As a junior in high school, Mikaela played varsity softball. When her performance started to decline and she wasn’t feeling well, she was initially told she likely had an ear infection. The second doctor she saw ordered a brain MRI to rule out a possible brain tumor. The third doctor she saw ordered a full body scan to rule out the possibility of additional tumors. Within a few weeks, she’d had multiple surgeries to remove tumors in her brain, neck, and spine and had a diagnosis of Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Mikaela shares how her diagnosis, multiple surgeries, and resulting chronic pain and nerve damage have impacted her life, first as a teenager and now as a young adult and how she is learning to balance living with a rare disease without letting it limit her. Links and Resources VHL Alliance Aware of Angels Miracle’s for Mickey (Mikaela's Blog) Follow Mikaela on Instagram: @MikaealaGage7 Have thoughts or a related story you’d like to share? Leave us a short voice message here! We may use your message on a future show. Check out other Patient Stories podcast episodes. Read other Patient Stories on the Grey Genetics Patient Stories Page. Do you want to support Patient Stories? You can now make a donation online! Want to support Patient Stories in a non-monetary way? Leave us a review on iTunes, or share your favorite episodes on Social Media. Patient Stories on Twitter: @GreyGeneticsPod Patient Stories on Instagram: @patientstoriespodcast Are you looking for genetic counseling? Patient Stories is sponsored by Grey Genetics, an independent telehealth genetic counseling and consulting company. Book an appointment with a genetic counselor specialized in your area of concern. All genetic counseling appointments take place over secure, HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing or by phone. Not quite ready for genetic counseling but still looking for guidance? Check out our new family history review services here. Collect and share your family history through the FamGenix app.