Its made me much more willing to take risks to pursue my dreams. I’m getting my MBA through Franklin University and plan to get my PHD. I would have never taken that chance. Its been hard with my difficulties with concentrating and my short-term memory loss but I’m making it through. I’ve also learned who I really was and made lots of changes in my life, ridding myself of activities that kept me busy but didn’t really tie into my passions. I’m happier now than I ever was before.
Yeah!!! I am glad you are doing so well. Sounds like you have the same issue’s I have. I keep telling everyone, I have the attention span of a 6 year old and the memory of a 2 year old!!!
i'm only a month and a half out from coiling for an unruptured aneurysm so i'm not seeing the bright side just yet. the only thing i can say is that i no longer tolerate bullshit. i've bottled up so much of my abnormal life, i strongly feel it's caused me to be ill. no more. i told my husband the aneurysm broke my "give a fuck" and i will no longer tolerate anything from anyone, esp his horrid mother.
Wow Great discussion....
How it has impacted me...
.It changed my tolerance level...finally had the courage to walk away from a 22 year a abusive marriage.
Stopped smoking
Lead me to a man who's dad was one of the many who don't survive a ruptured Aneurysm
And even tho I struggle each day I know I am truly bless ed to be here and be alive!!! =)
I couldn't agree with you more Kathy...lol I am 2 and 1/2 years in my journey and i tolerate no bull shit ..coming from the human door mat..you can imagine how my family has reacted...can you say 72 hour mental hold...lol!!! needless to say I have had to lean to turn it down a bit!
This one was a hard one for me to answer . My annie did change things but not for the better at all . I did quit smoking so did my husband . But I have horrible mood swings , headaches , and fatigue . My right foot is numb (really the least of my issues) I don't like the new me .But am holding on to some hope that in time it will get better . I am obviously happy to be alive but I don't have this new love or zest for life that some of you seem to have . I ofcourse do not remember much of anything the first week of my ruptured annie . It was pretty traumatic for my family and I have heard the stories but no memory of my own . which is normal . My annie ruptured 7 months ago so its still early . I do hope these mood swings get better .I'll deal with the fatigue and headaches but i just want to be the old me .
I felt the same way afterwards too, Amanda. It has been just over 2 years since mine ruptured. I don't feel exactly the same as I did before but, my "old" self is coming back. I have also learned to make adjustments in other areas. Hang in there.
Heather, just wanted to say that my annie was a hard road to follow but, I had to resign from the job from hell and now that I have been released 7 months after my annie, I am going back to school and my relationship with my husband has changed us totally. We now apprecaited each other and don't take advantage either. My other realationships have also gone good. But, you really find out who your friends are. My faith has grown and gotten stronger than ever, I believe God put me on this path to shake me up and say hey your doing the wrong thing. Now I am waiting to hear if I will get disabilty and I am aloud to work 20 hrs a week. May God bless you and I will keep everyone in my prayers. Thanks, Amy
Hi Heather and Welcome to BAF...!
I live each day appreciating each moment...!
~ And ~
I am part of a wonderful group of people here at BAF...!
Great post...! Cyber~thoughts your way...Colleen
Dear Alice,
I recently had a 5mm rupture and had the coil procedure. I had my first angiogram earlier in the week and everything looks fine. I am also a diver and have been advised not to dive. The reason the doctors are discouraging me not to dive is thet fact that they have no data on the effects diving might have on my repair. Was your rupture repaired with coils? Have you experienced any problems while diving? Have you limited your diving in any way (i.e. how deep do you dive).
Considering how few people who dive have aneurysms, I doubt there will ever be a study made to determine the risks. I'd really appreciate your thoughts and experiences. Thank you.
Bob
Hello Heather hope you're doing well.
I had a craniotomy last year. The positive thing for me is that like you i realize how blessed I am to walk and talk, things I took for granted.
Also the best thing is that I have a deeper love for those around me.
No more petty thinking and I know now that it's up to me to look after my health and not think i'm immortal.
Great post
Nikki xx
I had a ruptered Anni in 2004. In fact it was a horizontal tear and gave the Neuro Surgeon a big task in stopping the bleeding before he could finally clip it.
I suppose the most positive thing to come out of the situation is I'm stll alive, but there is another big positive.
Before I had the Anni I had suffered from really bad headaches from the age of 10, I am now 59, I would go through approx 15-20 painkillers per month to alleviate the problem.
Now however, since the SAH and shunt and 5 weeks in a coma, I hardly ever get a headache and that was 4 years ago.
My memory is bad, my motivation is bad and my balance is a nuisance, but no more headaches and that's great.
Bob,
Better late then never on reply!!! I am in college now, and it has been a struggle but very helpful for me to work at memory and memory recall.
I had a rupture and it was repaired by a clip and clamp. I am lucky that I live in Houston and have the Texas Medical Center in my front yard. I called DAN, the dive insurance people and they have information about some of this, they check with me on my diving and anything out of the norm when I dive, nothing!!! But they sent me to a dive Doctor who is the director of Hyerbaric treatment, the Dr. father was a founder of DAN. She was very insightful about the shunt I have, since her father has one too. She meet with my Neuro-surgeon and learned alot about the methods of repairing anni's. She said there are no contradiction between what I had done and diving, and suggested that I get in the water right away. I have since retired as an Instructor, but I still make dive several times a year, I have limited my depth to 60 feet as suggested to be on the safe side, but since I do underwater photography I am happy!!!! And yes I have broken my own rule and gone to 85ft, had no problems. Check with a dive doctor or call DAN, they should have information for your Dr that will help understand the effects of diving on the body.
Alice
Alice,
Thank you for your reply. I did contact DAN and they told me that they did not have enough data and based on this lack of information, they recommended that I not dive. I have had several other doctors tell me that they felt that since I have had my repair, that they believe that I am at no more risk than a "normal" person. SO I'm getting conflicting information which is confusing me to no end :)
I haven't decided what I'm going to do but am going to continue to gather up some data on my own so I can make an educated decision. If I do return to diving, I'll start by going shallow (10 meters or so) for many dives before going any deeper. I'm also an underwater photographer and frankly, I don't need to go very deep to find some good shots.
Thanks again for your help.
Bob
Heather, thanks and God bless you and your family. Yes my brain aneurysm changed me and my family. Where before all it was as you said work and pay bills (which still is there never going away). Now, I am back in school, working a part time job and not taking my husband for granted or my family. Thanks, Amy Megahan
Lovely attitude Sue! I feel the same way, most days 
I like what you said about being more spiritual than religious. I feel the same way! And the part about taking time to play. 
The diving Doctor I used is a diving doctor for DAN and a diver. She is at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Medical Center here in Houston. Her name is Dr Caroline Fife. You or your doctors can reach her be phone or e-mail for more information. She researched and released me and I have been diving for the past 8 years. The only issue I had was the mask strap. Since I have a shunt it rubbed on it, so I switched to a slap strap. Do not like the slap strap, however; it does not rub. Let me know if I can help in any way, and keep me informed on your decision!!!!
Alice
As a lot of others have said it has given me a new lease on life. My dad died of a ruptured aneurysm when he was only 48 and when I got diagnosed I was absolutely terrified. I'm 44 and have two boys 11 and 7 and the thought of leaving them was my biggest fear. I had 4 aneurysms so had to have two surgeries but I came out the other side! My husband and I are even closer now than before, it scared the living daylights out of him. It has put my life in perspective and I am grateful to have been given a second chance.
Jodie xx
I am so much more conscious of things, like time has slowed down to a crawl and let me really see things for what they truly are. I spend much more time with my 2 year old son, and when I'm doing the dishes and he says "want to show you the moon, Mommy!" I stop, drop the dishes in the sink, dry my hands on my jeans and go look with him. The house is more dirty, but I'm finally free of "perfection syndrome." I've learned to let go of a lot of things and just be myself. And I've learned that it doesn't matter what other people think of me, but it does matter what I think of me. I've learned to question everything, and to let my voice be heard. Someone here said that they were far more "spiritual." Yes. Yes. Yes. I've done Yoga for years, but I never really understood the "being aware", the "being in the moment:" -- I totally get it now, and I hug my son and my husband just a little bit closer, and pet my dog just a little bit longer. I also started writing again after 10 years of not having anything to say. And something I never really did before all of this... I learned to take time just for me.