I don’t have the left side of my skull, but I’m thankful

 I don’t have the left side of my skull, but I’m thankful”… Support floods in for YouTuber who was a flight attendant

Hankook Ilbo original article sent 2024-05-14 20:01

Brain hemorrhage due to falling backwards

Craniotomy is inevitable... preserve language skills

The collapsed skull was first revealed on YouTube.

Netizens say, "I admire you for showing great courage" and "I am grateful even though I don't have a left skull"... Support pours in for YouTuber who was a flight attendant

The story of a female YouTuber who is in rehabilitation after undergoing surgery (craniotomy) to cut open the bone in her head due to an unexpected accident has become known. Warm support poured in for the man, who said he was grateful for her life and overcoming her disability caused by her accident.

A video titled ‘This is my daily life without the left side of my skull’ was uploaded on the YouTube channel ‘Ujakka’ on the 4th. As of the 14th, 10 days after it was uploaded, it had recorded over 1.55 million views. Eunbin Woo, who runs the channel, revealed for the first time in this video how the left side of her head was temporarily dented after her craniotomy.

Ms. Woo, who worked as a flight attendant and bank teller, has been uploading videos conveying her employment know-how to job seekers. On January 27th, while on his way to a flight attendant employment lecture, he fell backwards on the street and seriously injured his back and head. He was diagnosed with cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral edema, and a back fracture. In particular, about 40% of the bones on the left side of his head were cut off during a craniotomy to treat a brain disease. The cut bones are currently stored in the freezer. He will need one more surgery in the future.

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In the video, Ms. Woo took off her hat and calmly shared her current status, saying, "I am receiving rehabilitation treatment after surgery." He explained his condition, saying, “It feels like I have almost no bones on the left side of my head, and my head hurts like it’s going to break,” and, “They say it’s inevitable that I will continue to have headaches because part of my skull is empty.”

At the time of the accident, there was great concern that Mr. Woo would develop language, cognitive, and hearing impairment. In particular, there were concerns that language impairment would be inevitable as most of his left brain, which is responsible for language functions, was damaged. Mr. Woo said, "The entire brain was shifted about 7 mm to the left, and the left ear, nose, and nerves were also injured and bleeding heavily. Other patients with similar brain injuries were barely able to speak, so I was also in a situation where I was bound to have a speech impediment. "he said.

Fortunately, Mr. Woo showed almost no symptoms of speech impediment. The probability that he will not experience speech problems even after undergoing the surgery is slim, at 2 to 3 percent. Mr. Woo's condition has improved enough to clearly explain his current situation through his videos and record his daily life through his blog. Since the surgery, he has also been receiving rehabilitation treatment, including physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

However, immediately after surgery, he suffered from mild speech impairment. Mr. Woo said that the most difficult thing was coming up with the right words for the situation. For example, he called his mother “dad” or his younger husband “brother.” He said he couldn't think of the word water purifier, so he described it as a water cooler, and he couldn't even think of the names of home appliances such as refrigerators and vacuum cleaners.

Mr. Woo showed a positive attitude, saying that he was grateful for the present even though his skull bones were caved in. He said, “I am more grateful for the reality of that day when I was not injured any more,” and added, “I am trying to spend each day to the fullest with the mindset that things will definitely get better in the future.”

Netizens enthusiastically cheered him on. Woo's video received a series of supportive comments, such as, "I can feel that he is strong inside to upload a video with a bright and calm appearance even in a despairing situation," and "Showing an injured head in itself requires great courage, so I respect you." One netizen shared his experience, saying, "11 years ago in the U.S., I underwent surgery for a brain hemorrhage and got infected, so I cut out the right side of my brain and put titanium in it. Now I've worked hard to rehabilitate, raised my child well, and sent him to college, so stay strong, Uzaka." shared.

Reporter Choi Eun-seo silver@hankookilbo.com