Hello to All!!!

[Lisa Sobocinski]

My name is Lisa. Today marks my 2 weeks in recovery since my 1st surgery. I had a 1.5 cm aneurysm that was clipped on Oct 19th. Have a 2nd surgery ready to be scheduled this Friday on my 2nd follow-up visit with my surgeon. I have a 6mm aneurysm that will be coiled. Please feel free to email me or call...908-591-9099...sobo165460@hotmail.com. I now know that talking about this with other survivors has helped me immensely.
Love to all, Lisa:)

[snapdragon]

Hi Lisa ,you are doing very well for it being only 2 weeks ,I too had the clipping and found the surgery was no where as pain full as I had thought it would be ,the first 2 days are a blur but I was home in 4 days and looked worse than I felt :p The waiting for surgery was the hardest part , and coiling Is not as invasive as clipping so you well soon have that behind you too , it does help to talk to others that know what it is all about I wish you all the best and pray you have a speedy recovery .:) (((HUGS))) Snap

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Thank you soooo much for your response....and your kindness. I go tomorrow to get second date for surgery. Hope we can keep communicating. Throbbing on the clipping was and has been horrible as well as the 26 stitch scar..but love my new hair...LOL!!! I hear the coiling is less invasive....how long was your recovery on the coiling???....look forward to your response....lisa

[snapdragon]

Lisa ,hun I sent you a Pm .The (Throbbing on the clipping ) is most likely due to the cutting of the skull,and the throbbing will lessen as the bone heals ,it did for me . I had stapels and It looked bad but once the staples came out 10 days post op,and I was allowed to wash my hair it felt so much better .(I oppited to only have as much hair shaved as needed and was pleased to wear a comb over ,lol as my hair is straight as a nail and I knew it would take forever to lay down if I had it shaved .Sorry you have to go through another surgery so soon but it will be so good to have it all behind you . (((hugs))) Snap( and please pm me with any questions you may have ,Iwill do the best I can to help ) It has been 6 1/2 yrs since my surgery .

[hstupno]

Hi Lisa,

I had my coiling a month ago tomorrow (Fri). I was VERY lucky in that there was very little bleeding, but the headaches continue at home now after 20 days in the hospital. Not horrible, but some days they can be. The coiling goes in through your groin. No scar, and I believe my surgery was only about two hours. It's the least invasive surgery that's for sure.

You seemed to be doing very well after your clipping, so that's very encouraging for your coiling. You'll do great! Keep a positive attitute and be a good patient. :-)

Heidi

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Heidi,
Thank you so much for the infor...You seem to be doing very well. I have to be soooothankful for finding this site. Stay well and I will let all know about my follow-up appmt today. Love, Lisa

[Lyn]

Hi Lisa
It's great to meet you. Congratulations on joining the annie survivors group! This forum has a fantastic bunch of people on it who have been through so much and come out the other side.

My annie was only 5 mm, and I had a clipping in 2004. Because of the location, my incision was ten inches long and I had 45 staple and three stitches (where the drain was removed - ouch!!!). It kind of looked like I was wearing some kind of bizarre metal headband. I still have a fair sized 'ditch' in my head and a bald spot (luckily my hair covers it OK)

Anyhow, it sounds like you are doing really well - keep us posted on your coiling date. You will probably end up having loads of questions as your recovery progresses, so feel free to come here as often as you want for support.

Cheers

Lyn :)

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Lyn,
Thank you so much for the support. Couldnt be going thru this alone and it is nice to speak with others who are aware of this. Surgery on the Clipping was 14 hrs long but surgeon said it was considered a "giant" annie. I am very nervous on this coiling.....say a few prayers for me and I will be sure to update this site tonight or over the weekend with my 2nd surgery date.. God Bless you and all others.....Love, Lisa

[annie2105]

:) HI! My name is Lisa too. I have had 2 clippings and a coiling plus a shunt placement and a bypass. Coiling is a piece of cake compared to the clipping! Recovery was MUCH faster for me. You will do great. I just had a lot of light sensitivity after mine but mine had ruptured. That is much better now anyway! Be strong....you are in my prayers. Fight, fight, fight...you are doing a great job.
Lisa

[Lisa Sobocinski]

hello there,

Thank you so much for responding. I am a little nervous with the coiling..even though I have been thru a 15 hr surgery with the clipping. You do not no how much this helps me to speak to others. I will be in touch with my 2nd surgery date as soon as I know.
Love to you, Lisa

[Lisa Sobocinski]

I am informing those of you that I talk to that my Dr's appmt was canceled yesterday and rescheduled for Monday. My surgeon had an emergency! Which I fully understand but still a little disappointed. So when I go on Monday hopefully I can come back an update you on my 2nd annie surgery date. Thanks and God Bless to All, Love ya, Lisa:D

[Lyn]

Lisa
Now we have gotten a chance to get to know you, we will all be with you in spirit when you have your coiling. The operating theatre will be very full but I promise to bring the champagne to celebrate your success - no, you can't have any but I will have a 'cyber drink' with you when you have recovered. lol.

Keep us posted sweetie

Lyn :)

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Lyn....thanks for bringing laughter in my life. You are the best! Have a wonderful weekend and I will be on and off later....I am going to try and post my pic over the weekend. What do you think...pic before surgery or after??? LOL!!! Lots of love, Lisa

[Craig]

Don't sweat the coil job - pc. of cake ! For me a tooth problem is worse. I have had 3 coilings.

Craig

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Craig,
I have heard that before...about the tooth problem..Thank you soooo much for your response. What was your recovery like with the coiling? After going thru the clipping procedure on my 1.5 cm...really, how much worse can a coiling be....????? Always good to know anyway. Thank you!!!!!
God Bless....
love,
Lisa

[Lyn]

Hi Lisa

I am thinking maybe a picture of both would be good! I was only game to post a before pic, the other was a little, well, eewww. But it is good to look back on so that you can keep track of how far you have come.

Cheers

Lyn

[ChrisC]

Lisa, I also had the clipping surgery (wasn't successful) and 2 weeks later was successfully coiled. I will keep you in my prayers that your surgery is successful, and your recovery is swift and uncomplicated.

[Lisa Sobocinski]

My appmt is at 12:30 today. Will update when I know. Thank you ALL for such kindness. Will talk soon. God Bless!
Lisa

[FireflyR7]

I had stenting & coiling through my groin artery. Is that how they are doing this one?? The surgery was easy, just had to lay flat on my back for 2 days. Let us know how your appt. goes!! I will keep you in my prayers sweetie! I know it is scary no matter what kind of surgery you have!! I have had A LOT, I feel like a human pin cusion!!! I prob. leak water every time I take a drink like on the cartoons!! :p I have had a hyst, 3 back surgeries, gland removed from my neck... ... ... I think I have had about 10 surgeries since the 80's. I was scared for everyone, it is normal!! You will do great I am sure!! You have a lot of support and prayers here!! I am due for another angiogram, waiting until after the holidays though, just had one in April & it all look good. Ask the Dr. to explain everything they are doing. Let us know how the appt goes hun. Love Tricia

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Okay, my 2nd surgery is scheduled for Dec 19th. Coiling will be done on my 6 mm annie. Dr's want me to go 8 weeks before it since I had the clipping on the 1.5 cm on Oct 19th. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.
God Bless to all!
Love, Lisa

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Thank You ALL for your responses....very helpful!! Okay was just told by my insurance company they will not cover wigs. Does anyone know of a website I can go to for wigs that arent over $500.00? LOL!!! Thank you in advance.
God Bless, Lisa

[Lyn]

Hi Lisa

I am not sure where your incision line would be, but I think that your head will be so sensitive that even the thought of a wig will freak you out. I know that if anyone had come near my head with anything after surgery I would probably have punched them! And that is NOT my style!

I found that a loose hat or bandanna worked best for me - you may also find that your head would get too itchy, hot and uncomfortable in a wig. How much hair will you lose? My head was shaved in a strip about an inch and a half wide and ten inches long - like I was wearing a headband. Most doctors only take as much as they need to get a clear incision line and leave the rest.

More than two years later, I still have a bald spot and strip, but I can do a combover (a nice one). No-one would know unless I told them.

Cheers

Lyn

[FireflyR7]

;) I am looking at wigs myself, hair is still falling out from my medications!! found some very cute ones that are much cheaper!!

http://www.loriswigsite.com/

http://www.wigsite.com/noriko_med-long.html

Revlon has some cute cheaper ones too, there are a lot to look at on this site!!

http://www.beautytrends.com/cgi-bin/891A6BDC/mac/extSearch.mac/eSearch?prGr=WIG%20%20%20&dspSubGroup=Y

Love Tricia :)

[Lisa Sobocinski]

First of all thank you for taking the time to respond. My incision is 10 inches long and at this point my hair is growing back but it is grey...LOL!!! I am normally a blonde (bleached) and since I cant color it for quite some time I was thinking of a wig until I can. I will go on all the sites Tricia as suggested. THANK YOU so much.
Lyn, I am not lucky enough to do a comb-over at this this point. Maybe in time I can.
Again, thank you and I do not know what I would do without all of you!
God Bless, Lisa

[FireflyR7]

;) I just wanted to let you know that they also have turbans... on the wig sites for cancer patients... Might not want to wear a wig until your incision is healed really well, so it doesn't get infected. Wig might irritate it?? There are some realy cute wigs on that site!! I am also a blonde & my hair has always been thin & fine like baby hair. I lost a lot from the radiation & meds. It started growing back, but now the meds are making it fall out quickly. :o
I hope yours grows back!! Most people's do, my prob. is the meds now!! My thoughts are with you!! I lost all my eyelashes & eyebrows about 18 years ago, from the old radioactive dye they used for a test I had done & they never grew back. That took me a long time to get use too!! :( Now the hair? I wish my leg hair would fall out so I wouldn't have to shave them, but no!! :p
Love ya hun & will talk to ya soon, prayers are with you!! Tricia

[nicd]

Hi lisa,

I will be sending you my best wishes and positive vibes, I had an SAH in April and my two aneurysms were coiled due to my aneurysms being so near to the brain stem clipping was too risky. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks due to the rupture and recently returned to work. I still suffer from occasional headaches, short term memory loss ( pad of paper always on hand) and get tired easily, other than that I feel wonderful.

Good luck to you with the coiling we will be thinking of you.

Nic in Canada

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Just keeping my fingers crossed with the hair deal...it is growing back so I am very lucky. I know every situation is different but I still am very nervous about the coiling procedure. You would think the craniotomy would be the worst but also the waiting before my coiling doesnt help. You all are heling me soooo much. Thank you! God Bless, Lisa

[FireflyR7]

:o I know you are scared hun, we all were!! This is the hardest challenge I have had to deal with!! That is why we are all here, we will help you get through this hun!! I am keeping you in my prayers!!! You can ask anything you want or just come to vent or cry!! We all understand, no one else can unless they have been there!! We will help you sweetie, you are not alone!! Love Tricia

[dawnmn]

Lisa,
I hate to be the bearer of this news but the coiling procedure can make you lose hair which of course grows back. My first coiling I went bald on the sides and back but that was because of the amount of radilation was a lot compared to the second surgery. The second surgery the coiling caused thining and not the baldness. When I went back to work after the SAH I wore hats for a while and then the hats became a bother and I just had a really short haircut late when my hair grew a inch which took months.

[Roguemom]

I lost quite a bit of hair after my coiling too. Went bald where the radiation was pointed. The rest of my hair was like straw for a few months because of the radiation.

Becky

[Lisa Sobocinski]

I became an expert on the clipping procedure I guess I need to do the same on the coiling. Question if anybody can answer until I see the dr next week....3 rd follow-up since clipping.....the actual appmt is 12/4 for the run down on the coiling......no one has told me anything about radiation with the coiling procedure. Can someone explain to me when that happens? During the coiling procedure or after??? Thanks to all...and GOD BLESS!!!
Lisa

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Fairly new to this site. As I check that my note was posted it now says "last page" . Does that mean they will close my thread? Thank you in advance...Lisa

[NHDebbie]

Lisa, I am new to this forum. Just registered today. There are others that are here that know me from Annie's Angels. I suffered a ruptured, 5mm brain aneurysm on Feb. 3, 2006. I was rushed to Dartmouth Medical in Lebanon, NH and qualified for the Coiling procedure. I remained in the hospital for 10 days and returned to work after a month. On July 25th, I had my first angiogram. This is a test that is performed in radiology that requires the doctor to insert a cathetor into the artery located at the groin. The cathetor is used to insert a contrast/dye in to the arteries in your brain. I was awake for the entire procedure, but was given a local to numb the area of pucture. After the angiogram, I had to remain flat on my back for up to 4 hours before I could be released. This test showed that my aneurysm had grown since the coil on Feb. 4th and was told I had to choose between the clipping or another coil with a mesh stent. To make a long story short I selected the coil and stent. This was scheduled for Sept. 11th. I was on the table for 6 hours. My doctor was not successful in keeping the new coils in place, so he finished with placing the stent into the artery. I will be going back in January to have the coils added. The second procedure and possibly third only required 2 nights stay in the hospital and 1 week out of work. At this point I am not scared of what I am into, I am certainly tired of the medical issues. I never had medical issues before. But I'm sure that someday, this may be in the past. By the way, The coiling procedure is pretty much like the angiogram except they put you out for it. I did not receive radiation for this and didn't loose hair. Coiling is a lot less invasive and recovery is much, much shorter. It is a piece of cake. ;)

[NHDebbie]

I hope this link works. It is a very interesting video of an actual coiling procedure. I forgot to tell you that the only after effects I experienced was a soreness from the puncture site at the groin. This lasted a few days. ;)


http://www.or-*********/Borgess/1122/event/rnh.cfm

[Lisa Sobocinski]

NHDebbie,

Thank you soooo much for your response. I have had 4 angiograms and if the coiling is anything like that AND I am knocked out I will be okay. Just want it over with..Please keep me in your prayers from now and my next surgery Dec 19th. I will keep you in mine as always, God Bless, Lisa

[NHDebbie]

The angiogram and coil procedures is almost identical. Watch the video. It is very informative. Remember, your arteries have no nerves. No nerves...no feeling, which means no pain. You'll be fine!!! I'll will be rooting for you. NHDebbie

p.s. FedEx huh?

[dawnmn]

Lisa,

The radiation comes from the x ray when they are inserting the coils. It's the only way that they can see what and where they are inserting the coils in the brain and because it takes awhile to insert the xray is pointed in the same spot on the head for a period of time. The second coiling and placement of the stent didn't take as long as the first time and I just had clumps of hair come out but no bald spots like the first when I had a rupture.

[Lisa Sobocinski]

Debbie,
Thank you so much Debbie. I will watch the video. Yes, Fedex...Trainer in Customer Service.

Dawn,
Thank you as well for sharing your story.

Please keep me in your prayers!!
God Bless,
Lisa

[NHDebbie]

Lisa,
You're welcome. Me? USPS!! hehe All is cool! ;)

[Lisa Sobocinski]

This is why this site is so important to me...brings laughter !!!! We may each work for our competitors but thats what is so great about life!!! "It's all good"

Thanks for speaking with me...God Bless!!!
Lisa

[FireflyR7]

:) I had a rupture Annie stented and coiled next to my optical artery, left side. I also had the Angiogram before the proceedure. I did lose some hir, but I am allergic to everything! I also had a radioactive heart test done, that is when I lost the most hair. They can give you some steroids and Zantac perscription strength, plus full strenth Benadryl to take the night before and the morning Angio. & the surgery to prevent hairloss. My Dr. did after I lost some the first time. He gave me a script for them. It did help for the 2nd angio and surgery! You can also take Xanax for anxiety, even the morning of surgery!! My D'r gave me some for everything! :p I had a rupture, but I have had several proceeures done throught the groin artery. I think this is a lot less evasive than a clipping? Let us know what you find out. Ask your Dr. to explain everything he is going to do!! Make a list of questons!! I always take notes so I don't forget! My short term memory is still bad from the rupture :p In my prayers hun!! Tricia