Questions I might be afraid to know the answer to..

[Digigrrl]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I've read some posts, but figured I'd like to start my own. My mother had 2 aneurysms that were found - 3mm and 6mm - kind of by accident. She was told they needed operated on, and the surgeon was going to clip them. The surgery went good, 2 days after Mother's day this year.

The following day, her brain hemmoraged, and she was rushed into the OR for a partial frontal lobectomy and then put into a pentobarb coma. She was given a 50/50 shot at survival. Miraculously she pulled through it - its been several months, and she's still recovering both mentally and physically. She was in 2 rehab hospitals: one for ventilator weaning, and one for physical therapy. Now she's in home therapy.

I know its only been a few months, but I'm wondering about the outcome of all of this. Her memory is fine as the surgery was on her right front. She does have some cognitive issues, and she is easily confused. She also has trouble staying focused, and starting conversations on her own. My mom was the most amazing woman and would do anything in the world for anyone. Now she is only "responsive". I don't know how else to put it. I just got a new job and she knows it, but never asks about it unless I bring it up first. This is just an example. She's also having quite an incontinence problem, however, it has gotten much better. All she seems to want to do is sleep, even though she'll acknowlege that she needs to exercize to get better.

Has anyone ever gone through this, or something similar? Or known anyone that has had something similar? I hear stories about either aneurysms that have burst, and been fatal or even repaired ok, or ones that have been found, operated on, and the person recovers back to normal, but not really when there's been a serious issue post surgery.. Being in the neuro-intensive care unit for weeks was not a happy place to be. Any comments are appreciated.
Thanks.
PS - Mom is 56yrs old.

[linniec]

Digigrrl.
There's a person here in this forum, and in the Memory Problems forum, named Travelingdueo, who seems to be going through something similar to you. I hope you and she will be able to help each other. For exercises, see if your mother will start something on http://www.sitandbefit.org

Linnie
Atlanta,Georgia,
Who's usually on the Epilepsy Forum
"beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself."

[Travelingdueo]

Hi my husband Ray is going thru what your mom is...
I noticed that Ray didn't start the conversations on his own and he would only answer yes and no's at first ... he had his clipped on Jan 14th and I noticed he first asked for ice cream the first time he ever asked for anything was back around the end of June the first of July.. Now he will go up to someone in the RV park and say something to them.. like tonight there was a man out by his truck and Ray mention how he liked his truck!
If you want to go into more one on one you can email me at
2travelers@gmail.com and I can go into more what has worked with us... he had homecare and now he is going for outpatient for speech and OT I have worked daily with him to help with his memory with kids workbooks, cards, playing matching games quizing day of month and etc.. ( he still has trouble with what month and year it is)

Becky

[Daf]

Digigrrl, I'm so sorry to hear about what has happened with your Mother.

My husband had a ruptured aneurysm in '97 and had it clipped. The next day he stroked and another surgery was done to relieve pressure on his brain. They did a right frontal lobectomy on him also.

He was in a rehab hospital for two months before he came home. He also had cognitive problems and a different personality than before.

I drove when we went anywhere because the stroke left him disabled on his left side. He was always confused as to where we were, and what town we were in at any given time. He thought I was amazing because I could drive around and know where I was at.

He also developed a quirky sense of humor. Sort of juvenile is the best way I can describe it.

It was hard to carry on a conversation with him also, because he didn't look you in the eyes when you talked. He just sort of glanced around the room like he really wasn't paying attention to what you were saying.

His long term memory was good, but he didn't have good short term memory. And his sense of time was all wrong. For instance, he would wake up at 2:00 in the morning and want me to cook breakfast.

Does any of this sound familiar?

I hope your Mother gets better and I hope the new job is going well.

Daf

[gpalatin]

Hey Digigrrl,

My husband also had the frontal bleed after surgery. This seem to cause more of his issues than the original annie rupture. It took about 6 months for him to regain his continence. He was also confused alot but that has since seemed to get corrected. He to this days struggles with focus and staying on task. He was diagnosed ADD before his rupture, so now is real bad. He is prescribed Ritilan and that helps tremendously. He also has a therapist who specializes in ADD and she is giving him the skills to assist with this. He is 45 and it has taken a year and a half to get where he is. He is doing much better and still continuing to improve. I KNOW it is hard to be patient, but hang on. It gets better.

Jan

[Digigrrl]

It does make me feel better to see I'm not alone in this struggle. To be honest, my father is having the worst time of all. He's with mom everyday, and has never had to take care of anyone in his life. I guess I was looking for reassurance that things will continue to improve. I guess I realize that she won't ever be 100% which absolutely breaks my heart knowing the type of person she was, but I'm still grateful that she survived and is doing as well as she can. I'd like her to get on this forum, but she doesn't seem to have the drive to use a computer as she did in the past. Hopefully that will get better. I also bought her the brain injury workbook and asked her to start from the beginning as its written TO her, and she says she will, but skips around and does puzzles in it here and there. Just has no focus. My wedding was going to be next week, but we postponed it until next April because of all of this. Hopefully she'll be even better by then.

[annie2105]

I had an aneurysm burst while driving to work. Doctors told my hubby to say "goodbye". He was also told if I did survive I would be a vegetable probably and to check into nursing homes (i was 250 Well, I did live and I am not a veggie, I drive and after 2 years went back to work. I am not 100% but I am here and functioning....there is ALWAYS, ALWAYS hope! I had people literally around the world praying. My doctors can't explain why I am here but I know that it is God's grace that I am here. I choose to be thankful and try to encourage others. Hang in there....Blessings on your journey, it will be hard:eek: and it will be long:eek: but it will be worth it!
Lisa:)

[wendyv]

My Husband Had A Grade 4 Ruptured Aneurysm 16 Months Ago He Spent 86 Days In The Hospital He Had Part Of His Rt Frontal Lobe Removed Because Of A Hematoma . He Has Had A Lot Of Out Patient Therapy And Continues To Improve Everyday. He Will Be Taking I A Driving Assessment The End Of This Month And Will Be Able To Drive Short Distances In Familiar Areas. Be Patient This Is The Longest Road I Have Ever Been On But He Is Getting Better. In The Beginning He Was Totally Confused And Could Not Be Left Alone For Even Five Minutes Now I Can Go To Work For Eight Hours And Leave Him A List Of Stuff To Do And He Does Really Well I Was Also Given A List Of Nursing Homes Before He Left The Hospital. He Is Still In Therapy For Memory Compensation And He Tries Very Easily But We Are Going To Keep On Trying He May Never Be 100% Again I Do Not Think Anyone Is The Same Ever Again But I Am Grateful For Everyday He Is Still Here. Your Dad Is Really Going To Need Love And Support Right Now This Is The Loneliest And Most Isolating Experience I Have Ever Had And I Am Sure No One Can Understand The Sadness That Comes With Losing Pieces Of Your Very Best Friend But They Are Still There And You Spend All This Time With Them And Want So Very Much For Them To Come Back To You. Take Care Wendy