Amanda Durand was born and raised in Lexington and has spent years teaching at Morton Middle School but on November 11, 2023, her life changed in an instant.Durand turned on the TV to watch a University of Kentucky game and fel l asleep. When she woke up, she couldn't speak."Right then I knew this isn't normal," Durand said.She managed to get first responders to her home. As they struggled to determine what was wrong, Durand mustered the energy to type out a message on her phone."I somehow manage to type out on my phone. Stroke because I thought I was having one," Durand said.First responders rushed her to Baptist Health Lexington, where doctors determined she was not having a stroke. After several tests, they diagnosed her with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis or ADEM an inflammation of the brain.According to the Cleveland Clinic, ADEM is rare, affecting only one in 250,000 people in the United States."My head right here was swelling so much that it was pushing my brain off its stem," Durand said.She needed surgery immediately. Doctors removed a piece of her skull to relieve the pressure. For the next eight weeks, she had to be extremely cautious until doctors could put her skull back in place.Durand was out of teaching for several months, but she was determined to return."When I came back those kids were fantastic," Durand said.She continues to teach middle schoolers and is now involved with Encephalitis International, a nonprofit that gives her a platform to share her story and raise awareness about the condition."I let it be part of who I am and not define who I am," Durand said.Since her brain surgery, Durand has recovered and returned to the life she loves though she still faces several challenges."Memory loss, my processing if someone says something I have to have them repeat what they're saying several times. Fatigue is my biggest issue," Durand said.Durand often looks back at photos from her time in the hospital. Each year on Nov. 11, she takes the day off from work."November 11 I take the day off from work. It's like a day for me to live again," Durand said.What was once a source of pain has become a reminder of how far she has come.If you want to learn more about the nonprofit Encephalitis international, click here. ...read more read less