulloblastoma, one of the four types.
The majority of patients are completely cured with over a 90% survival rate after five years.
I have high hopes for Isabella’s success. She is doing exceptionally well.