"How Jim And Jeannie Gaffigan Found Humor In A Crisis" - Lauren Paige Kennedy

Last year, comedian Jim Gaffigan and his writer wife, Jeannie, faced a health crisis that nearly ended her life, derailed her family, and halted his career. But innovative technology - and a little humor - got them through. When Jeannie developed crushing headaches, frequent falls, and severe fatigue in 2016, she figured she had the flu. After ordering an MRI scan on Jeannie's head, it revealed a six-centimeter tumor growing within the tightly contained space of her brain stem. While it eventually tested benign, its dimensions and location were particularly dangerous. Had it gone unchecked for even a short time longer, she would have had problems thinking and remembering, paralysis, and very likely death, according to her doctor, Joshua Bederson, MD, professor and system chair of neurosurgery at the Mount Sinai Health System and clinical director of the neurosurgery simulation core. Dr. Bederson ordered Jeannie to undergo an additional seven hours of MRI scans and other imaging tests in the days before her surgery to produce what he calls "a 3D virtual reality simulation of her brain. This cutting edge, augmented reality technology" enabled him to remove the tumor with a high degree of precision "not possible even a year or two ago." Dr. Bederson and his colleagues use innovative technology that "creates a GPS for the brain," allowing them to see - and most importantly, avoid - critical parts of the brain with 3D computerized imaging as they remove the tumor.

• Joshua Bederson, MD, Professor, System Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health System, Clinical Director, Neurosurgery Simulation Core

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