sorry i forgot-i'm taking this denial 1 step further and incorperating Liz's docs comment -it's been 2years-i'm all better now!omy I'm repling to my reply
I agree completely with you Darcy. I had a craniotomy on a ruptured aneurysm it was clipped. I have a lovely dent on the right side of my face to show for it, it reminds me of the journey I was on, and how strong I really am. However all of what is left of the healing goes on is on the inside of me. I feel like a part of me is missing.
hi liz-thanks but no u wouldn't be unpleasant-the first week i was comatose, second week i was semi & the rest of the time i was in one of the best rehab hospitals in the nation in Bryn Mawr,Pa.,the food was good,people were great they even had apool with a wave machine were you had to walk against the currant it was a little scary cause they had to seal up my stomach tube and the pool guy said it wasnt good enough so he re didit,Also they wanted me to ride a horse!!i thought they were kidding me but it was true-riding a horse is supposed to be really good for your balance,having no expierance riding horses i declinedbut belieeve me-i wanted to go home & no I'm not tougher than you -you wouldhave rode that horse!!!good luck-ron
Wow Paula, 7 years huh? I guess my neurologist fibbed a wee bit! He made everything seem like it would be so very simple. :) Now that I know it may never grow together I will stop worrying about it, but I will not stop playing with the indent!! I agree with you, it is my mark of survival!
Thanks.
Liz
Can they also use it on my wrinkles? :) I'm not too worried about having it fixed Jim. I just wanted to make certain it was normal. Thanks for the info though!
Liz
Hi Liz,
I'm a year post clipping as well. You aren't alone and I'm glad to read neither am I! I can multi task better than a year ago but I'm still not very good at it. I become distracted easily. I also still stutter at times, (worse at the end of the day or when I'm quite fatigued) and I can't think of words. I've also come out with something completely out in left field instead of using the proper word. My short term memory has been a problem. Nine times out of ten, I can't recall what I did yesterday but I can tell you what happened last week or so. I get headaches with a change in the weather. My fuse is shorter now, I can be quick to anger. A lot of changes that I wasn't expecting. My surgeon told me "this is the mother of all surgeries" but he didn't tell me what I may or may not have to deal with afterwards.
Ta Da!
At least you got a year, I got two weeks.
We are people, not statistics. That was hard for my husband to understand, He would say "But the doctor said..." and I finally said to him, "Sweetie, the doctor has never had a brain hemorrhage. She only treats them."
Recovery, from what I'm learning from others, does not remotely finish in a year. Many continue to get better. The numbness in the head may not heal (probably nerve damage...I have that from a surgery on my tummy.) But the rest will probably continue to get better!
2 weeks for what? I hope you're not talking about off work for 2 weeks. I still had 48 staples in my head at the 2 week mark and I still haven't been cleared to go back yet.
Hello Darcy Choate....I had to reply on your post because I am a "Choate" as well....maiden name...and have a cousin named Darcy! Her name is NOT Choate, but her grandmother was a Choate! I agree that no two of us will ever heal alike. I am lucky that I did not have any "physical scars" and you are so right, when you don't "look" sick, you must NOT BE!!! Any chance we might be related??
I didn't have to have surgery past two angios, so yes...two weeks after I got out of the hospital I was back at work full time. I realize, now, it was a huge mistake but as a teacher it's hard to go part time or light duty. I haven't had a single week I haven't had to take a day off and I feel like it's slowed my recovery.
So I didn't have the surgery scars or anything. I think I was very good when someone would come in at "fooling" them. I also think my damage progressed through the first week. I put all of my neuro symptoms up to "drugs" and didn't really understand I'd had a serious incident until I got out of the hospital so I was insistent that I was fine.
Tina...are you "the Tina" from Canada?
I have thought about you several times, and wondered how you are doing.
Tina, many of us have talked / shared that there is essentially no programmed "recovery" process established for us regardless of clip or coil...Another sorry story and personal opinion...
Last I emember, you were oing into some therapy...Please let us know how that worked for you,
Hugs and prayers for continued recovery...
Pat
Tina,
I was nodding my head the entire time I read your reply! We have the exact same "challenges". I am very sorry for what you are going through as I can understand. Did you have a problem regaining your humor for awhile? My thoughts and prayers are with you Tina!! :)
Liz
Wow two weeks, you kick butt Tory!! LOL Great reply to your husband. I do feel sorry for our friends and family because they really, really want to help and to understand but they are pretty much clueless. I mean look at all of us; we have been through it and still have questions. :)
Liz
Glad to make you laugh Darcy! :)
Hi Pat! Yes I am. :-)
I have been in therapy for quite awhile now. I had a speech therapist, I'm done seeing her now and I also had an Occupational Therapist. She helped so much, my day planner is my life line and I credit all of my new organizational skills to her! I've been through some testing and didn't come out winning those but we're still working on things. Spacial perception is still a problem, memory and I've had some recognition problems along the way. I'm done as an outpatient at that specific hospital and now I'm continuing with help etc at a place called Brain Injury Services. That's a lot to go into but I'm having my neuro psychological testing done May 30th with a doctor. This is an all day affair 9am-4pm, I'll be toast by lunch... so wish me luck on that! :-)
Hugs right back atcha!
Tina
Liz, that's a big 10-4 that regaining my humor took a while. Actually, to be honest, I'm still all over the map. I have good days, not so bad days and I have horrible days.
I find that every day is an adventure in some way or another. lol
So good to connect with someone that is experiencing the same things. Where was your annie's located Liz?
I go to see my surgeon on April 4th for what I hope to be the last scan ...fingers crossed!!
Tina
recovery is a lifelong journey. some of what you feel might not go away , you may be feeling the surgery done and metal inside. it's the new us.
Tina...so glad you came back...hugs hello...(visual memory is active; stumble on names...the anomia (right one?) aphasia)
I am delighted for you and your successes...your therapies. will write more later...have to return loaner and p/up my car from service...nd the weatherRain is yukky...so living a bit earlier than planned...
Hugs and prayers for cntinued recovery....
Pat
Hi Tina,
I never got as much information as you all did. My neurosurgeon was kind of a jerk, but he is said to be the best. I had two that were almost together in the right frontal lobe I'm assuming since that is where the dent is and where most of the headaches were. I do agree that each day is an adventure! lol
Liz
I have a big dent in my right temple and on the side of my head.