I have had 2 aneurysms one clipped and one coiled. I have never heard this before. My sister has also had 2 and we both sometimes worry because we can be forgetful, we then joke and blame it on the aneurysms but now I am a little worried….. I think i might have to read some more of these posts…
Wishing everyone a good memory.
Perhaps i should get a diary just in case.
Good luck with it all Nate
Eeek! Under water? I was told specifically by my Doc no scuba diving! But you did ok I see!
Hi Nate,
I haven't visited this group for a while, but here is my progress story. I had a ruptured anne last April 7, 2013, where I had 10% chance to survive, and given a chance to enjoy life everyday as a gift. I cannot say that I am back 100%, I still have issues. But I had taken vacations and flew out of the country already. I had an angiogram 3 months ago and everything looks normal according to my neurologist.He does not expect me to have another angiogram next year, just an MRA. But what he can't explain was what I still am experiencing: I cannot deal with big crowd (so I totally avoid them), sometimes I feel unbalanced like I am about to fall down, feels lightheaded, not everyday though. I have to constantly monitor my blood pressure, it has to be no higher than 130 and not lower than 60, so 120/70 is ideal for me, I watch what I eat and continues to walk 2-3 miles 5-6 days a week.
I asked my doctor when this feeling lightheaded will ever go away, I was told just give it time it will normalize. Just like the husband of a friend who had an anne 6 years ago complaining about the same feeling and his' finally went away after 5 years and he is normal. I just hope it will happen to me sooner than 5 years.
On other days, I am fine. We babysit our twin active 16 months old grand babies one day a week, I am back at work and except for the 21 ICU days in the hospital stay last year that I did not have any memory, I remember most everything now. Sometimes though, when I am speaking, I would be at a loss of finishing up my sentence. I still get tired and had to take 5-30 minutes nap, especially if I did not get a good night's sleep.
I don't know if I share some of my experiences with others in this group.
I am thankful for everyday, and before I go to bed I pray that I wake up another day, just counting my blessings.
I had an aneurysm rupture in 2001 which was clipped. Shortly after my clipping they discovered two more aneurysms but could only clip one. The other was too dangerous. Several months later I had am infection in the flap which had to be replaced. I had three brain surgeries in am eight month period. A year later I returned to college to obtain an MBA. I graduated with honors. I contained working in a managerial position while obtaining my MBA. I was promoted three years ago into am executive level position. Last year after taking the angiogram they discovered three aneurysms only one was clipped. After six months, I returned to work in the executive level position with no disabilities. I thank God that he has allowed me to survive these surgeries. I want to let you know that doctors do the best that they can but only God has the last word.
hi! I agree with the consensus, year one was miraculous, learning to walk, talk, eat year two was not as spectacular, i'm still improving but I believe we have to work at it- use it or lose it, I do sudokus and crosswords and tried lumosity.com but couldn't do it cause im blind left side of both eyes so they refunded my money, soooo I disagree with the doctor- any progress is still progress no matter how small or slow, I can multi task a little now and a year ago- yr 4- I could not, but I practice at it.and fail a lot--lol. This site and fb are great tools for multi-tasking practice, oh btw I was coiled sah 5 yrs ago, it seems the brain heals in order of importance- walking, talking eating swallowing so i'd call yrs 2-5 the fine tuning years, one thing I notice lately is short term improvements the more I dwell on this- I can remember what I had for breakfast the prior morning for example, hang in there think positive- the drs don't really know, they told my family best case scenario was me in a nursing home for the remainder of my life!!! which thank God was not true, tc keep the hope and the faith!~~
Hi Nate. I suffered a brain aneurysm February 2012. My short term memory has gotten no better. Not to be the bearer of bad news but my neurosurgeon told me that it would probably never return to normal.
Hey Nate been 15 tears since my rupture and I’m improving every year.
The first two years I learn to walk and talk again. Therapy and more therapy even today I still yo to a neuro therapist we do differnt brain games she taught me how to do meditation to stop worrying so much . If do have short term memory but she taught me how yo adapt I just got back from a Paris trip I was afraid I would get loss n airports in such but she help me figure ways if certain situation came up. Last year I went swimming with the dolphins with my daughter I could not recall the steps to do with the foot push I learn through therapy it ok to tell people you have pro lens I was forgetting to put my hands up for the foot push but after I share I have problems remembering steps people work with you it took me years to admit I had short term memory problems but now if I can’t do something like everyone else I have learn to say can we take this in steps so to me I think we are always learning. Glad your wife is doing so well positive thinking and living support she will keep coming a long way
The short answer is no, it isn't the case. Doctors prepare you for the worst, and would rather you be pleasantly surprised. Get your wife to a neuropsych evaluation; here in Arizona, they have one on staff at the place we go for all my husband's aneurysm checkups. My husband (aneurysm in March of last year) continues to improve, with very few side effects lingering in the aftermath. We're just now getting him scheduled for his neuropsych eval, to see what areas can be improved with a variety of techniques. Best advice until then? Keep her learning. Being a speech and language pathologist should help wonders, and I'd be surprised if she's not using some of the techniques she uses with the students to help herself. It's all about neuroplasticity, my friend. Easily done when you're in school, or able to recognize tools you've had all along, and just never realized you could apply to yourself.
Hope my long-winded response helps! Best of luck!
That is not true. There is a lot of research out there that supports on-going improvement. The brain has the ability to remap even in areas once thought to have little success. Now I do realize that once this is a general statement and everyone's situation depends on many factors. My son had a grade 5 subarachnoid bleed from a ruptured aneurysm followed by a stroke. He had less than a one percent chance of survival. He was in a coma for months. He was 180 pounds going in and 106 coming out. He could not move, hold his head up, swallow, was blind and could not speak. We were told by many that he would be so severe that to put him in a nursing home that at best he would have severe deficits. I am not advocating Gofundme or donations, but if you look at gofundme.com/846his I have put five videos out there. Take a look and you make the call...He is almost 2 years out. It was Nov. 2, 2012. Where there is constant work, family and friends and faith you will see a lot more than science will give credit. He is going to therapy at a place that uses the locomat. He is receiving brain therapy as well. He is making improvement. I will answer any questions you may have if you like. I am also very political active with health care issues for TBI/stroke and capping of therapy issues etc......
Nate, I've just passed my 26th year. It was June 11th 1988 when I ruptured. I was a young 33 years and in good physical condition. Other than some funny headaches, I had no idea what was coming until it arrived! The funny headaches were telling me. I didn't listen... I'll be 60 in September. I guess you can say I have some years under my belt? I spent a month in the Hospital. I was told, at that time, that I would have the brain of a 60 year old. Well as my 60th is very near, I can say it took a lot of years for me to now say I do feel like 60. My Surgeon certainly knew more than me. Yes they give you the worse case scenario. I can tell you, short term memory is a problem. After a trauma to the brain such as we have had it's the least of our worries. I myself have other tics that come and go. Depending how tired I am, I will feel pain in the artery where I was clipped. It's than that I know it's time for some rest. I'll stumble over word and thoughts at times. Just a moment or two and usually it will come to me. You come to expect it and learn to live with it. It sounds worse than it is. Again, there are many who have serious lasting issues much more severe than mine. I don't complain as I am a very lucky fellow. At the time of my bleed, I was married with a five year old daughter as well as a four month old daughter. All I knew was I needed to get back to my three girls and deal with whatever I had to, to do that. I'm glad to say we're still a happy family after all these years. Nate, your wife will be fine. It does and will take some time to heal. If this is the worst of it, that is pretty good.
Dominic
Glad to hear Nate that your wife is doing well. I can't provide much information as far as progress over the years. I'm just 10 months since my clipping for an unruptured aneurysm. But I do know my neurosurgeon strongly (STRONGLY) suggested I learn a new language and new instrument every three years. I've also taken to writing myself notes telling me what I need to do so I won't forget.
August 11 will be two years since my clipping… I do still suffer from short term memory loss. I use post it’s and my smart phone to remind me of things I need to do… Wonderful news about your wife. Unfortunately I was not able to return to social work. I also have aphasia so my reading and writing is still coming along and I work with my neuropsychologist as much as possible… I didn’t think it would take this long but I’m not giving up yet!
I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm back in February 2011. I remembered my dr pretty much saying the same thing about recovery. What comes back to you should be in the first two years but, he also said each patient is different. I was treated at Mayo Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida and feel I received the best treatment available. My short term memory is bad. Not as bad as it was. But, I still stutter a bit if nervous or anxious. Words don't come to me as quickly as I would like. And my personality has altered some what. But all in all, I thank my lucky stars I have a family that stood by me, during that first year of recovery, when I would have a meltdown because I couldn't do the same things as well as I used to do. I think someone else commented earlier that this is their new norm and it may be as good as it gets. I agree with them.
If your wife has already gone back to work in the same capacity as prior then she's doing great. I was not able to go back to work in my old position. Very fast pace and I would not have been able to keep up. It's been 3 1/2 years and I'm just to the point where I feel I can get back into the same career I had before. I've been doing medial type work for the last two years.
Sounds like you've done a great job getting your wife back as close as she can to "normal". Give yourself a pat on the back. And also give yourself a break. It's needed for your peace of mind. My advice to you is not to sweat the small stuff and accept that she'll probably never get back to 100%. The fact that she's working in the same field as she was before tells me she's doing great. Congratulations.
I'm so glad to hear about the progress of yor wife!!!
The point concerning my sister is that since her aneurysm rupture on 22/12/13 she cannot move the left side of her body. And I wonder if anybody knows about somebody who couldn't move one part of his body after 7 months and then start moving it. This is my main question every day. Doctors say she probably (90%) won't.
Short term memory can improve, I've heard that many times, but walking or not walking makes a huge difference!
Big hug to everybody!!!
Only taking from my own experience, my short term memory still improves every day. It has been a long journey but I don’t feel being disable anymore and except some pain in my shoulder from time to time and the fact of being tired once in a while, I feel fine. I has my rupture two years ago. I got my life back and I am grateful.
Hello Nate,
I recently had an aneurysm clipped (8 weeks ago), so I write more from my experience as a stroke survivor (that was 6 years ago), having made a good recover from the damage to my brain. Your wife will have obviously sustained some brain damage from the rupture, if I understand your post correctly. I was told repeatedly by doctors and other 'specialists' that "I might be as good as I could get" with regards to my functioning. I had cognitive and physical deficits from the stroke and I can tell you, that I continue to see improvements over time. The brain is amazing and it is possible to train other parts of it to do what the damaged parts used to. However, this varies from person to person and the extent of the damage.
I have worked hard at all my exercises over the years after finding a good team of rehab people who were prepared to work with me on a continuing recovery, rather than just getting me to the walking and talking stage. I also had exercises for my cognitive functioning and found the balance between effort and rest to be very important.
If you can, you might want to see a rehabilitation specialist for another opinion and perhaps to link in with other services.
I have over six years regained a great deal of what I 'lost' with the stroke but I am not who I was before it and that does take time to come to terms with.
I wish you and Lisa all the very best.
Veraina
Hello Nate,
I had a clipped aneurysm 19 years ago (april '95) my memorie is still good, short- and longterm. I forget where I've put my keys, like any other 50+person. I went back to my work as a nurse after a year and memory was never a problem. Emotions were, sometimes and tiredness. But both survived with me. I'm 62 now and slowing down on the heavy work, studying again, reading a lot, writing in three languages and teaching my grandchildren how to read and write and how to use a tablet a well. Your wife should not worry too much, she is intelligent and a survivor as well. And her job seems the best the help she can get, just don't give the brain a chance to get lazy. But that is a general advice.
Keep your spirit high!
Eveline van Donkelaar
Carole,
It is so wonderful to hear the stories of people who had aneurysms years ago and are doing well. It has been 13 years for me. I am now 65 years of age. I really missed most of my 50's as I was slowly recuperating. However, when I read stories of others, it makes me feel so positive about life. The medical community is wonderful; however, I must give more credit to God and faith for me being here. After the tubes were removed and the minister prayed and said the Lord's Prayer, I came put of the coma, and here I am!
I totally agree with your advice to Nate. I have learned over the years to be thankful for each day, not take it for granted and get the most out of it as possible. They are days that are better than other; however, that is also to be celebrated as it reminds me I am alive to know the difference.
Be well and God bless you.
Hi Nate, my name is Lisa and I had an aneurysm clipped 2 years ago, I did not have a bleed but suffer a lot from migraines, not associated with the aneurysm but my dad died from a ruptured one when he was 46 years old. Having it clipped was very scary with having dependent children, but a very supporting husband helped a lot. 2 years on still getting migraines but not the worry of the aneurysm I am happy and doing well. My memory has always been bad and bit worse now I think with age. I have to go back in 3 years for a scan. I'm sorry your wife had a bleed but glad she is doing well now.
Lisa
Lisa