My father, 59, has very recently suffered a ruptured brain aneursym, He is currently in hospital and has just had the anuerysm coiled. He has not yet regained conciousness since the incident (3 days ago). I am wondering if anyone can tell me what he will be like when he wakes up. Are the problems discussed here on this site typical of all aneurysm sufferers, or is there a chance he could be back to his old self? Sorry but I am very new to all of this, as it came as such a shock, so although I have started to research it I dont yet know too much, and would love some advice from fellow sufferers and their relatives.
Louise,
I can sympathize with what your father is going through. In Sept. 2006 I too suffered a ruptured aneurysm/subarachnoid hemhorrhage. I had an 8 hr surgery where I was also coiled. I wish I could tell you what he will be like when he wakes up, but unfortunetly each rupture is differant and can cause differant disabilities.
When I woke up, I was so happy to be alive. I did not see anything wrong with me at first. I thought I was fine. Your dad may never return to his old self again, for I realize now that I am not my old self. It’s been a long haul learning who I am and adapting to who I am. Please be patient with him, and don’t forget humor. Your dad is going to need all the support he can get. If he tells you the same story 4 times, pretend it’s the first time he told you. . He knows he’s differant, he knows his life has changed. The worst thing he can lose is his dignity.
When I came home, I still had terrible headaches. The DRs said it would take about a year to a year and a half for the brain to heal, and sure enough it did. The headaches did subside, but the memory loss was unreal!! My long term memory was and is great, the short term is what suffered. I also have trouble processing information. Sometimes people explain things to me and I look at them with the deer in the headlight look.
I could drive in my car and have no clue where I was, or how to get home. Simple things that we do each day and take for granted, I had to really stop and think about it. Simple things confused me. This frustrated so many people around me…because it was such a change from who I had been before.
TIME is the best healer, I remember being so scared that another aneurysm would rupture, or the coils would come undone. Now today almost 4 years later, it doesn’t even cross my mind. I still get frustrated when I can’t figure something out, and at times I miss the “old” me. Then I think of what the alternative could have been and it’s OK.
I pray for your fathers recovery and for your family to cope with the road ahead.
hi louise,
my name is michelle i am 41 yrs old and suffered a ruptured 5mm anny back in oct of 09…i was in the hospital for two weeks and then released to come home and stay home, no driving or work, for 6 wks. within 4 wks i was ready to go back to work and released by my drs after careful examining. i too suffer some short term memory loos, but i think that was there before i had the anny and may have increased a lil bit…lol…it comes with age…it is now 6 mo past and i am feeling as good as gold…your dad willhave some anxiety in the beginning because we all fear having another anny… only his drs can reassure his confindence and eliminate those worries…but hopefully he will have minimum side effects and be back to hisself inno time…time is the operative word here and time heals and secures for someone whos experienced a anny…and praying always, in my case, has helped to keep me in that secure zone and go back to my old life but now with a stronger appreciation for everything around me… how old are you…? my daughter was 20 when this happened and my son 15,i could get her to come on and give her perspective on how the children had to deal with the situation…i will keep yall in my prayers sweety …God bless yall
I don’t know why I didn’t see this before. Hope your dad is getting better gradually - it’s been a week since you posted. Unfortunately, everyone is different, so it’s hard to say how anyone will be after an SAH. Personally, I’m doing really well, and I really have every hope of being back to normal one day. Take care and let us know how things are going.
Hi, first of all I would like to thank you all for your concern. My father had the ruptured anuerysm 11 days ago now. He had a grade 5 with severe hemmorage, and still has not regained conciousness. The doctors have told us his conciousness level is fluctuating between 4 and 6…Yesterday he had his eyes open for the first time, although we are not sure he could see us. The doctors keep telling us to prepare for the worst, and have said that if he does eventually wake up, there is almost certainly no chance he will be back to normal. Because my father was such a humanitarian, he would absolutely hate to be alive if it meant he were in some way dependant on anyone, and has ofetn expressed hos wishes that if this was the case he would rather not live. So because of this we are now faced with the very difficult decision of what to do, because is we persist and he does wake up, which we all want him to, but he is brain damaged, it will then be too late to go back on that decison. But then again, because no-one can be 100 percent certain, it is an almost impossible decsion to make. Has anyone been, or no of anyone who has been in a similar dilemma, or had anyone who has been in a deep coma due to this?? Any pieces of information would be very much appreciated. Many thanks, Louise
Such a tough one! All I know is, we felt exactly the same way when my mum had her stroke - she would not want to live like that, and we were all for saying “not for resuscitation”. However, she battled back and astonished us all by making a (nearly full) recovery. She suffers from aphasia and is still slightly handicapped by her right sided paralysis, but she lives a full, happy, independent life… Where there is life there is hope. Big hugs!!
louise lewis said:
Hi, first of all I would like to thank you all for your concern. My father had the ruptured anuerysm 11 days ago now. He had a grade 5 with severe hemmorage, and still has not regained conciousness. The doctors have told us his conciousness level is fluctuating between 4 and 6…Yesterday he had his eyes open for the first time, although we are not sure he could see us. The doctors keep telling us to prepare for the worst, and have said that if he does eventually wake up, there is almost certainly no chance he will be back to normal. Because my father was such a humanitarian, he would absolutely hate to be alive if it meant he were in some way dependant on anyone, and has ofetn expressed hos wishes that if this was the case he would rather not live. So because of this we are now faced with the very difficult decision of what to do, because is we persist and he does wake up, which we all want him to, but he is brain damaged, it will then be too late to go back on that decison. But then again, because no-one can be 100 percent certain, it is an almost impossible decsion to make. Has anyone been, or no of anyone who has been in a similar dilemma, or had anyone who has been in a deep coma due to this?? Any pieces of information would be very much appreciated. Many thanks, Louise
No one can say but if things don’t seem good or even really bad don’t lose faith. I was very bad at first but quickly got better and very close to 100 % a month after surgery. My family was told I would never be okay, I would never be able to return to my job and would have several permanent disabilities. NOT TRUE. This is a very hard road but I am proof things that look bad can and do turn around. Also when I was in a coma I could hear people. I didn’t remember everything but knew I had people that loved me around me and felt a huge sense of love and peace even when I seemed to everyone else like I was out of my mind. My daughter had the hardest time thinking my personality was going to be permantley changed but it was a temporary change. I was very strange for awhile but doing great now. I will pray for you and your dad. Take care and feel free to ask questions and I will pray that he wakes up soon and can feel your love now.
unfortunately the doctors decided on saturday that the damage to my fathers brain was going to be too severe and beyond repair. His anuerysm had been very large and he suffered a grade 5 hemmorhage. After being in a coma for 2 weeks he wasnt showing any signs at all of brain activity. They turned off his life support on saturday which was agonising enough, but what is making things worse is that 5 days later he is still hanging on…which leads me to wonder if the correct decison was made at the correct time. I am now praying for my dad to let go to end his misery, although we are assured that he is very comfortable and not in any pain. I am finding it very difficult to come to terms with the way the law will not allow an increase in his drugs to help him on his way, whilst they are allowed to stop feeding him and giving him fluids which essentially will have the same outcome but is a much crueler and lengthier process. Id like to thank everyone for their concern, and if any good come out of this, it is that it has raised my awareness of anuerysms, something which i previously was unaware of. Louise
I’m so sorry this is happening. It must be awful for everyone concerned. All I can do is keep you in my prayers. Hugs x
louise lewis said:
unfortunately the doctors decided on saturday that the damage to my fathers brain was going to be too severe and beyond repair. His anuerysm had been very large and he suffered a grade 5 hemmorhage. After being in a coma for 2 weeks he wasnt showing any signs at all of brain activity. They turned off his life support on saturday which was agonising enough, but what is making things worse is that 5 days later he is still hanging on…which leads me to wonder if the correct decison was made at the correct time. I am now praying for my dad to let go to end his misery, although we are assured that he is very comfortable and not in any pain. I am finding it very difficult to come to terms with the way the law will not allow an increase in his drugs to help him on his way, whilst they are allowed to stop feeding him and giving him fluids which essentially will have the same outcome but is a much crueler and lengthier process. Id like to thank everyone for their concern, and if any good come out of this, it is that it has raised my awareness of anuerysms, something which i previously was unaware of. Louise
this is awful to hear and i will keep you and your family in my prayers…God will be waiting on him…hes probably already up in heaven…
Jen Rigg said:
I’m so sorry this is happening. It must be awful for everyone concerned. All I can do is keep you in my prayers. Hugs x
louise lewis said:unfortunately the doctors decided on saturday that the damage to my fathers brain was going to be too severe and beyond repair. His anuerysm had been very large and he suffered a grade 5 hemmorhage. After being in a coma for 2 weeks he wasnt showing any signs at all of brain activity. They turned off his life support on saturday which was agonising enough, but what is making things worse is that 5 days later he is still hanging on…which leads me to wonder if the correct decison was made at the correct time. I am now praying for my dad to let go to end his misery, although we are assured that he is very comfortable and not in any pain. I am finding it very difficult to come to terms with the way the law will not allow an increase in his drugs to help him on his way, whilst they are allowed to stop feeding him and giving him fluids which essentially will have the same outcome but is a much crueler and lengthier process. Id like to thank everyone for their concern, and if any good come out of this, it is that it has raised my awareness of anuerysms, something which i previously was unaware of. Louise
Dear Louise,
My name is Noelle and I am new to this site as well. I am a survivor of a ruptured aneurysm two years ago and have pretty much returned to about 95% normal. I get really tired and my limits are lower than they were. As far as I know from my family asking the same question that you have, there is no way to tell until a person wakes up what if any side effects will linger. I was in the hospital for approximately 2 months and then had out-patient rehab after that. I had to learn to walk and hold a fork and all of the things that we take for granted in our everyday life, but I’m doing it all again and I pray that your father will have the same success. Noelle
Hey, this is old! Closing it to posts, feel free to start a new thread