Hi there, Sheila
My name is Danielle and I am a Ben’s Friends intern. I wanted to take a moment to welcome you to the Brain Aneurysm Support Community.
I am so sorry to hear that your diagnosis and surgery led you to feel like an entirely different person… and not in a good way. A brain aneurysm can have such a strong impact on an individual’s quality of life, and even though you “look totally normal” on the outside, little do others know what you are experiencing on a daily basis. It is easy for individuals to judge someone as having a “bad attitude” when they are unable to imagine the kind of emotional and physical challenges they are facing. You are not alone, and you are certainly not the first community member that has expressed feeling isolated as a result of their diagnosis and all that accompanies the before and after.
I am so happy you found this community, and I do hope you find the support and encouragement that you deserve. I hope the input and insight you receive will help you to slowly build a better quality of life. It might not be an exact replica of the life you once had, but I do feel that there are options for you.
You mentioned being unable to sleep- sometimes for 3 days straight! I cannot even imagine. What did you doctor say about this? Did he/she have any thoughts as to why you are struggling to sleep?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Danielle