Hi. My name is Tara. Friday, June 24, 2011 one of my favorite people in the whole world suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. His name is Buster. He is only 36 years old. He was rushed to a hospital near Indiana, PA where he was then life flighted to Allegheny General in Pittsburgh.
On Saturday the 25th, he endured an 8 hour surgery to clamp it and relieve the pressure on his brain. Since then my life has been a roller coaster of emotion. We are still unaware of what long term damage there is, if any. He has been heavily sedated since Saturday due to his escalating blood pressure.
As of yesterday, his surgeon opted to have him put into a drug induced coma. He explained that this will allow his brain to rest and hopefully begin to heal. It’s just hard remain optimistic when there are so many ups and downs. Tubes are taken out then inserted again. His blood and cranial pressure is good then all of a sudden it isn’t.
I’m so miserable trying to anticipate so many different scenarios. I just wanna crawl in the bed with him and stay there until he wakes up.
Until now I have only browsed and read the multiple experiences different ones have posted. I have found so many of them very comforting. Thank you so much in advance for the support. Just looking for some answers and a light at the end of this tunnel…
Hi Tara, So sorry to hear of your friend’s aneurysm. I am in Pittsburgh so your post caught my attention. I actually pass Allegheny General Hospital every day on my way to work and work very close to where he is. I will pray for Buster. I know this is hard and I can not speak from where you are coming from because I was the one who had the aneurysm rupture four years ago. I was grocery shopping with my husband and passed out and had seizures and was taken to a local hospital. They flew me from there to town and told my family several times that my situation was very grim. I had surgery that evening and then had a shunt put in about 10 days later and that apparently made all the difference. I was blind for a few weeks and then slowly got my vision back. I spent a month in the hospital. A year later I had to have another surgery that caused a stroke, it was the lesser of the two evils, my doctor felt that the aneurysm would rupture again and that it would be fatal. So, I just want to tell you that my situation looked so grim and the doctors told my family several times just that. Here I am - four years later, I drive, I work my job full time again, pretty much do evertything I used to. I can’t walk a straight line though - LOL - I have balance issues and some numbness from the stroke. It is amazing how the body can heal and what the brain can do. When you said you wanted to crawl into bed with him I laughed, my boys were 25 and 15 and all I wanted was one of them to crawl in bed with me. My oldest said Mom, I am a grown man, I can’t fit in there with you, and he would put his one leg up on the bed and pretend like he was laying next to me. My advice is do not give up, be there for him and be positive. A positive attitude is key. I truly believe I made it through it all because of the support and prayers of my family, friends, coworkers and people who knew my family who I didn’t even know. He can recover from this, it will be a long recovery but he can. There are so many of us survivors on here with truly remarkable stories that show when there is a will there is a way. Hang in there and if I can do anything for you I will. Take care, Shelly
I was in your shoes 17 years ago. Based on what you described and looking back on our experience, what is occurring appears normal. Make no mistake, he is in a fight of his life and it's way to early to know what his outcome will be but be brave and talk to him. He can hear you it's just that his brain is busy making some vital repairs. I can tell you what got me through my wife's rupture/surgery was really intense prayer by me and our Church family. Reach out to God and follow what He says. You and he will be in our prayers!
I am sorry about your friend's. I know how you feel. I am in the same sistuation right now. My mom just had her annie clip on June 29th and went back into surger on the 3rd day to have the skull removed. Her doctor said that her brain is swelling and the brain shifted to the left. So they have to remove the skull to relived the press on her brain. She also had a big stroke after that. They also give her drug to stay in coma to let her brain rest and hopefully the swelling will go down. It has been over a week now and her brain still swelling and shifted. They just stop the coma drug on 7/4 but she still not awake or responding yet. both her arms and legs are not moving. This morning they did another procedure to replace her breathing tube from her throat and insert another one through her neck. They also insert a feeding tube inside her tummy. Doctor said this will make her feel more comfortable than having it on her throat. Each day I am hoping for some good news but nothing yet. Her blood and cranial pressure is stable for one day and then swollen again the next. This morning they did a scan again and said that there her brain is still swollen and shifted to the left. I have been crying so much in the last few days. I don't know what to do to help her. All I can do is just pray and hope that she will recover soon. I am so scare and worries. I pray GOD everyday to watch over her and help her recover. I found this forum is so helpful. Reading others success give me hope and help me stay possitive. I know God will answered our pray so keep on praying. Lot and lot of praying for your friends and my mom. I will continue praying for you and for your friends. Please let us know how your friend is doing. Take care, Amy
keeping buster n my prayers,,,,praying for healing n recovery..also for u n to keep u strong n keep ur hopes up...give it over to God n he will take of u both....love-n-prayers michelle n texas...stay strong my friend
Hello Sweetie...first and foremost...know...this is a long ~ journey ...
second...pray for your friend...and visit and talk to him...lastly...know that brain takes time to heal...and when it does...sometimes it is the smallest changes that shows it is healing...the induced coma will help the healing...don't thing so long~turn...but "one day at a time..."....You have my prayers....Healing thoughts your friends way...(a survivor...Colleen)
I am going in for surgery Wednesday for my second annie to be clipped but my mom had hers clipped 30 years ago. Hers ruptured and she didn't go to the hospital for a week not knowing. She was very stubborn about it. She was in a coma at one point and the doctors told us to pick out an institution because they said if she did make it she wouldn't be able to come home. I'm happy to say, although she had some complicatons, she lived 20 very happy years at home with us and died from a different cause later on in life. We too had ups and downs and we were told the worst case scenario, and my mom pulled through! My first one was clipped 5 weeks ago, and I'm doing fine. Think positive, there is always hope. Believe me!!