Brain Aneurysm Stories
Quite a Vacation
My aneurysm occurred on March 15, 2000. My husband and I were in Zihuatanejo, Mexico on the first vacation we'd taken in many, many years. We settled on this remote location because it was a small, quaint town without all the trappings of a resort. We wanted peace and quiet, cervesa and fresh shrimp. Life was good.
After a few days of fun in the sun, catamaran cruises, fishing and relaxing, I felt an odd sensation in my head one night. My husband was sleeping and didn't know anything was happening. I sat up in bed and panicked. I knew there was something wrong. But I didn't know what it was. I started to hyperventilate and couldn't figure out was was wrong. A few minutes later I felt a distinct 'pop' in my head and soon the headache began. It spread throughout my head like fingers of heat. Once the headache began, I sort of relaxed, because a headache is something I understand. Not that I got many headaches in my life, but at least I knew what to do about it. So I got up and took two Advil with some bottled water and crawled back in bed. But soon, I was back up and throwing up. This went on all night. I realized that if I lay on my left side that I was better off than laying on my right side.
After hours of getting up, throwing up, holding my head and feeling horrible — my husband finally dared to ask if I was okay. I said 'no.' So as soon as he could, he went to the office of our hotel and they called a local doctor. Now — granted — we're in a small Mexican town and I'm sure the doctor did his best. He came to the room, examined me a little bit, asked a few questions and determined that whatever was wrong with me was something I ate. I chose to believe him because I'd had some really spicy, and perhaps questionable, shrimp at one of the beach-side cafés. I asked why my head was hurting so bad and he said it was probably just a symptom of the food issue. So he gave me a shot, gave my husband a prescription for something and went on his way. I spent the rest of our trip in pain. I didn't want to spoil our only vacation in ten years, but I was miserable. I was a trooper though. I kept popping Advil and taking it easy with my diet and moving around.
It wasn't until we got home the following Saturday (after two extensive plane rides! Consider that with a leaking aneurysm!) I slept well but the next Sunday I finally told my husband that I'd like to go to the ER because whatever was wrong in my head was not going away. I said I hated to be a big baby, but I probably have some kind of killer migraine and I could get a shot or something. I had stuff to do, and be back at work the next day!
So we go to the ER and they had the foresight to give me a head CT. When the doctor told me he believed I had an aneurysm, it was the most terrifying thing I've ever heard. Knowing that I was walking around with it, flying, driving — I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The only people I'd ever known that had brain aneurysms died immediately. I was terrified and so was my husband. But — I got transported to a fine hospital with a finer neurosurgeon who gave me all the tests that I'm sure you're all familiar with by now. After the angiogram was finished the doctor said "I've got good news and bad news." Okay. Go . . ."The good news is that you only have one aneurysm."Good . . . isn't that enough? "The bad news is that we have to operate immediately."I actually was naive enough to ask if I was going to miss work the next day!
So — He clipped my aneurysm, I spent a week in the hospital looking ever bit like I was on the losing end of a fist fight with my black eye and swollen cheeks. The bleed was directly behind my right eye so my scar looks like a question mark on my head. But I was very grateful and happy to have survived without any discernible repercussions.
I have to say that the worst part for me was the recovery. And the worst part of the recovery were the anti-seizure medication I had to take; sleeplessness; anxiety and fatigue. I think it must have been an entire year or so before I felt "normal" again. And for years afterword, I felt defined by the incident. My life was broken into "Before Aneurysm" and "After Aneurysm" moments.
But it's behind me now. I think about it sometimes. But most times I don't. I'm still working on the weight that I gained during that time. (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) But for the most part it doesn't even come up in conversation anymore.
I feel blessed to still be around and I hope anyone else out there, or who reads this, that feels isolated and scared — know that you're not alone. You'll get through this. And hopefully you'll have a great story to tell someday.
Oh — and, we've returned to Zihuatanejo 7 times since that first trip. It's an awesome place. Check it out.
Mali
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Nothing on this website should, in any way be considered medical advice. It is presented as general information only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any type of medical condition. I am not a doctor, nurse, or any other type of medical or health care professional. Nor am I an expert on Aneurysms. However, I am an expert on the experience of having suffered a ruptured Aneurysm and the subsequent treatment I received. This site should not be considered to be, nor is it intended to be, a definitive source of information regarding Aneurysms. I have made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of any information presented here, but again, I am not a medical professional and my own interpretation of this information could be in error.