Newly diagnoised with surgery scheduled

[kimik0206]

Hello everyone. I'm new to aneurysms and message boards. So please forgive me if I make a mistake in my posting.

I'm so happy to have found someplace where people will understand what I am going through. I talk with friends and family and as much as they are supportive it is nice to be able to talk with people who KNOW how scared I am.

I was just diagnoised with a 4mm left middle cerebral aneurysm, with a wide neck. (Last week.) I met my Neurosurgeon on Wednesday and he is a great man who I am very confident I'm in the best hands. I am scheduled for an arteriorgram on 12-3-08 (the day before my daughters 18th birthday) and clipping surgery on 12-10-08.

Back in May I was diagnosed at our small town hospital with viral meningitis and was hospitalized for 5 days. Come to find out, I didn't have meningitis it was a slow bleed in my aneurysm, that i didn't know i had. My neuro doc said that it happens a lot in small towns where they don't see aneurysms or meningitis a lot. I have been having major headaches and neck pain ever since. i have been bounced from Dr. to Dr. trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I was begining to think i was going crazy. I'm relieved that i now have the answers, but scared to death about the surgery or what could happen if i don't have the surgery. I feel like everything is happening so fast, and then again not fast enough. I just want to be done and healing.

I have the most wonderful husband who is always the rock, but I know is just as scared as I am. He just keeps telling me that everything will be ok and no matter what he will love me forever. I'm blessed to have him. My kids are symathetic, but don't really understand the seriousness of it all.

Thank you for having somplace to get things out of my head. Maybe I will be able to sleep. Reading all of your stories, I know I'm not alone and thank god for this site so I or anyone else isn't alone going through these scary times.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I know it was a special one for me to be with the people I love.

[magpie]

We have something in common. The same clipping day (12/10/08). Also a great husband and kids and confidence in our surgeons. Oh, yeah and of course the annie...My 2 are in a different area but there all the same. I am new here (just a couple weeks) and have met some great people who have been so helpful. I also spent time reading old posts to get some more answers. I understand your fears and thankfulness. Its such a mix of compound feelings. Happy/Sad Afraid/Thankful Confused/Determined Faithful/Questioning Whoa! My feelings change fast...really fast these days.:p. Just 6 weeks ago I was a very stable person :p. I can not help you with any surgery stuff because like you I am waiting. But if you need someone to talk to about this waiting stuff - let me know. Have a wonderful weekend....you can send me a pm if you want to talk...

[jess2002]

Hi there I know how frightened you are I have been there twice once with a rupture and once with a planned surgery try not to worry it will be fine anything you want to know just ask, I was fine after the planned one and I have had two children since. Jess

[Nancy D]

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with one of these little nasties. I had an annie on my right MCA. I had it clipped and am now 2 years post op. The absolute worst part of the whole thing was the waiting. Now that it is clipped, I don't ever have to worry that it will rupture. It sounds like you have a good doctor and it's wonderful you finally have an answer.

Six months after my surgery I was 100%. If another annie is ever found, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. The best of luck to you and keep us posted.

Nancy D.

[ChrisC]

Kim I wish you the very best in your upcoming surgery. I'm nearly 6 years out of having my aneurysm repaired, and like Nancy, wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I had to. The waiting is the worst! Just be positive - know that they found it to fix it and you will be on the road to recovery soon! You have a great bunch of new friends who understand and will be here for you!

[janeh]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I too had u ruptured aneurysm found at end of July and had angio two days late. I was told at first from MRA it was 5mm and after angio that it was 7mm and odd shaped. The entire situation was one that has been so fast, yet so slow. Now it is a slow recovery, but a recovery it is. I had to wait 14 extra days to get plavix out of my system. Waiting was so very hard. Yet i surrounded myself with loved ones. I felt like I was circling the airport everyday, as surgery date came I was so ready to land.
My doctor gave me a rx for xanax and told me to take it easy. It really helped me.

It is so important to have full confidence in your doctor. I too was under great care from my doctors, so in that department, i once again have been blessed. I had my clipping on 8/20/08 and spent 1 night in ICU, ( very loud place) and then another 4 days in hospital. I was affraid to come home, yet that first 8 hour straight nap with my 3 little bichon's was priceless.
I am 14 weeks post op, and recovery has had a few issues, but i am reall starting to come along. This forum has helped me enormously. My husband prior did not want me on computer to much, so I really went into surgery with very little knowledge as what was coming my way. My surgeon had great sense of humor and had me figured out, so i really went in with fear, yet i also turned to humor. It worked for me. We are all so different.
I also have two children 21 (d) and 16 (s) they really kind of ran, they were scared, so it has taken time. However that is working out as well.
Surgery is real doable, yet it is hard as well. his is not a death sentence, rather a life extension
Come and ask all the questions and talk about your fears. Feel free to pm anytime if you want and I would love to talk with you.
I wish you and your family peace during this difficult time. You are all in my prayers. I do believe in praying people through. I know it has been done for me, amazing.....

[kimik0206]

I just want to thank all of you for your support and stories. As I'm sure you all know it is really helping me. I'm going to fight this. I know that I'm in the best hands at U/M hospital. Today my biggest concern for my kids and my husband. I just worry about them. I worry about them having to take care of me. I worry about what if something goes wrong. I just worry. They are wonderful and would do anything for me, so I need to get over it, but just as being told I need to stay calm, it is easier said than done.

I'm so thankful that I found this group and all of you wonderful people. I believe with prayer and determination and a support group like this I can do this. I can beat this little beast that is taking over my life at the moment. I'm alive and not giving up yet!

Bless all of you!

[Kitty]

You are definitely in good hands at U/M hospital!! I was taken there 3 years ago in a helicopter when my aneurysm ruptured. I had two more surgeries after that to fix 6 more that were found. I had wonderful care and a great neurosurgeon.
Feel free to pm me if you have any questions I can help with. And you will be in my prayers.

Kitty

[courtney]

Hi. I am new to all of this too. I am from Florida and just had my angiogram and found out I have a 7mm unruptured aneurysm and am scheduled for the coiling procedure in the middle of December. I definitely can relate to your e-mail. I have been going to drs for months trying to figure out all of these symptoms and now I know what it is so at least I know I am not crazy. I am worried too and I am worried about how long it takes for recovery, when can I get back to the office and when will my short term memory be at 100% again. So I know exactly what you mean but at least we found all of these great people on this website that can assist us! It does help to know there are other people that have gone through this so they can help us out with their knowledge! So be strong and keep your chin up!!!!