As we look forward to surgery many times there are emotional responses to the fact that we are having surgery especially brain surgery. What problems have there been both before and after surgery and how have you dealt with it. Considering going back to my therapist for help.
Gwen it IS overwhelming and going to see your Therapist certainly can't be a bad idea. Janet
Thank you Janet for your encouragement.
hi gwen! I was very frightened to be recoiled--I never had surgery before the sah and being in a coma I feared not!! oh yeah I had a port put in for chemo but that wasn't that scary. I'm not sure how a therapist could have helped with fear, I prayed a lot and that was a great relief. If its depression or anger i'm sure a therapist would be great help so i'm hoping others respond here that have experience. thoughts and prayers are with you- keep us informed thanks!
Before surgery I would often get quite sad and cry. It was kind of “why me.” I was scared of the possible complications and the effect it would have on my kids. Once I decided to have the clipping done, I felt a sense of peace. That is until I was being prepped for surgery. I broke down crying. After surgery I have dealt with symptoms of depression and anxiety. I also had limited patience, so I was quick to anger. Luckily all that has gotten better.
This site was a huge help. Sharing here and hearing that what I was going through was normal. Going back to your therapist could be very helpful.
Terri
Hi Ron. My biggest fear is that the surgery will not go well and my family will have a severely diabilied person to take care of for the rest of their lives. I don't even want them to visit me in the hospital. I viewed some of the pictures on the site and it scared me so much I am having trouble handling this. I have worked through so much lately with lumbar fusion in March, ulnar nerve repositioning last April which didn't take and I have to have it again. Two knee replacements and one knee revisions. Right now I'm struggling with a nerve impingement on my right side which is making it difficult to move my hand. I also suffer with bipolar disorder. This craniotomy is just icing on the cake. I think I want a therapist to help me work through the extreme fear that I'm not coming out of this unscathed. I see the look on friend's faces that fear. I just need an impartial participant to talk to.
Sometimes I get so scared of the surgery I cannot even move; the fear paralyzes me. I made the decision Friday to have the surgery and called the neurosurgeon's office to let them know. I'm waiting for a date. To calm myself I decided to make a list of all the things I want to accomplish once this surgery is behind me. The doctor scared me so much about the aneurysm rupturing that I always feel I have to be close to a hospital wherever I go. I feel it when I talk to friends and forget to censor my conversations. I scare the life out of people because I am so scared and way too honest about what scares me., Thank you God for this site. It allows me to be brutally honest with people who know what I'm going through and care enough to be brutally honest with me.
I'm going to hold on to that! Every day is better". Thank you so much.
Gwen...part of the journey is the "up and down of emotion"...before surgery I had a leak...so I was sick and trying to keep Bp down...so I rested a lot...worried...walked...cleaned house and got things in order...actually I was very busy before surgery...so that when I came home...I could rest and cope and take things a "step at a time"....remember we all have Brain aneurysm's and this journey...but all do it in different stages...
Positive thoughts your way ~ Colleen
Thank you Colleen for your words of encouragement. Because of you guys I am feeling much better about my decision to go ahead with the surgery.
hi gwen! yes that's certainly a legitimate fear, I don't get the pictures either- not very supportive but the opposite in my opinion. One lady said her pic would scare the mice away!!!!!lol -I would not want to view these if I was pre surgical I don't like to look at my brain x rays-ptsd I guess. Also don't get the aneurysm mra pics on here - I really don't care to see the thing that permanently disabled me. If I were you I would stay away from these pics and also stay away from the internet stories and statistics--go for some nice vacation pics instead to get your mind off this and on to your happy place. Also as your waiting pre surgery in the hospital one lady just blocked it all out and used imagery to envision the faces of her children and loved ones and she highly recommended this technique. I used something similar that they taught me to do during chemo to keep from vomiting and to ease the fear--you transport yourself to your happy place- like transcendental meditation I suppose--I was lying on the beach--smelling the salt air, hearing the chatter of the seagulls etc etc--much to my surprise it worked! Think positive and pray when the fear comes -this also helps tons! in the meantime stay with us we care about you!
Thanks again Ron. Mental imagery is a good strategy for me. I've used it in the hospital when I got my lumbar fusion in March. I would keep my cell phone close to me and look at the pictures over and over of my loved ones. I planned in my head what I wanted to do with them once I have recovered. I guess this would also work as far as conquering my fear for this surgery. I love pictures of my grandchildren and seeing their faces always makes me happy. Thanks for the suggestions Ron. I would like to friend you as soon as I figure out how to do this. God Bless.
great gwen that is awesome way!!!-why not use real images!!-love that-I friended you thanks for your friendship--it took me a while to figure it out!-lol-i went to your page and under pic it said add as friend-oh also if you'd like to chat we are usually on there- we would luv to talk with you! -its under members up top for full screen and main room on the bottom-see you around-keeping you in thoughts &prayers!!~~~