Busy Philipps has shared candid, behind-the-scenes glimpses of her experience with brain surgery, describing the process as "f—king crazy" and "insane" in recent Instagram Stories.
Philipps, 47, revealed that she was diagnosed with a rare malignant brain tumor and underwent two brain surgeries. She shared photos of herself in a hospital bed with a post-operative head dressing and also walking in a hospital gown. In one video, a friend helped her wash her hair in a sink to keep her incision site dry after returning home.
The "Dawson's Creek" alum recalled experiencing panic as she was wheeled into the operating room for her initial surgery. She stated that the anesthesiologist "tricked" her by offering a relaxant, after which she woke up five hours later, having undergone the procedure. She also showed how parts of her hair had to be shaved off for the surgery and were beginning to grow back.
Philipps explained that she kept her health journey private initially to protect her children, Birdie, 18, and Cricket, 13, whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Silverstein. "I didn’t want them to have to deal with the added insanity of their mom publicly talking about it," she said.
She disclosed that she had to resume filming her CBS legal drama, "Cupertino," just four and a half weeks after her surgeries.
Philipps' oligodendroglioma, a Grade 2 slow-growing tumor, was discovered on February 12 during a full-body MRI. After a neurologist confirmed the diagnosis, a 2.6-centimeter mass was surgically removed in a five-hour procedure on March 2. However, she subsequently developed a staphylococcus infection at the incision site, necessitating a second surgery to address the complication. Philipps described this as a significant setback, making her feel "back to square one."
Despite the challenging experience, Philipps expressed gratitude for being alive and stated that she no longer feels her "brain is broken."