Brain On Fire

Cahalan is forced to move from her apartment. Her lucky ring is amidst the mail piled up: “[Cahalan] found a manila envelope sent from the office where [she] had gotten [her] first MRI, before [she] was admitted to the hospital in March. Inside, there was [Cahalan’s] long-lost gold hematite ring. [Her] lucky ring” (206).

She becomes more focused on her physical recovery instead of her cognitive recovery because for her, the cognitive damage is too horrifying to face. Her body is awkward from growing accustomed to eating food again and because of the side effects of the drugs she must take. She begins a spin class, reads old journals, and endures to understand herself.

Cahalan shows progress in the quality of her writing, in the demonstration of her humor, and the rejuvenation of her personality. She is able to tell others about her illness and begins to research. The results are frightening, which makes her grateful for her luck and timing. No one knows the cause of NDMA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis, nor why certain people have it. Some recover, some die, and some must face long-term treatment.