Life is good!

Just wanted to add my story to the "success stories" as I haven't posted in a while. On April 5, 2013 I had 9 mm basilar tip aneurysm rupture at home. While in route to the hospital, my husband driving, I lost consciousness and was still unconscious when we arrived at the hospital where I work. I regained consciousness in the ER. The diagnosis of a subarachnoid hemorrhage was confirmed. Unfortunately, the hospital where I work does not do neurosurgery so I was transferred to a sister hospital by ambulance 20 miles away. Time is brain! However, in spite of delays in treatment, my aneurysm was successfully coiled and I spent the next 13 days in the ICU. I also cardiac arrested during the procedure. I spent a week in inpatient rehab and then six more weeks in an intensive outpatient neuro-rehab and amazingly after nine weeks, had completely recovered enough to return to work full-time as a registered nurse.

I was only back to work for 1 week before I was told that I would have to return to school to obtain my bachelor's degree in order to keep my job. This was quite a shock after what I had just gone through. My manager was not unkind, just doing what she had been told to do. I was an assistant nurse manager with an associate's degree (but with 25 years of experience) and a decision had been made to require all assistant managers to obtain a BSN. So, eight months after suffering a bad (Hunt & Hess score was 4 on a 1-5 scale) aSAH, I enrolled in an online program and went back to school full-time, as well as continuing to work full-time job. I never imagined that at 48, I would return to school, but then again, I also never imagined that I would come close to dying at 48 either, so off I went, on another journey! I would say that it was easy, but it wasn't, at least not in the beginning. I had to not only learn content, I also had to learn to write papers using a format that was unfamiliar and use technology that I hadn't used before. The only deficit I experienced from my SAH was an inability to read for long periods of time, I just couldn't stay focused and became restless so school was a challenge in the beginning! As I settled into a routine, school became easier and I tried to stay focused on my goals. During this time, I also had three more angiograms to check the status of my coils and thankfully was given good news each time! While I did experience some degree of compaction, no further coiling was needed and at my two year anniversary, I was given a gift that I would no longer need angiograms and would be able to wait another year before an MRa would been done!

I am happy to say that after sixteen classes and twenty months, 3 angiograms and multiple doctors appointments, I have graduated from college at age 50 with my BSN and I maintained a 4.0 GPA! I have had an amazing recovery and am thankful everyday for everyone who helped me along the way!

Your story is amazing. Thank you for sharing it. I wish you great success and continued health in the coming years.

Mary...congratulations on all your successes...it is incredibly magnificent... and, it gives so much encouragement to others...it is delightful.. .

Way to go. I was not given the chance to return to work. Very hard to accept, I so loved being a nurse. My ac aneurysm was clipped, the basilar tip aneurysm got infected and I was out greater than 100days which was considered job abandonment, tHen I had a seizure. Something about all of that kept me from being permitted to return as the OR Nurse Manager, MRSA infection may have been the last straw. I need to have a talk with my HR person to find out exactly what was the reasoning, I am. Close to being ready mentally and physically to return. Will be 65 Jan. third. Who knows? Nursing made this man happy. Butterfly
Q


Butterfly...welcome...do I understand right...that the basilar tip was stented?

You are so blessed in your recovery....feeling ready to return to work... to be active...

I attempted to...and ..I could not...yes, I did some little bits...that were fine...but I could not maintain (best word?) organization, energy... worse, having to use my GPS to "go home"...

Prayers for your continued good results...



butterfly said:

Way to go. I was not given the chance to return to work. Very hard to accept, I so loved being a nurse. My ac aneurysm was clipped, the basilar tip aneurysm got infected and I was out greater than 100days which was considered job abandonment, tHen I had a seizure. Something about all of that kept me from being permitted to return as the OR Nurse Manager, MRSA infection may have been the last straw. I need to have a talk with my HR person to find out exactly what was the reasoning, I am. Close to being ready mentally and physically to return. Will be 65 Jan. third. Who knows? Nursing made this man happy. Butterfly
Q

Bravo! Amazing story thank you!

Lisa

Butterfly... please forgive my brain dysfunction....confusing you and Mary J...and, I should have edited before sending!!! Yes, I do attempt that... have not reached 100% success... Sort of like returning to workl!!! Again, please forgive me...these little streaks in memory are more frustrating than fascinating..

I was geared at normalcy...somewhat ...I have been watching on PBS... 'The Brain ....by David Eagleman...I am hearing his ref to the overlap/connection of oru Brain structures...and, when he said the 'vision and sight'...I had to come here...

He has a book a/w/a this PBS site....and, I anticipate from the bit I have watched...I will get his book...

And, perhaps, to add to your humor (on my slips/trips...mental...long before the steps/stairs) I am back-logged apx 6 books now...I am such a slow reader...always have my fantasy when I order and/or purchase a book... patioplans....

patioplans said:


Butterfly...welcome...do I understand right...that the basilar tip was stented?

You are so blessed in your recovery....feeling ready to return to work... to be active...

I attempted to...and ..I could not...yes, I did some little bits...that were fine...but I could not maintain (best word?) organization, energy... worse, having to use my GPS to "go home"...

Prayers for your continued good results...



butterfly said:

Way to go. I was not given the chance to return to work. Very hard to accept, I so loved being a nurse. My ac aneurysm was clipped, the basilar tip aneurysm got infected and I was out greater than 100days which was considered job abandonment, tHen I had a seizure. Something about all of that kept me from being permitted to return as the OR Nurse Manager, MRSA infection may have been the last straw. I need to have a talk with my HR person to find out exactly what was the reasoning, I am. Close to being ready mentally and physically to return. Will be 65 Jan. third. Who knows? Nursing made this man happy. Butterfly
Q

An amazing story and remarkable recovery, wow I am sure it gives a lot of people hope..