Camille’s Story
Why Soleil Shines
My least favorite and un-comfy place to be is in the unknown. I’ve lived with medical challenges and I have found stability in controlling the things I can. There’s a great quote from Frozen 2 where Olaf says “we’re calling this controlling what you can when things feel out of control” (2020). I think we’ve all been there. I’ve gotten into deep conversations with my medical infusion team about the way I want the procedure to go. As well as my surgical team: I always get put under anesthesia through my IV and not the mask as this reduces my anxiety. One time my nurse jokingly called me a control freak and I will fully accept that, yes I am, in the medical world, it is how I remain sane.
I don’t believe I am alone in feeling this way, which brings me back to my point of why I created Soleil Shines. I wanted to create a website I wish had existed when I first began my medical journey at the age of seven. As a “professional patient” I have gathered a lot of knowledge about the patient experience. I am an extremely empathetic person [an empath] and what I am passionate about is helping others navigate the ropes course that is dealing with a medical challenge. I’ll be sharing my own challenges on this website through my [weekly blog] and I encourage constructive comments and it is my hope that conversations emerge. It is my hope that you find a connection through my story and gain some answers to those unknowns. Also, if you click here Reach out to Camille or that tab, you can share your story more privately and we can connect one on one through a zoom call or email!
Let’s come together in our medical journey’s. I can’t wait to meet you!
Biography
Hi, I’m Camille. At the age of seven, after experiencing tongue seizures and having an MRI where they found an orange-sized brain tumor and having emergent surgery, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition, Neurofibromatosis Type 2. NF2 is categorized by benign tumors growing on nerve ending throughout my body. I have had 14 surgeries in total (4 brain) and spent a lot of time in hospitals for doctor’s appointments, MRI’s, and surgical recovery. From my lived experience with my condition, I have found a job in which I can help make the hospital experience better and help pediatric patients understand what is happening to them through play and other methods, and be the person that I would’ve wanted for me at the age of seven and on; that job is a child life therapist. This job is one I am extremely passionate about as I can empathetically relate to the positions these children/adolescents are in. The hospital is a place most often viewed as a stressful and uncertain place. For children entering the hospital they are dealing with even more uncertainty than adults. From my personal experience at seven I was told I would need brain surgery. I didn’t know what that meant or what I would look like after. That is why I believe medical play is such a beautiful thing. To help kids understand and explore at their development level, their curiosities about what is happening to their body. I am currently finishing up my undergrad and will be graduating this spring and then will get my emphasis in child life through UCSB. From there I will find a child life practicum/internship and start my journey into this field.