Leading up to surgery, though scary, was also super bittersweet. What made it bearable was the positive support from my friends and family, I highly recommend a full on surgery party (catered by Matt Syrett and the Wade family). Thank you to my bro for being the best mediator, for helping me reconcile with my parents, and for bringing my two very important worlds together so that my family can understand the life I have been building. That is is full of love and joy and that I have been working really hard to build my career, even if it may not feel that way most of the time, given the economic strain and cutthroat nature that is LA and the industry. Getting to slam a pinata (Thank you Autumn and Elizabeth) with a stick and say fuck Tumi (the name of tumor) was so satisfying. And then having a group of your friends take a photo and flick off Tumi as a unit was so nice. No gloom, only joy was the reminder I needed going into the surgery. I especially loved that my co-creator and best friends Mai, and Elizabeth were able to finish shooting Season 1 of our mini series “Friends in FIlm.” That was so satisfying. I cannot wait to have that released to show everyone what we have been doing. Being able to chat for almost 4 hours with my Erzulie co-producer, Payten Brewer was also amazing, understanding what she had to go through in her own cancer recovery journey from Lymphoma.

Joyful gathering at Mai’s backyard with my close friends. Best time ever! I love all of my friends.

Spending time with people I care about and who I know care about me, was just lovely. I had so many pictures I could look at while I was out of surgery before going to bed and waking up each morning to remind myself why I had to recover and get out of the hospital, which was my biggest goal.

Day after surgery — Day after my brain surgery. I look like shit. Me and my stuffie, Penelope that Mai got me <3 I love her. She’s the best and has brought me a lot of comfort at night.

My mind is already full of script ideas, though my moms (I have 4 now in total, Cynthia, Mai, Elizabeth, and my actual mom), tell me to chill out and recover first before any more heavy lifting. But you know me…. I have to keep falling forward. I have so much to do and live for and words cannot express how grateful I am to be awake and moving and to be surrounded by so many loved ones. I truly am lucky and I cannot wait to give back to those who have shown me so much grace and care. I can only hope that I have impacted people’s lives in the positive ways that you have all impacted mine these past few difficult weeks because truly without you all, I would probably be super depressed and not in such great spirits. Right now, I feel like I can conquer anything. Probably the smoothest brain surgery ever, but all thanks to my incredible support group. Seeing all of your words of encouragement on text and via the Carebridge system was super helpful. Thank you so much for all of your GofundMe donations. Knowing that i will not have to go back and hustle immediately, and can focus on recovery is a huge burden off of my shoulders and for that I am so grateful for. But rest assured, I am not going to be a couch potato. I am going to come back in full force. I joked with my boo, Jon that I am now a long sleeper because I am on Keppra antiseizure meds which makes me really tired unfortunately, so now I am forced to sleep more than 6 hours a day. Before, I was definitely a certified short sleeper syndrome, someone who can thrive on 4-5 hours a day without caffeine. Did you know that genetically, biologically, there are people like this? I am one of them. It’s my super power, but alas that super power is going away now, but maybe I will gain another one? I am hoping for telepathy.

Play-Do Heart — My play dough heart, I made from the play dough that Michelle Farone brought me in her care package. Thank you so much!

Maybe I can raise money for my next film project ASAP because I am ready to go! There is so much life to live. I am having a midlife awakening! No more waiting around to work what I have to, to survive. Only focusing 100% of my time and energy intentionally on what I value. I want to be the best director/writer and cultivate the best relationships with people who are amazing and loving. I honestly have the best support group and I am so grateful for that. I just hope I can give you back what I have received in spades. It was nice to hear from so many of you that I helped to impact your life in some way positively. I hope that I can continue to do so.

I am thankful to hear that I may be discharged tomorrow! I wonder if that’s a record. Do we get prizes for fastest discharge after brain surgery? Maybe that = funding for my next film project. I’ve been working on a doc about this entire process so you can see my gnarly brain tumor photos and even my brain. Dr. Rudi was kind enough to take photos for me so that I could use them in my doc. Super supportive surgeon.

AAPI screening at the Academy — Zucena, Christine, and Mai at the AAPi Academy Short film Event

Mai and I at the AAPI Academy Short Film Event — Mai and I at the AAPI Academy Short Film screening

Falling Forward Part 2 | Post Op