Busy Philipps is opening up about the "weirdest six months" of her life after a rare brain tumour diagnosis led to two brain surgeries. The Dawson's Creek alum, 47, told People magazine in an interview published Wednesday, August 26, that she feels "grateful to be alive" after doctors discovered and removed a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare, slow-growing malignant brain tumour. "I'm grateful that I'm alive," Philipps said. "The weirdest six months of my life."

The White Chicks actress learned something was wrong after undergoing a Prenuvo scan on February 12, a day after her Dawson's Creek co-star James Van Der Beek died of colon cancer. Philipps had considered cancelling before ex-husband Marc Silverstein convinced her to keep the appointment. After a lesion was found, Philipps initially tried to stay calm, texting Silverstein, "[I wrote], 'OMG I have a brain tumor.' And he wrote back, 'Busy, what? What are you saying? What are you talking about?' I was like, 'It looks fine. It's probably benign. I don't know.'

A neurologist later delivered the frightening news: "This is a real tumor, and it's inside your brain. And Busy, it's got to come out." Philipps underwent a five-hour surgery on March 2 to remove the 2.6-centimeter mass. Doctors said early detection made the operation far easier than it might have been. However, her recovery brought another setback when she developed a staphylococcus infection at the incision site, forcing her to undergo a second brain surgery.

"I just felt like I was back to square one," Philipps explained. "I was really, really upset." Despite the ordeal, Philipps now considers herself fortunate, calling herself "the luckiest girl in the world."