Moving right along… Ruptured aneurysm, SAH… check.
2 surgeries and 3 weeks in I C U. .check
Rehab…check
Diagnosed with Obstructive sleep apnea…check
Began using bipap…check
First angiogram follow up, looking good…check
Started venturing out a bit further and showing some independence…check
Fell and broke right wrist…crash and burn!
Had surgery July 1st to put in plate and pins…check
Estimated 6 months to a year for recovery…check
Paranoia is setting in. The fear of falling again is crippling. I force myself to go outside every day but I won’t go alone.
My biggest fear is I don’t remember falling or what caused me to fall. I am missing that 5 to 15 minutes of time. I was going up the porch and then my SO was helping me up from the ground.
On the good side, I am learning how to start from the beginning again.
Mary,So sorry for you.You have been though a lot.You have to slowly find your new normal.I get fear when Iam doing to much outside with horse and chickens.It takes time to pace ourselves.I really hope things get easier for you.When I have done to much My head really hurts.I can tell your a strong person.Hope your doing better while healing.Takes time.Iam
not very patient but trying harder.Good wishes your way.
I hear you. I could have written what you posted. My balance is horrible. I broke my trochanter (part of the hip, but not the joint) and had a nail put in. I am also worried when going out alone, and once when I did, I fell and broke my kneecap. No surgery, but a lot of pain. I have been diagnosed with a post op seizure disorder, absence seizure. Like you, I find I am missing 5 or 10 minutes here and there, People think I am not listening, but it’s just that I have floated out of the room in my mind. When I return, I don’t know what I missed. Or I look at the clock and it’s 2 pm and look back and it’s 2:15, even though no time passed in my mind. I am on Lamictal for grand mal seizures, but it has reduced but not eliminated the absence seizures. My neurologist thinks I should use a cane, but I find I just end up juggling it when I need to do something. I did physical therapy for balance and it helped. My son thinks I should try yoga, but that would involve going out alone, so… On days I haven’t slept well, I am extra careful because my absence seizures tend to occur when I am sleep deprived. I get another kind of seizure, that I refer to as “the wave”. An unpleasant sensation comes from my toes through my body to my head and I know I have to sit down immediately because my balance deteriorates after the wave. It helps to know that I’m not the only one dealing with this because I have never met anyone with symptoms like this. Hang in there! Check!
With you on the ‘wave’. Ii had 4 aneurysms may 2013. Took a while to get to my new normal but doing ok. What I hate is that I don’t have the same stamina, get tired easy and silly words escape me during conversations. I also fell a lot but now walk slower. I keep as active as I can, go dancing 3 to 4 times a week even if I need to nap before or after. Just try to keep positive, enjoy my second chance at life and not worry.
Good–it is a modified new you. I could’t read, remember-all that changed when I watched Bob Ross and started painting!
Not too bad. Did it from bed and a few+ sheets looked like abstract art! Now I’m mostly normal but as soon as I pick up a brush a different part of my brain kicks in. You lose some but that could unlock a section of my brain that I didn’t have time for before.
I was diagnosed with pseudo seizures but they didn’t put me on any medication for it. I guess our brains electrical circuit needs to adjust to our new normals, too.
I try to keep moving but I can’t imagine going out to dance. Good for you - dance one, or two, for me. It is kind of funny because that’s one of the things I say. They took away my dancing shoes. I have ducks…that are in the process of laying eggs right now and I have a dog. I chase them around during the day.
I did get my garden planted this year. I bought elevated garden beds for my vegetables. I have 2 containers of strawberries and a table with 4 tomato plants. If you know what dodder is it took over and strangled out my peas, cucumbers and onions. Dodder is a parasite, some call it yellow silly string because that’s what it looks like, but my farm extension office hasn’t heard of it and don’t know what to do to get rid of it. My luck this year has been an experience. I’m just glad I don’t gamble.
So I take it a day at a time. The headaches are a nuisance but they are part of my new normal.
My neurosurgeon’s APRN mentioned the cane to me but I just can’t see it being an advantage going up and down stairs, especially with the broken wrist. At rehab for the aneurysm/stroke we all agreed the walker was more in my way than a help.
Not sure what to do now. The good part is unless I have another set back the wrist ordeal should be over in 6 to 12 months. This time next year I will be sitting back laughing about all this or NOT. At least I won’t remember it.
Mary, I bumped into a nail head somewhere between coiling 1 and 2. Ripped a nice jagged line in my arm. Didn’t really feel it, but saw the blood. Went next door to my 78 yr old neighbor who put some gauze and tape on it. SO came home, went to doc in the box, glued up, went back a few hours later a dozen stitches or so…
One of the questions I always get asked at the doctors is the “Have you fallen recently?” One time I got to say, no but the ladder fell when I was on it, broke the ugly blue toilet and I bumped my head…oh and the ladder broke too. All they ever do is look at me. Next time I’m going to ask why they ask…I can jump on a tractor, I just can’t walk down the hallway
