I have an unruptured aneurysm that was discovered almost 3 years ago when I was in a serious traffic accident and had a CT of my neck and head to look for injuries. The Annie wasn’t caused by the accident but is probably due to my Ehlers Danlos. Dr. tried to coil but couldn’t so they have been watching to make sure it didn’t grow. Last MRA showed growth, now 7.2 mm so surgery to clip is scheduled in 1 week. I’m pretty nervous considering my age 67. Worried whether I will have long rehabilitation because I am widow and live alone. Any advice?
Hi Donna,
Clipping involves craniotomy, so obviously it is a pretty major open surgery that will take a fair bit of rest and recuperation. Fortunately, it's also a pretty common procedure these days and always carried out by very specialised teams - so the risks will be low and the surgical skill will be high. I would imagine you will spend the critical parts of your rehabilitation in the hospital being closely monitored, so I'd imagine living alone won't be a barrier to recovery, as the nursing team will help you through the hardest stages and will only send you home when you are safe to go home. I've never had a craniotomy (my aneurysm was coiled) so I'm not certain with regards to how you'll rehabilitate once you are home, but I am sure you'll do fine if you keep positive and kind to yourself and give yourself the time you will undoubtedly need to feel like yourself again.
I did a quick search for interesting stuff on craniotomy and came up with this blog written by a nurse: http://head-nurse.blogspot.co.uk/2008/11/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting.html The blog is a parody of those fake-seeming happy brochures they give you about medical procedures, so it is written to be somewhat humorous, but it also seems like a really nice guide to the procedure that actually covers the practical realities of the recovery process without just glossing over all the less glamorous bits! I just thought it was a kind of cool guide because it is written from a refreshingly human point of view and feels honest and quite warm.
I know it might be a bit weird to guide you to a parody blog before major surgery, but I hope you'll understand why when you read it!
Best of luck for your surgery, and of course, the nice folks here at BAF will be here for you during your recovery to help if you need cheered up or any advice or whatever!
Bruce
Both. I don’t know what to expect. Is it likely I will have need for rehab to regain some skills or is that only after a bleed or if the doctor runs into complications. I have had numerous operations and unfortunately I have had my fair share of complications, serious infections, post op bleeding, etc. None of the complications were as a result of the skill of my docs, but I do believe the cleanliness, procedures and nursing staff training and management at the different hospitals made all the difference. Unfortunately, I am not having procedure done at my preferred No 1 hospital in Cincinnati but at the No 3. My doctor who I am very pleased with doesn’t have privileges at No. 1.
Thanks, Bruce, for the info and the funny blog. I enjoyed it and got some valuable information. So glad I found this site.
No worries, Donna - I thought the blog was probably helpful because despite the jokes it does tell you about the stuff that doctors/surgeons never focus on... like the bruising, and the popping noises in your head, and the constipation! All the things that aren't likely to be life-threatening, but are important in terms of how you feel and your general confidence about the situation.
I'm sure you'll do really well. All the best again, and please update us on how you get along. Everything crossed for you :)
Hi Donna
I find it unlikely that you'll need to be in a rehab facility after your clipping...I've undergone two clippings (1998 and 2010), and neither time required anything related to rehabilitation. Both times I was in and out of the hospital within 4 days, and I went home to recuperate on each...I can't think of anything that I couldn't handle myself, could still walk, talk, cook and (think about) cleaning, shower, all the normal things one does on a daily basis. Your doctor may tell you to restrict your driving until you feel like driving ofcourse (I was driving within a week and a half on my last surgery) and no doubt you'll require more rest then usual, but thats typical and you should take advantage of that...You'll no doubt get some bruising on your face, but again thats typical. On my last surgery the doctor put me on three months disability leave from work and that worked out fine for me although I could've gone back to work sooner..All I needed was Advil for the pain ( which was from the incision site and not from anything else, )....and I simply took it easy . Honestly, the clipping is not as bad as it may sound to be, and i'm sure you'll do just fine in your recovery. Maybe ask your doctor to prescribe something for the before-surgery-jitters (Like Xanax or Ativan) as it surely helped me with my anxiety as surgery neared. Best of luck to you Donna,
Peace, Janet
Wow, that is great to hear. You look like you are much younger than I am. I’ will be 68 in couple of weeks. Could that be why you did so well? I would be thrilled to be driving after a week. Are there lifting restrictions? I have two little Shih Tzu dogs, weighing 15 lbs and 17 lbs. I sleep with them. Any problem with that? This sounds easier than a knee replacement???
Donna,
Lol, as long as you don't pick up both pooches at once, there should be no problems (well, on that one i'm guessing!) really though, I think 'within reason' when it comes to restrictions is a good rule of thumb--oh and in my opinion, (and this may sound crazy but i'm not kidding) I'd rather have brain surgery then to have to go to the dentist for a root canal , and from what i've seen in knee-replacement surgeries, brain surgery is easier to recover from !
And I'm not sure if age has much to do with recovery but general good health doesn't hurt, and a positive attitude sure helps--and the added strength of having so many people who've 'been there' and understand what you're going through is a real plus! I wish this SIte had been around when I had my surgeries, its startling to realize there are a lot annie survivors out there and you're anything but alone in this journey!
This site is such a blessing. My anxieties have really been lifted by all the support and knowledge here. There is nothing greater than the first hand report of someone who has gone through exactly what you are about to do. It is the fear of the unknown that terrorizes us. My imagination can conjure up the most horrendous things. Now I have some actual reports from those who have lived it. I trust the people here more than I did my doctor. I thought he was glossing over everything just to keep me from panicking. I couldn’t believe what he was telling me. Now that I have heard actual patients confirm their positive experiences, I am not afraid. Thanks for the gift of friendship.