Women Matter: Special education teacher Amy Haggerty continues her recovery

by Joan Tucker

Imagine getting a medical diagnosis that impacts your life forever.  It happened to Amy Haggerty, a Stockbridge special education teacher, in December 2016, when she discovered she had a brain tumor.

After having increased headaches, dizziness, and short blackout periods,  Amy went to her doctor, who recommended an MRI.

Only minutes after her MRI, while Amy was returning to her car, she got a call back from her doctor.

“Are you sitting down?  You have a large brain tumor,” the doctor told her. “It’s obstructing blood flow to your brain as well as interfering with the drainage of cerebral spinal fluid.  You need to go directly to the University of Michigan’s (hospital) emergency room.”

Amy sat in her car in disbelief and shock as she waited for her husband to drive her to the ER.  This was the start of a prolonged hospitalization.

The surgery

In the hospital, Amy awaited surgery that only could be performed by a top-notch neurosurgeon, doctors placed a shunt in her head to relieve the pressure, eventually reducing her headaches.

A week later, she underwent 13 hours of surgery where as many as 10 doctors were in and out of the operating room.

The hemangioblastoma tumor was in the cerebellum and protruded into the brain stem (located in the back bottom of the head), making surgery very technical. The cerebellum is responsible for balance and coordination, and it later impacted Amy’s recovery.

Recovery and rehab

Worries over Amy’s condition were just beginning. She spent eight long weeks in the intensive care unit.  At first, a ventilator helped her breathe and she needed a feeding tube.  During this complicated time as she began to heal, the medical team worked to keep her stable.  Once Amy was able to breathe on her own and come off the many stabilizing medications, she started the next phase of her recovery.

Amy went to a medical unit and then an intensive rehab program at Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor.  Physical therapists taught her to walk again, starting with a lift to bear her weight in a standing position to eventually having her use a wheeled walker.

Speech therapists taught her to talk again by putting a finger on the tracheotomy site (an opening in her neck that was used to help her breathe after surgery).   In time, this opening healed and normal speech resumed.

A speech therapist also began the technical process of strengthening Amy’s swallowing muscles to help her eat again.  Occupational therapists worked on skills such as zipping and buttoning clothes, using her left hand to eat when she was right-handed, and performing the normal daily activities that we take for granted.

A recreational therapist played brain games with Amy to stimulate her thinking process. This incredible amount of work caused overwhelming fatigue for her.  In no way was she ready to go home.

During the month of May, the next phase of her care occurred at Chelsea Retirement’s Sub-Acute Rehab.   Here, the requirement for long therapy hours was decreased.   Amy started getting some much needed rest and sleep.  She became interested in her friends and environment again.  She started using her cellphone and iPad (after relearning how to use them) to connect with family and friends.

Back at home

Home at last, but not fully recovered.  For the next few months, Amy had a home visiting nurse and physical therapist.  She grew stronger and started doing some basic household activities.  Later that summer in 2017, with determination and her experience as a special education teacher, she taught herself how to write with her left hand.   Amy’s determination served her well.   Tired of relying on a cane and with the help of the physical therapist, she learned to walk independently.   Amy continues to gain strength and momentum after this major technical brain surgery with minimal neurological deficits.

In January 2018, Amy started writing the Spotlight stories for the Stockbridge Community News, which featured Stockbridge School employees.  She enjoys being connected to the school and community.  She finds it stimulating and it is good brain exercise.

As a special education teacher, Amy knows the hard work of learning something a different way, along with the frustration of things not coming easily.  Her advice to teachers is to help students find different ways to learn new things and be patient, adapt, and know it can be done.