Best wishes and prayers go out to all of you! I went to see my doc a few weeks ago for what I thought were still post-op problems. I had my craineotomy (sp?) a year ago to clip two aneurysms. My doc told me that it has been a year so I will no longer have any symptoms. Ummmm, ok. :) I have always had a great sense of humor and just two weeks ago I finally belted out a full belly laugh. I can somewhat multitask again which was impossible a year ago, I still stutter sometimes looking for words. I don't believe recovery just stops after a year and would appreciate other comments or opinions on this matter. Finally, I can still feel where the piece of scalp was removed and put back. Does this eventually go away as it grows together and will the numbness in the back of my head ever go away? Ok, done rambling now! :)
Liz...first of alI, I love your name...you must be a beauty....now, that gives away my age!
Then, you triggered my humor...Did you ask the doc if (s)he controlled the on/off switch? I multi-task, too; and, some specialists call that "inability to concentrate"...wanna join me in competing w/Dilbert; i.e. PhysElbert?
Want three chapters or a 'good night'? I was a wickedly wired/stented (or is that stunted?) patient...
Wishing you a great day and responses from those of external surgery... thanks for uncoiling my humor...
Hi Liz...I was clipped and not coiled...but I agree with you...I think a major part of recovery starts after 1 year from surgery...but I still think (my opinion) the effects and symptoms take a lifetime...
Glad you are doing better ~ Hope today is a good one ~ Cyber ~ thoughts your way ~ Colleen
Hello Liz It will be a year for me at the end of this month, I also had my aneurysm clipped. I can agree with all of what you have said in your message. Only a aneurysm survivor could completely understand what we have gone through. This has been the biggest journey of my life. People hear that it has been a year since the surgery and all of a sudden you are all better, not so much. Until I read your message I felt alone in the struggle I was going through trying to be the person before the surgery. Take care of yoursel
mine was a SAHemmorage, pt said 7 weeks or 7 years,nuero said 8-18 months & pcp said he couldn't speculate, i think the truth is they don't know & I'm really messed up with this since i was level 5-oh wow i think i'm off the charts- i just pressed level 6 by accident!!!!-level 5 is the max!! i wish i had your dr to declare 1 year-YOU R HEALED !!i think i;ll go with pt since its been 2.5 years that gives me 3.5 more to get my act together!!!!-ron
You want to hear humor Pat? Ok, I'm recovering in the hospital and still on pain meds and it is morning and a very young NA comes in my room, wakes me up, and tells me Elizabeth Taylor died!! What the? LOL Totally freaked me out!! :) So she turns on the tv and I'm watching my name go across the bottom saying I died while she is in hyper mode around my room. I laugh now but the look on my face at the time must have been totally humorous as I tried to comprehend! :) BTW LOVED the uncoiling remark,..
I was clipped also. I was lucky in that we caught the aneurysms before they burst. Thank you for your reply. I agree that it takes longer than a year. It has taken me a year just to stop fixating on things!! I also hope you have a great day and good thoughts sent your way as well. :)
Thank you! I guess we are not as alone as we think we are. I agree with you that only one who has been through it really gets it. I don't think we will ever be the person we were before surgery and that is ok with me, all I ask for is understanding that I am not all of the sudden "cured" because a year has passed! Best of luck to you Abronna and you ARE NOT alone!!
Thanks for the giggle Ron! Wow, you have been through a lot and my prayers, good thoughts, and hopes go out to you. I do believe that our PT and OT teams know more about the recovery process than do our neuro's or family docs. Good luck in the next 3.5 years!! LOL
thanks liz -same to you,may this year be the best ever.you got me curious did the na know your name when he said elizabeth taylor had passed on?I assume not-ihope not,the nurses at bryn mawr rehab hospital were outstanding-Shaina cleaned my scalp all up & brought clippers in from home & gave me a buzz cut!!! somethings i will never forget & that is one of them, God Bless you & yours-great to converse with you-ron,ps-na also means not applicable u should have told him !!!
Thank you, thank you for sharing your story! ... I am still laughing...
I would have had tv coverage for a minimally invasive attack on the street... Some day I will tell you about my morbidity and mortality of unknown cause...and what else happens to a heartless woman... Liz, you are blessed to be a star!
Yes! She was young and obviously excitable! LOL I also had a nurse on the rehab floor who was spectacular. Most of the rehab people who deal with brain injuries seem to be great people. She didn't shave my head of course (thank goodness) :) but she gave me a lot of leeway because she knew how badly I wanted to just go home and gave me raving reports to the team who was deciding to release me. I was only in the hospital 11 days but I'm sure as you know, that seemed like a life time then!
yesyesyes-i did 5 weeks & some night nurse-i suppose,didn't want me released cause i wouldn't be able to inject the lovenox-i had never even seen this nurse! i remember nurse shaina,nurse felix etc etc after 5 wks even i with memory deficits got to know them-but this nurse is standing there saying he'll never will be able to go home tomorow -he won't be able to do this &that-as if i lived alone & had no support-it was like a nightmare & immediatly hatred for this nurse "nighttmare"was felt -you can probably relate & understand -i'm not generally hateful but i just wanted to go home
Exactly Ron! I was also told no about leaving the floor because some doctor I had never even met said no. That one really irritated me so I insisted that he come talk to me in person. Turns out he really is a great guy but he was just going off of what some of the nurses had said. I do understand their concern but don't interject when you have never met the patient! Wow, five weeks! I would have been a very unpleasant person by that time! More power to you as you are tougher than I am Ron. I really do wish you the very best and enjoy your humor! :)
Ron, Mine to was a SAH my surgen was about the only honest one about the whole recovery.....he told "me every no one knows how the human brain really works or heals and no two brains work the same there for no two brain can heal the same". My physical scars are healed and gone ......I look so very "normal" its the damage that doesn't show on the outside that leaves me feeling so very alone!
Paula-no they don't since they told my mom &sister i would be in a nursing home the rest of my life at best!!If he truly believed that he should have at least acted surprised when i walked back into his office 1 year later!!they must be in some kind of denial if they don't know and they just can't say it. i guess they try to prepare you for the worse,Well i think i'll go into denial again-I'll be 100% tomorow &Darcy you are not alone-we here at baf are with you & more importantly God is-i can't deny that-good luck &may God Bless you &yours everyone