We're Back!

[Happydaze]

Hi everyone, new friend and old friends! Since it has been awhile and my memory is not that great anymore maybe we should give a short little note as to what brought us all together---did you have a rupture or was it found before and fixed -- was it you or a family member -- how is it going -- and any other things that come to mind!

______________________________________

I was at the gym on the treadmill and lost most of my vision - somehow I made it to a chair by the front desk and asked them to call my husband to come and pick me up as I wasn't feeling well. It went downhill from there--I remember them calling an ambulance and saying "we are in luck it is right down the street". That's all I remember for the next 3 weeks. I was told they helicoptered me to a hospital in Philadelphia and the neurosurgeon told my family it did not look good. I had had a massive rupture and was totally unconscious. They coiled it and also found another small one that they are watching. I go into that awful tunnel every six months for an MRA/-MRI, just had one last week, my next doctors appt. is in two weeks. I am back to work and feeling ok except when I am tired I seem to have trouble. I am so thankful to have made it! I forgot to add that was three yrs ago!

[nicd]

I am new to this as I just found this website. I had a rupture in April 2006 just watching TV on a Sunday night. I remember losing consciousness and then coming to once the oxygen was placed on my face by the local firefighters who were first to respond to my husbands 911 call. I came to vomiting all over a friend of my husband. The paramedics then took me to the local hospital, who then sent me to another hospital for a CT scan and then to another hospital in London, On when they discovered the bleed on the brain.

I don't remember anything for the next 3 weeks and the doctors put a drain in my head and then once I was stabilized, they performed coil surgery as clipping surgery was risky for me as my 2 aneurysms are on my brain stem and the doctor thought coiling was the best option for me. I recovered amazingly and have just returned to work. I have some short term memory problems, concentration problems and occasional headaches. I am lucky and loving every minute of being home with my husband and 2 daughters.
I am throwing my 9 year old, her 10th birthday party in a week and thank god every day I am around to do these things. I will be throwing my 8 year old her 9th birthday party in December and feel blessed to be doing so.

Life is Good!!!!!!!!!!:)

[Happydaze]

Hi Nicd - I can't believe you are back to work so soon. How is it going? I remember going back and had a difficult time at first. Welcome to this community-its really a terrific, understanding place for all of us. Let us know how you are doing.

________________
Happydaze:)

[Lyn]

Hi guys
I had an unruptured annie clipped in 2004.

It was found during an unrelated MRI/MRA (I also have MS) at the beginning of 2003. My neurologist didn't tell me about it for six months - when he did, he suggested I just monitor it. A friend who is a nurse urged me to get a second opinion. The neuro surgeon I saw recommended that I get it clipped, so I had clipping surgery to fix it up in Feb 2004.

I think this thread is a great way to find out who is who around here now.

Thanks for that

Cheers

Lyn :)

[nicd]

Hi Happydaze,

I am doing good at work. I just work part time at a local store and it does me good to get out 5 or 6 hours a day. I enjoy meeting people although some days are very stressful and I come home with a big headache. I just relax in a hot tub and the headache goes away.
My 9 year old has started acting like a teenager (hormones raging) so I know I have a lot more headaches in front of me. Two girls will make sure of that:rolleyes:

What does everybody do for a living if you are back to work???? Hope to speak to both you and Lyn and others again soon.

Hugs to all
Nic:)

[jordal]

hi all glad to see bt back!!!
i am a mom of 2 great boys jordan 8 and alex 6 i have always been a headache and migrane sufferer since i was very young. in may of this year i got a headache unlike any iv ever had... it was in the back of my head not top and front like usual... it felt like someone clubbed me with a brick. it started on a tues... o and odly my tounge was numb... i delt with the headache until fri... after i dropped kids off at school i went for a nap (fatigue had been getting progressivly worse as were headaches over previous few monthes) when i woke up fri aft i went for shower and brushed my teeth, as i was using listerine, i couldnt keep it in my mouth, it kept squirting out. i called my mom up and we checked out my face. as it turns out the right side of my face was parilized. o my goodness i thought i was having a stroke!! i picked up the kids at school and dropped them off at their dads and went to the hosp. emerg. they were wonderful there took very good care of me. did a ct then spinal tap then admitted me. told me that my face was bells paulsy. a couple days later the headach still really bad they sent me to another hosp for mri. thats when they found the annie. it took monthes to get into see n.s. when i did he told me that he thinks that it did bleed not majorly but low blood pressure is my best defence. (because of symptoms, recovery and blood count from spinal tap) and apparently after 24 hours it is difficult to detect stroke or hemorage in ct. so the ns sent me for more tests to determine what type of surgery is best suited for me. i go to see him again nov 6 its been tough and the waiting sucks but im 30 now and am glad it isnt worse than it is.
im really glad bt is back on because this is my best support, and i missed u all dearly.
all the best..... jordal

[HereinNY]

Hi again everyone
I was at a Broadway show on a Friday night and was running in the freezing cold to catch my train. This massive headache started but I had to keep running. I described it as an ice cream headache with a warm feeling down the back of my head. I went to bed at 1 AM and even said to my neice, "Make sure I get up in the morning."
I awoke at 8 the next day and my head was stilll pounding. I went to the chiropractor, got adjusted and a little massage. Nothing helped. I went home and fell asleep at 2 pm. My brother woke me up for dinner at 6 pm (he saved my life I'm sure). I was really out of it. By 9 pm, I was watching tv on the couch, head still killing me, my arms began to flail around so I called to my sister to call an ambulance. Two minutes later I'm told I had a seizure and went unconscious. I woke up with the paramedics over me and remember talking to them. I remember the ER off and on. I remember them telling me the next day that I had a brain aneurysm, and I said,"Don't people die from that?" The Dr. said yes, you are very lucky! I was very lucky... 4 aneurysms, a stroke, no peripheral vision on the left, a shunt for hydracephallus,and blood clots in my legs and lungs. It's been a long road, but I am still here! It will be 3 years in January and when I get down about how much I feel I can't do yet, I remember how far I've come...and smile!

[Travelingdueo]

On Jan 9th my husband came home from working his shift as a OR. Nurse and was on call for the rest of the day/night and walked up the steps slowly and said that his neck hurt and was going to bed -when he finally got into bed he asked for a wash cloth he now said he had a headache. I let him rest and came in to check on him and found him laying across the bed and had vomited and sucking on his fingers and his eyes were glossy and unresponsive ...called 911 and they took him to the hospital where they told me he was bleeding in the head and it didn't look good to call family.
Ironically the nuro doctor he worked with at the hospital that day said he told him to do something about his headache. They said it wasn't unusual for the neck pain from the bleed...
When I think back he was showing signs of fatique back in Sept 2005 he thought that he was lacking in vitimins so he got some to see if that would help... also the day before he was sleepy all day and kept taking naps!

At this time we were in CA in a small town as he worked as a travel nurse in various locations for atleast 13 weeks at atime. so I was far from family and the friends except for the ones we made in the RV park were there for me that we just met
From there he was flown to Palm Springs and they too told me that it didn't look good either asked about donor donations but not to give up that there was a possibity that he could pull thru.
He was progressing and the nurses couldn't believe how he was doing...he was a good candidate for the coiling so that made another transfer to Loma Linda CA.
On Jan 14th they decided he would do better with clipping so he went for surgery that morning... he developed complications with the drainage tube from the head that they had to remove it and repostition it on the other side since he developed an infection that they could not control to bring down the fever he kept spiking... he also developed blood clots in both legs.
He was in ICU for 4 weeks and spent 2 days in the step down unit then transferred to a rehab unit for 4 weeks.. He had to leave insurance issue .. since we were orginally from Michigan and its March its too far to drive to Michigan and besides it was still cold and snowy.. he had a sister in WA. so we went to stay with his sister as they would not let him go home unless I had someplace for him and support people so friends and family came to our rescrue to drive us to WA in our RV... Luckly he could make a trip with the RV the only way he could of made it as he couldn't walk , stand and was incontent so once we got him in the RV we could sleep,eat and etc without having to get him in and out of a vechicle... We arrived at his sister's in two days and with in that week I had his Doctors lined up and started homecare for PT.. He started walking by April with a walker and in May was using the cane. He still has alot to go, loss of memory long and short term, sees people and swears they were just here. Was able to keep his sense of humor and I see new progress all the time but now that there is still a long haul for him..
:)

[ChrisC]

Interesting stories from new members! We are all lucky to be around and I know I'm very grateful for medical advances and knowledge!

I was a discovered annie, 3 years ago (nearly 4, actually). Had a crani to clip it 4 months after discovery, it failed, and 2 weeks later I was successfully coiled. I returned to work 3 months later, I'm an RN in an ER. Yes, the road was long, but well worth all the travel - mentally, emotionally and physically!

Welcome to all.

Chris

[Happydaze]

Thanks for all your replys - it tugs at my heart to see all of the torture that these anuerysms cause - I'm so thankful we are all here and have such a caring community. Thank you all again for refreshing my poor ole memory and welcome to everyone who has just found this great, caring board!! :)

________________
Happydaze

[annie2105]

:eek: I was driving to work when mine burst. I passed out and drove into a ravine, miraculously not hitting anything or rolling over. someone found me & called 911. The crew came and found me unconscience still with vomit all over me. I have no memory of the whole day and then no memoery for weeks after that. Drs waited until I was stable & did a clipping the next day but my left side was paralysed still. I was released about a month later to a rehab hospital. Then a week later another annie ruptured. This time it was coiled and a shunt was put in. My left side now started to work though it was still very weak. My 6 month angiogram found the coiled annie had grown into a giant one and doctors decided another clipping was required this time with a bypass because the vessel was so compramised. But I am alive to talk about it. Did I mention I was only 25. My doctor said he has never seen anyone live after an aneurysm burst and filled the head with blood like mine. It is only by the grace of God I am here without a doubt. That is my story:) Blessings to you all.