A Nursing Student, a Rare Brain Condition and the Career It Inspired
In 2012, Mackenzie J. was a 20-year-old nursing student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. A former all-state basketball player, she was independent, driven and excited about her future in healthcare. But that October, her life took an unexpected turn. She began suffering from severe headaches, nausea and balance problems. Her personality changed, and she felt deep in her gut that something was seriously wrong.
"At just 19 years old, it was hard to believe I could face such serious health problems," Mackenzie said. "However, I sensed something was wrong from the beginning." Despite her concerns, she was repeatedly misdiagnosed first with flu, then strep then stomach viruses. Even on her 20th birthday, she was told she had “just a migraine.”
The next morning, overwhelmed by fear, she told her parents, “I feel like I am dying.”
Trusting her instinct, her family returned to the emergency department in DeRidder, Louisiana. This time, her sister-in-law, a radiology technician, urged the team to run a CT scan. The results were shocking Mackenzie had suffered a significant hemorrhagic stroke.
As the local team searched for a neurosurgeon capable of handling the complex case, it was Cuong Bui, MD, a neurosurgeon at Ochsner Medical Center – New Orleans, who stepped in with a different perspective. While others suspected a leaking aneurysm, Dr. Bui believed the cause was a rare condition known as a cavernous malformation. With his guidance, Mackenzie was airlifted by Acadian AirMed to Ochsner New Orleans on Nov. 25, 2012.
Dr. Bui shared, “Twelve years ago, we met during the most critical moment of her life, a young woman fighting to survive a brain hemorrhage. Today, Mackenzie’s life and journey remind me that neurosurgery isn’t just about saving lives. It’s about giving people their futures back.”
Upon arrival, Mackenzie’s condition declined rapidly. She was intubated as her body began to shut down. In the ICU, Dr. Bui’s wife, Erin Biro, MD, placed a ventriculostomy drain to relieve severe pressure in her brain. For days, Mackenzie was kept on a ventilator while the team worked to stabilize her.
“My parents were told the words no parent ever wants to hear,” she said. Her family relocated to New Orleans to remain at her bedside. Throughout the crisis, Mackenzie recalls feeling supported: “Everybody was great at keeping my family informed without letting them panic. It was a well-oiled machine, and I was treated like I was their number one priority.”
An MRI later confirmed Dr. Bui’s suspicion: the bleed was caused by a cavernous malformation deep in the center of her brain. Surgery was too risky. Instead, the team relied on careful monitoring. As Mackenzie stabilized, the team prepared to place a permanent shunt but a last-minute call from Dr. Bui changed everything. Her brain had begun to reabsorb the hemorrhage on its own; the shunt was no longer needed. It was a turning point.
Mackenzie spent nearly a month at Ochsner, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. When she was discharged Mackenzie had no sensation on the right side of her body. Her memory, balance and vision were affected. She had to relearn how to walk, hold utensils, brush her hair, even write her name.
For eight months, she dedicated herself to therapy all while continuing her nursing school clinicals. Some questioned if she should continue. Mackenzie didn’t waver. “I believed that God kept me here for a reason,” she said. “I was going to use my experience to become something.”
Her care team, especially Dr. Bui, pushed her forward. “Dr. Bui encouraged me to return to college and push myself,” she said. “He and many nurses told me my experience would make me a better healthcare provider.”
More than a decade later, she proved them right. Mackenzie earned her bachelor's degree in nursing, built a career as a trauma nurse and flight nurse, and is now completing her master’s to become a family nurse practitioner. She married her high school sweetheart, and together they have two children. In a meaningful full-circle moment, she chose to deliver her son at Ochsner Baptist so Dr. Bui could be nearby.
In October 2025, Mackenzie’s journey came full circle again. As part of her final semester of NP school, she returned to Ochsner not as a patient, but as a trainee, learning directly from Dr. Bui.
Dr. Bui described the moment as, “Watching Mackenzie walk back into our clinic, not as a patient but as a soon-to-be nurse practitioner, felt like witnessing a story come full circle. The young woman whose life we once helped save has now chosen to dedicate her own life to saving others. Standing beside her again as colleagues was one of the most beautiful reminders of why we do this work.”
Mackenzie continues to live with the cavernous malformation, a reminder of her story and the fragility of life. But instead of fear, she carries perspective and purpose.
“I know that my story is nothing short of a miracle,” she reflects. “Experiencing trauma changes how you see the world. It taught me empathy on a level I never would have known otherwise, and I carry that with me in everything I do. I believe I went through this experience so I could help others heal.”
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