Waiting for clipping surgery at the end of October, and both my husband and I don’t know how things will be post-surgery. We’ve been together 11 years and his biggest fear is a “50 First Dates” scenario where I’ve lost all memory of him.
There is a lot of mention of memory issues after surgery, has anyone experienced a significant memory loss? Or are the struggles with short term memory? Do the memory issues get better with time?
Thanks!
Hey Wendy! I think that mostly folks with memory issues after a procedure are those who have ruptured. Those of us who ruptured can have a lot of issues with memory but it is possible to get them or many of them back. Some of the folks who didn’t have a rupture can also find themselves with some memory issues but those can also come back. What happens is the neurotransmitters have to reroute themselves. It’s like if you’re going to work in Minneapolis and one day there’s a road block which means you have to find your way around it. It may mean going back across one bridge for another maybe even ending up on the other end of the city and have to work your way back. Be patient and kind to yourself, tell your husband to be patient and kind to himself as well. I do not want to scare either of you, but be sure to familiarize yourself with the risks involved in any surgery starting with the anesthesia. I truly believe it’s better to be fully informed so you can fully prepare as much as possible.
Some suggestions if I may which I usually recommend to everyone who is about to get a procedure done of any type. Get your house and House in order. Basically it means anything heavy do ahead of time, gardens need tended, lawns need trimmed, leaves are falling, inside needs cleaned. Since winter is coming, and you live in a State that can have some pretty harsh winters, go ahead and start preparing now so that after your procedure those things you do will be done. Your husband will most likely be your caretaker and this is a good opportunity for him to do what he needs to do before he has to jump into that role. Some men are fantastic cooks, others, well not so much. Either way, get a simple meal plan figured out because y’all will be exhausted emotionally and physically. Stock up on healthy snacks and make sure you’ve got the needed protein available for afterwards. Your brain will need the protein and hydration. Many of us have to use drinks with electrolytes, so you may want to stock up on whatever type you prefer. You may want to set up a place in your hangout room (den/living room) where you can comfortably watch tv, read a book or be on an electronic device that you can easily keep charged. Other ideas would be to have coloring books, crossword puzzle books - things that won’t have the glare of the screen as that might not feel too good for a bit of time. If you have any hobbies that you can do inside that would be great as well. If you search @oct20 posts, I believe she made a really great list.
Although many people do not want to discuss this, I also recommend folks update their wills and get all the important papers in one easily found location. I do recommend finding a good attorney that specializes in wills, our first one wasn’t and we didn’t know that we were not protected until my third procedure was upcoming and the thinking was I may have to have a craniotomy. With the higher risks of that procedure, I was obsessed with having everything updated. It took a short time for them to work us in as I was imaged one week and scheduled for the next. The paralegal and our elder attorney were great, the will/trust was updated, we signed it the night before and it was posted with the County Clerk’s office about 5 minutes before we got to the hospital! We were lucky to have already known and worked with her because of my parents or we would have thought the old one was good. BH’s parents had preplanned funeral arrangements from the time they started having children I think, everything from the type of caskets, headstone, and graveyard; mine did not. It was so much easier for the family to have it preplanned. They also had all their important paperwork in a fire proof box, every bit of it from Billy Ed’s DD214, marriage license, birth certificates, insurance papers you name it, it was all there. Mine did not and it was a living nightmare for two years after my last parent passed away.
The House part is if you believe in a Higher Power, check in and say hey! Personally I always had a simple prayer before I had a procedure and it was to ask for my Neurosurgeon and team to have clear minds, a full belly and not need to go to the bathroom. Which is very close to what I would ask my Neurosurgeon when she came in - did you sleep well, have you eaten, and did you go potty before you came in? Sure wouldn’t want my neurosurgeon to be doing the potty dance while in my brain.
Hi @WendyFl -
Thank you for raising this topic!
I first want to start off by saying that I am about the opposite side from you in that I had a ruptured aneurysm that was repaired via endovascular surgery instead of clipping. That being said, I also developed hydrocephalus that had to be resolved with a more "traditional” brain surgery - partially shaved head and all - twice! So I absolutely defer to those who have gone through a clipping surgery as they will have a more relevant experience, but wanted to share some thoughts that I have learned.
You are correct, that we do talk a lot about memory loss around here, as it is something that some of us experience. We also seem to have another universal truth, and that is our individual experience always seems to be unique, despite a similar diagnosis, so what happened to me, does not mean it will happen to you.
As a result of my aneurysm, my #1 priority these days is brain health. One of the most beautiful words I have learned post-rupture is “neuroplasticity.” I am linking to a BBC video that describes it more generally if that helps.
Neuroplasticity: How to rewire your brain
Again, as a layperson, to me I think back to that old acronym: GIGO, garbage-in, garbage-out. If you want a good, healthy brain we have to treat it right, and not feed it garbage, both physically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Of course, things happen, and I am NOT trying to say that that is a guaranteed solution, because, of course it is not. For me personally, to maximize my brain health and increase my odds, I want to treat it as well as a I possibly can, so if something should happen, my brain has the best chance to heal.
When you are asking a simple question, why have I railed on about neuroplasticity? 
Because, you hit the answer right on the head in your message - well-done! Sometimes, our brains can form new neural pathways, and help heal to return us closer to our prior self. I will say for me that my memory is MUCH better than immediately post-rupture, but I am not 100% my former self. [E.g., my family was upset (fair enough) as I was not remembering to take all my medicine, so they gave me a fancy medicine reminder system. Nowadays though, I almost always take it a few minutes before time because I remember to do so, and even if I choose to sleep in a little bit and not take it at 6, I remember to take it at 6:30 with the bonus of another 30 minutes of sleep! 
]
For me, what was most impacted was short-term memory, but not of people, but I sometimes had difficulty recalling words not for everyday items, but for more abstract concepts. Brains do take time though, and we need to think of healing in terms of months and years, not in days and weeks.
In addition to all of @Moltroub ‘s great suggestions, you may have seen elsewhere, but I have become a fan of relaxation breathing techniques. Excitement for our regular viewers, I just found a new video so something new to try!
How to Do Five-Finger Breathing
What I appreciate about this is it is promoted by the Cleveland Clinic for patients about to enter into surgery, and it is their recommendation as to how to do relaxation breathing when in pre-op. Basically it seems to be a variation of box breathing that I already love, but I think it is fantastic that the Cleveland Clinic has a very simple method to promote as well. [Note, they are not my own beloved hospital system, so I am not being paid to endorse! 
]
Sending good thoughts and energy your way: you are going to do GREAT! Please continue to ask questions, vent, and let us know what we can do to help you!
Fin Whale Fan 
I had a ruptured SAH in August 2024 that was clipped. The first week in the ICU was a blur, I remember bits and pieces but my husband tells me stories. Get used to the nurses coming in to ask your name, date of birth and why you’re there. I guess when I was in that first week haze, I said my birthday was Christmas and I was there for recreation!
We didn’t have the luxury of getting our house/meals/dog sitters in order because mine happened so fast. But our family and friends made sure we had what we needed when I got home. Dinners, snacks, coloring books, puzzle books, and funny activities were key to my recovery at home.
Memory wise, the only thing I notice is my short term is still a little fuzzy. If I don’t write it down, I may forget. I keep a note pad, post its, or use the notes app on my phone to keep track of things.
Hello, I had my Annie clipped in 2014. My husband and I had similar concerns. I am happy to say that the memory issues are minimal. I do experience times when I want to say something or introduce someone and even though I know their name or what I want to say it just doesn’t come out on command.Then a little later it will just pop out. If someone prompts me I remember quickly. It’s not much different than the difficulty those who are aging experience.
The responses you have already received shared very good information. My prayers are with you. Feel free to contact me if you need additional information.
Jj
Hi Wendy
I did not have a clipping - I had a SAH/ruptured annie with endovascular procedures (I also had an unruptured one). What I came to add to our friends’ great bits of advice above, is that, IF you can wrangle an appointment with a psychologist, to conduct a cognitive test (and/or IQ test) before the clipping so that you have a “baseline” to compare to and have actual data if you feel anything changed. As Moltroub noted, though, having a SAH is more often the culprit with memory and cognitive issues, so your doc may not even think it’s necessary. Having said that, it all depends on where your Annie is located and whatever that risk factor may be — this is just based on my knowledge. Also, I know it can be challenging to even get an appointment with a psych in less than a month… maybe ask your PCP or Neuro for their thoughts?
Hi Wendy. Thank you for sharing your experience. I had a ruptured aneurysm one year ago in September. I am still experiencing issues with my short term memory. It has gotten better with time but I do sometimes write things down especially when at work. Be patient with your self and give yourself some grace. I wish you much luck!
Wendy, as you see and others have shared, there is no set reaction we all experience from this surgery. I had a burst 30+ years ago. You and your husband are concerned you won’t remember him. When I woke up I remembered the people, but not necessarily their names. I remembered my fiancee, but not his name. I lost a lot of my long term memory—the specifics—but not the general ideas of where I lived, how I was raised, that I went to school. Though I lost most of my education of my degrees. For the past 30 years I have made it my mission to relearn. I read to my children, I took jobs that scared me, and I pushed myself to learn it all again. Even now I will see a word I have not relearned, so I look it up and take the time to relearn it.
I still have some short memory challenges — though I also see my friends forget things and their brain didn’t burst — sometimes I think I am just more conscious of it. And, like others, I have found ways to adapt— lists, placement habits, calmness in my life.
It is impossible to guess how your brain will react to the surgery. But the fact you are aware it is going to happen, that you are able to prepare with your husband, puts you miles ahead of some of us. Just please be patient with yourself and each other. Let yourself heal at the speed your body demands. And if you loose any memory, try not to be angry or frustrated, instead try to keep in mind that every day is a new day to make new memories.
As my children were learning to walk and would look behind them at others I would regularly say: look where you are going, not where you have been. I try hard to live with that lesson myself and invite you to do the same.
Hello Wendy. I have 3 Annie’s clipped. Large one on the right and 2 on the left they call sister Annie’s cause they are next to one another. My memory is fine . I did loose my smell and taste. And tears seem to be coming back. It has been a year now. I lost 20 lbs my first month home and lost all my muscle but always working on with up to 5 miles a day walking and at times resistant bands.
I recently moved to Northern California where my sons live with my grandchildren. Love the sun and hills that are my new terrain for walks. I understand your fears on how it can cause issues. I stressed myself the 32 days I had to wait for surgeries. But my worst fears never happened. Prayer for you and yours…
Thanks for telling me your story! It’s very helpful. I’ll be glad when the waiting is over.
I used to live in Northern California - it’s a beautiful place.
Hi Wendy , I am going into 10 months from a clipping. I have memory issues but small cant remember names or products . It’s getting better over time. Still don’t drive far as I feel lost and I drift off in my mind as if it’s not working so I go to work and home . You will be fine over time as well. Lots of rest as you will need . Protein is important. God bless and prayers .
Thanks! My surgery is this week so I’m getting nervous. I appreciating you sharing your experience!
Hi @WendyFl
Good luck with your upcoming surgery and please get back to us when you have the energy for it and tell us how everything went. It will be a helpful for others waiting for the same surgery.
Tell Gracie she has to be good and patient on your return home. Have you got some easy to prepare meals planned for your husband to make? Don’t forget to hug him, pretty sure he’s a bit concerned too.
Good luck, you’ve got this!
Thanks!! Gracie’s favorite thing in the world is cuddling in bed, so I think she’s looking forward to this. My sweet hubby does deserve lots of hugs - he is as stressed as I am! We are both ready to just get in with whatever is to come…
What day is the procedure? If you’ve said, I apologize for not remembering. Maybe the weather is decent up in Minnesota and you all can take a nice walk holding hands. That is if Gracie allows it…
It’s on Halloween! Yes it’s nice Minnesota fall weather, 50s. Gracie insists on her daily walk, that’s for sure!