Reading the stories on this site has been comforting. Thank you all for sharing.
My maternal grandmother died from her aneurysm rupture when she was only 48. My aneurysm ruptured Jan '12, when I was 38. For some reason I survived even though my life is now completely different. The last year and a half have been a journey of trying to get my life back on track since basically I start anew every day. I remember pre-anny events, but like a true survivor I have a hard time remembering what I did since. As long as my everyday routine has been stable, I have felt ok. I want life to be about living again, not just surviving through the day, moving based on my rote type of memory.
I am at a point where I am looking for alternate ways to regain a forward moving life. My ability to form new memories, and understand new information or situations has been difficult in making progress. I look forward to learning from other survivors and families about their journey through this. : )
I am so sorry that your family has had to go through this. Glad that you have found BAF and look forward to you becoming part of the family. This is certainly a great place to get to know people.
Part of this journey is accepting "our new normal" and living life a day at a time...it will come for you...you are already working towards it...Read your note to my profile page...we are survivors...and tough as they come ~
hi Whitni! so glad your here with us and feeling the comfort already! excellent.i'm not sure why sharing is comforting- it must be the love and comraderie. I'm tired of one day at a time also-- hopefully we just need more time. My memory and attention span seems to be that of a toddler, but keep the faith!
Thank you all for the kind comments. I look forward to catching up with you guys again in the morning!!
And Ron, I know what you mean about memory and attn span. When family has asked how I have been doing, I usually respond (according to my journal) that I think I am getting alot better than I was! I have to laugh when I read that, because I have no clue how to judge my progress since everyday is kind of new. At least I am upbeat & positive! : )
Will write more later on...I am working on a project...reading a book...and, as you, it takes me forever to read/hear/learn ... when I read "new"...I have to outline / re-read...etc...
If you have not had neuropsych testing, please ask your docs for referral...
Wishing you best...will be back later...could be days...When I think of tomorrow, months have passed by when I get there...
Hello Whitni, Nice to meet you. I don't get on my computer too much, one of the things that have been affected in my life is remembering everyday things,. One day I can remember and get all things done, other days I scratch my head an wonder what it is I normally would be doing, and I usually can't come up with anything. I do think I have moved past the initial rupture and wondering why I survived,, I am so thankful to God that I did, I now have a brand new grand baby, first one and feel so blessed. I am always trying new tricks to making my brain work better, maybe they work but I havent seen much in progress, but I am ok with that, new pathways are building whether I am aware of it or not. The wonderment also is how I can remember all details leading upto the rupture but afterwards is when things are spotty. So you didnt really tell your story, what were you doing when yours ruptured? What size was it? Mine was a 2mm, it was sitting on a 5mm, the 5 is the one that has since been coiled, and the 5 is the reason the dr believe saved my life, anyway it was one of those horrible experiences in life that actually became a different kind of blessing and who I am now. Love to hear your story, if I can remember to check back in I will so I can see what your story is.
Whitni...I thank Beata below for her opening up your long -term entrance here...
I was ready to answer you as a "new" member...and, glanced down thru realizing I had responded...worse, realizing told you tomorrow takes me several months to get there...now realizing it is half a year...
: ) I am doing ok, I think... but, we all know how that goes. I have tried to explain to people close to me that they have to be patient, or understanding because what I discuss with them one day is based on my memory & function of that day. If we discuss it again another day, and I respond totally different, it isn't because I am trying to be deceptive, or that I am lying. I have found that "truth" has a lot to do with perception, not reality of what happened. how I see things one day, may be different a week later. That's been hard for my family to understand.
My aneurysm must have slowly started to bleed a few days before I walked at 2am to my sisters house next door & knocked on her bedroom window, and told her I wasn't feeling real good & to meet me at her front door. My right eye had turned in, and I was getting a lot of nausea & double vision and headaches, especially along the left side of my neck, down to my shoulder. I was holding my right eye shut, I know now that it was because that's where my brain & ocular nerves were damaged. My sister didn't realize my eye had turned inward. The next day, I was very lethargic, and wouldn't eat. My sister was concerned & called my friend, who was a coroner, to see what he thought.
After he came by & saw me, and asked me to open my right eye... that's when I was rushed to the hospital, where neuro was waiting for me. I would have to look at my medical records to look up the size, but I was admitted as a wait-n-see case. After a week or so, the blood volume started to show signs of regression, so they never did clip or coil my annie. I have had a lot of memory problems, and social interaction issues that have come with my inability to filter what I feel when I hear peoples "opinions" about me.
By the way, I joined a aneurysm survivor group on facebook & it has helped me tremendously!! It's nice to hear many stories that are a lot like what I have been going through
Nice to meet you, too! I have a terrible time remembering things. If it is out of sight, it is out of mind! I have all of my clothes, and daily things that I need to find out where I will pass through my house & see them, then I will pick it up & do what needs to be done. If I try to rely on a schedule to get things done, its a lost cause.