“Oh yeah? That’s your seat?” He reeked of beer and a jagged vein bulged from his left temple. “Why are you so special?”

The author at the JVKE concert in August 2023 in the seating accommodation provided by the venue.

The author at 21 years old, around the time the dizzy spells and other inexplicable symptoms started.

The author two days after brain surgery in April 2023.

The author and her husband, Humberto, at their eldest daughter’s quinceñera in February 2024.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

Cyntianna C. Ledesma Ortega earned her first byline at 11 years old in the The Miami Herald’s YO (Youth Only) section — a features section by and for kids. She holds a B.S. in communication and an Ed.D. in adult education from Florida International University, allowing her to combine her passions for writing and education as a learning experience designer. She lives in Miami — and probably always will — with her husband and two teenage daughters. When they’re not driving aimlessly just to sing loudly in the car, she’s writing, reading and daydreaming. Follow her at @cyntiannawrites on Instagram.

This piece was previously published on HuffPost and is being shared again now as part of HuffPost Personal’s “Best Of” series.

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