Im a 51 yr old female, living in Miami, FL. I work from home as an Online Operator. Before my 1st aneurysm I had a 2nd job as an Online CSR. I have 4 grown kids ranging from 33-25 yrs old. My youngest being my only son and the only 1 living with me at the time of my aneurysm.
On May 1st,2013 at approximately 10pm ET I logged off work from my 2nd job. My son was in the kitchen finishing up a late dinner for us. He asked if would make him some gravy, I agreed to, going into the kitchen I felt a pain to my left temple that felt like what I can only describe as someone hitting me with a hammer with all their strength. I stopped in my tracks and grabbed my head. My son saw something was wrong and asked if I was ok. I told him I just got the worse headache ever. I sat at the table for about a minute while my son rubbed the back of my neck and went to lie down. I laid across the bed, my son sat on the bed after bringing me water and a Goody powder. I took the Goody powder and immediately felt nauseous. I told him I think I better go the ER cause something really wrong. He also knew something was wrong cause I never want to go to the doctor. He and his girlfriend drove me to the nearest ER which is about 7 minutes from my apartment. As I walked in the door of the ER I began to vomit uncontrollably. The person at the front desk asked what was wrong and my son said 'my mom's having a really bad headache' they ask him a few more questions but realized I was getting worse. Someone came got me and rushed me in for a CAT Scan. I heard someone tell my son 'we cant do anything for her here because she just had a blood vessel rupture, a brain aneurysm, we have to send her to Jackson Memorial, they have the proper equipment there'. I remember the ambulance ride there but nothing afterwards until 5 days later.
I woke up thinking it was either the same night or next day until I saw my daughters, 1 from Atlanta and the other from out the country, Panama. Still not thinking clearly, I never asked what day it was or anything. Then I see all these doctors and nurses runnning in, asking me all types of questions(whats your name? what year is this? how old are you? who is this to you? who is that to you? what state you in?),Im like answering everything correctly,smiling, laughing as I always do. My neurologist came shook my hand and said 'you are a miracle, my miracle patient'. He said you are not suppose to be doing all this you know. Still not knowing whats going on exactly. Im like 'why not?' He explained about the aneurysm, how he coiled it and that while he was coiling it I also passed a clot thru my brain. So, my kids all update me on what went on while I was in a coma. I stayed in ICU for another 9 days and was then sent home.
So I get home on the 15th of May and immediately thereafter I began to have crazy anxiety attacks, sweat popping off my like bullets, then Im freezing, cant breathe, cant be still, cant focus enough to to stabilize my breathing and heart rate... Im like literally sitting in front of a fan with the AC blowing full blast ....10 minutes in, Im calmed down. Now its an everyday, several times a day/night occurrence.
I went back for an angiogram on November 3rd 2013 and was admitted because the vessel has started to leak pass the coiling. It was recoiled and everything seem to be ok. My doctor decided that instead of waiting 6 months as before to do another angiogram he wanted one in 3 months.
On march 21,2014 I had another angiogram and it showed the same coiled vessel had reopened. I was admitted on April 23,2014 for another recoil and a stent.
I can only thank God that I did not end up as a lot of others have. I did not lose any motor function, I lost very little memory. I continue to have the severe anxiety attacks, and they have cause me to not be able to work nearly as much as i use to. I went from working 2 full time jobs to working only part time.
I must say that the past year has been a blessing and a struggle at the same time. I want to thank ALL my kids for being right by my side during this time. I dont think I would have come thru this without God and them(Dee,Toya, Qwen & Rece), Love you guys to the moon and back. Also would like to thank the special someone that came into my life in the midst of it all and continue to deal with me and my ups and downs with no complaints for almost a year now, Sam, I love you for sticking in there with us.
Inita's Story