My name is Amy Megahan and I am a survivor of a ruptured brain aneurysm. On June 6th, 2011 around 4:20 pm, I was at my work and I got the worst headache I had ever had, followed by spinning room and passing out. I was rushed to Jefferson Regional Hospital in Jefferson Hills PA, 20 mins outside of Pittsburgh PA. They did the usually stuff and sent me for a ct scan, where they found I had a ruptured brain aneurysm. I was life flighted to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh PA which saved my life. The next day Dr Aziz Neurosurgeon did my surgery and clipped my aneurysm. I was in AGH for three weeks and then transfer ed to Forbes Hospital in Monroveville PA, it and AGH are part of West Penn Allegheny Hospital. At Forbes I received 2 weeks of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy and was sent home. I was told I almost died and was critical, I have short term memory loss and sometimes I can't remember words. I see a neuro psychologist, have speech therapy and also go to stroke group through Forbes Hospital. I was told I can not work or drive for at least a year. It is extremely frustrating, angry, crying and moodiness which I was told is normal for aneurysm survivors. I would like to thank you for letting me share my story with you.
Amy you are a true survivor! Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Take it easy on yourself. It must be so difficult to have the rug pulled out from under you like this. I hope you have a good support system at home. We’re always here for you! You hang in there. Mitch
Amy best of luck in your recovery. live life , don’t feel sad, always count your blessing and thank God that you are a survivor. The road ahead of you can be bumpy but always remeber that God LOVES YOU. much love and peace Marian
You have found a great support group! Thanks for sharing your story and thank God for your survival. Ventling and strong emotions are part of my life and I did not rupture. Sometimes the psychological part is harder than anything else.
Dear Amy, it was moving to read your story, I am English but living in Spain with my husband, I collapsed outside our apartment last New Years Eve, I had not had a drink but people assumed at first I was drunk! I was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. I was in a coma for 7 weeks and woke up blind, but have now had operations on both eyes to remove leaked blood and my sight is returning. My main problems now are fatigue and depression. I cannot work or drive yet, and cannot fly back to England to see my 3 grown kids. I can certainly relate to your frustration, anger, crying and moodiness, but I am told it does improve. Lt’s try and keep each other cheerful! All the best, Sally
my 1st yr was alotta rocky, figuring out wat i can still do but the emotions were haywire…i can say my 2nd yr is sooo much better n the new me is fabulous…i think after you feel out the dos n donts…life becomes a much better place 2 be…lovin my life…
Michelle, your post has given me nnew hope, all I seem to do is sigh and cry and my husband is getting fed up with this and also with the fact that whenever he takes me out in the evening, I come over tired and want to go home long before he is ready. But from what you say, it gets better and I will start to get my energy and optimism back in the end?
Welcome. I just had coiling and stenting to fix an unruptured annie. I was one of the lucky ones - mine had not ruptured. Finding this forum is undeniably the best - a great support system where you can vent and people understand and can vent with you. Hope you feel better soon.
Blessings to you Amy! I noticed the date of when you got sick...6 days after mine..six days! we were in the hospital at the same time! i was at Saint Lukes in Kansas City for 24 days in the Intensive Care Unit. I got a helicopter ride too! My aneurysm was leaking and spasm -ing but never burst - did plenty of damage with the leak though because they think I had been leaking for several days prior June 1, when my sister dragged me to a minor med facility who promptly sent me to an ER. I was diagnosed within an hour and in surgery, a coiling, within a couple of hrs (which is the key, I think, to why I'm alive today).
5 months later and I still am very tired, sometimes moody and forget words, or can't think of a word I want to use or I jumble syllables around within words, if I'm talking too fast. I work during the week, but sleep through most weekends and that's frustrating. Wow, I hope you're seeing progress each day (even if on some days you feel like the progress is zero or backwards)
When I'm feeling particularly down or tired, I come here and read other people's stories and know that it's ok and it's all good and it will get better! So, you need to know that too! It will get better, just take it slow and appreciate your little victories.
My little victory? Last friday night I did what would have been unthinkable even 1 month ago! We were at a high school football game and I carried 3, 3! cups of coffee (ok they had lids on them but 3!) 3 means at least one was carried with my "numb" left hand, (my left side is noticeably weaker, numb and clumsy - not paralyzed, they call it a "deficit") and I walked with the coffee from the concessions stand, climbed up the bleachers to the seats to the applause of my family "hey look at what I'm doing! yippeee!" - Victory.
So, here's to little victories and appreciating even the smallest of the new accomplishments.
sally,sherry,amy,cec n everyone else on this post…this is exactly why we have this forum…it is to give hope n support to others who may of not reached that time n their recovery. such an inspiration to have each other to lift up our fellow anny survivor when u need it most…u are never alone …u strength will return, ur new energy level is on its way…lol…life n love surrounds each n everyone of us…i think we all have a new way of looking at it now,but its never left…i told my husband n kids 20,15…when they were wondering why i was so tired all the time(6 mo after) i just had major surgery.MY BRAIN! I ALMOST DIED! they lovingly replied" your so strong, we never thought anything like this could happen to u" we are all human and vulnderable …but we can persevere…all of us are proof…God bless u all n wishing continued recovered with a life full of awesome health n happiness…stay positive…u can do it:)
Your story moves me and I want to welcome you to being a survivor!!! I thank God every day for allowing me to call myself as a survivor.
As you have probably noticed, everyone has a different story, but they are all the same. We are survivors! We are happy, sad, frustrated, sick, fatigued, glad to be alive and so forth. So many emotions and so little time to experiecne them all is my favorite new saying!
Welcome to the best support group you will ever find. I always say, finding BAF saved my life, despite the wonderful family and friend support that I have. MY BAF family "gets me".
Best wishes for a speedy recovery and may God bless you in your new after annie life!
Amy, welcome, and it is wonderful you were able to share your story.
As for having gone thru so much, from rupture, to surgery, your follow-up care they are providing is magnificent and not common. Please feel blessed that you have have god-given quality providers.
If you were released for work too early, it may generate more anger, tears, frustrations than you now experience. I pray that somehow you will feel the blessings from what your neuros are doing for you; it is not common. Again, thanks for sharing your story...
