This Morning regular Michelle Elman has shared a harrowing health update, revealing she recently underwent major 'high risk' surgery after a tube in her brain broke, leaving her 'skull filling up with water'. The TV life coach and panellist took to social media to document the 'complex' medical ordeal, which stems from a lifelong condition.
A Lifelong Medical Journey
Michelle Elman was born with hydrocephalus, a condition involving an excess of cerebrospinal fluid on the brain. Doctors later discovered she was also born with a brain tumour. To manage the fluid flow, a magnet-controlled tube, known as a shunt, was implanted. The presenter has endured 15 surgeries in the first 20 years of her life, including procedures for an obstructed bowel and punctured intestine.
In November, Michelle revealed she needed another operation after an MRI scan showed a new cyst on her brain and that the magnet in her shunt required replacing. She planned to schedule the surgery for the following year to minimise disruption to her life and career.
The 'High Risk' Operation and Recovery
Posting from her hospital bed last week with a heavily bandaged head, Michelle explained the severity of the recent procedure. 'They discovered the tube in my brain was broken – and that wasn’t even the part they were fixing,' she wrote to her followers. This break had led to her brain 'filling with water' for an unknown period.
She faced a choice between a higher or lower risk surgical approach. 'There was a chance the high risk would just result in me being opened for nothing and having a new scar,' she stated. Opting for the higher-risk option, which ultimately paid off, she quipped: 'Who needs the high from gambling when you can play roulette with your life?!'
During her recovery, which has involved a tube draining fluid from her brain, Michelle has been determined to continue creating online content about television. 'My brain still works, and that has taken over a month to get to that point,' she asserted, asking fans to help her pretend she wasn't in hospital.
Reflections on Survival and a 'Peaceful' Near-Death Experience
Expressing frustration at being repeatedly called a 'complex case', Michelle joked she would only accept the term 'medical miracle' from now on. She also marvelled at her own resilience, questioning how she managed to write a book and appear on live TV and radio while her brain was 'filling with water'.
This isn't the first time Michelle has faced mortality. Speaking on Loose Women in 2018, she recounted flat-lining during brain surgery at age 11 and experiencing an out-of-body sensation. She described the feeling of dying as 'peaceful and calm', recalling floating above her hospital bed, an experience she hopes offers solace to others.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Michelle remains focused on living fully, having spent her 'whole life making my world bigger than a hospital bed'. Her candid updates continue to shed light on the realities of living with chronic, complex health conditions.
