hello Kitty, Life is not so easy- is it? hopefully, you have good help,good friends and family and of course a great neurosergeon. I wish you the best and take care. donna w
Hi Bonnie, thanks for sharing your story with me. As my surgery date is getting closer I am feeling a bit less stressed. I had a ton of things to organise and finalise and now all I have left to do is see my solicitor, then I am sure I will be able to relax a bit more. It's times like these that make me wish I was a religious person and had that faith that you seem to have. Can you answer me one thing though, if I am not a Christian, am I able to ask people to pray for me? I don't want to insult or offend, but for some reason I find it very comforting when people say that they will pray for me. Thanks, KK.
Thanks for your warm wishes Donna, it's been really helpful to know that people are offering their advice, support and thoughts. I reallly appreciate it, KK.
Been thinking about you Kitty ! Enjoyed out chat the other night, I hope that as your surgery nears you're able to breathe, be calm, and know that things happen for a reason--a good reason! Take care, Janet
I am a survivor in quite good shape. I recommend that you have that clipped without delay. If it ruptures, your risk of death or serious damage are closer to 70%. A preventive clipping - your surgeon estimates 5% (1 in 20)... that's a lot lower than 70%, and I think he gave you a high estimate.
Me too. I have actually felt a lot better after talking to you. It makes a huge difference when you don't feel so alone. I have also managed to find someone that can fit me in for a second opinion before my surgery too, so I'm sure that will help ease my concerns a lot as well. I just hope that doesn't confuse me more again! Thanks again for your thoughts, I hope to catch up with you again before my surgery, KK.
Thanks, that puts things clearly into perspective. I would like to think you're right about the high estimate, but why would he want to scare me even more? Surely just mentioning all the risks is all he is required to do legally anyway, so why would he estimate higher than is the case?
Hi Kitty, Absolutely, I think you can have people pray for you! It goes to show you that you feel comforted because I think we all have guardian angels. I so believe in the power of prayer but of course you need a good surgeon as well. God was the last being I spoke with from my mind and I just asked for a good outcome. I also kept telling myself over and over that I was going to make a strong recovery and have no deficits and that worked pretty well. I will definitely pray for you because faith overcomes fear in every situation! If ever you have a question or just want to talk give me a shout out. Take care and I am definitely praying for you,
Bonnie
Thanks Bonnie, I really appreciate your prayers for me. Lets hope I do have a guardian angel somewhere looking out for and protecting me. I have a wonderful and very experienced surgeon, so lets just hope that he has a guardian angel too!!
Kity,
I have to agree with WBartling. I really didn't want to go here but sharing experiences with you and others can only be helpful.
On the night of March 9, 1994, it was the first night post op for my wife - she was doing quite well given the clipping surgery and techniques used at that time. She was in one room of eight intensive coronary care rooms that were all occupied with aneurysm and stroke patients. It was night time and about 8:00 PM. I walked to the nurses station to relieve my anxiety and stress that was building all day. I felt extremely grateful that God had spared my wife from any unfortunate outcomes.
While I was standing there, a guy came out of an adjacent room to my wife (and it is important to understand that even though the world continues on, I was oblivious to it because of the circumstances). I said hello and he introduced himself. He went on to explain that his wife was in that room and she was in a vegetative coma. As he wiped the stress from his face, he went on unprompted to explain his story about how his wife had come to be in this terminal state. He turned to the nurse who was talking with us and quickly asked whether (they, the nurses) could stop his wife from making the death growl - a very loud snore. The nurse, who proved herself to be a very intelligent person) replied there was nothing they could do because she was brain dead. He wiped his face again, and he proceeded to tell me in detail how he and his wife were sitting on a couch watching a TV program the previous night when all of a sudden she reached for her forehead putting her head down. As she bowed, she was able to turn slightly towards him and told him she loved him. These were her last words, he said, as he began weeping. As he composed himself, he explained that there was now no hope for her and this vegetative state may last an unknown time. In the morning she would be transferred to a nursing home to live out whatever remain of her life.
At the time, I had to compartmentalize that memory because of the fight my wife (then my fiancee') was undertaking. Since that time I often recall that memory, which is clear as a bell today, to remind myself of the urgency that life presents because had I told my wife to wait and see if the rupture symptoms clear up in the morning, she could have been in the same terminal vegetative state as the woman above simply because the statistics prove out this outcome by delaying treatment.
If I learned anything from this memory and experience, is now that I treat any mention by anyone of head pain, that they seek immediate treatment by professionals - time lost is brain lost.
Only you can say yes to treatment, we can only advise - don't become a statistic ! Good luck with your decision!!
Thanks for sharing your story Ed, I appreciate it and I hope your wife is doing well now. It's important to hear this side of things for sure, as I read all the stories on here where ruptures have occurred but the people all still end up doing ok. The other thing I wonder though, is what about those who go through clipping surgery on an unruptured anni and don't do so well. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable in going ahead with my surgery as planned partly because of all the posts on this site from others who have had it (or wish they had had the opportunity to) that have had successful surgeries and outcomes. What about the others? I wonder if I am not getting a one sided opinion here because the only people that post is the ones that are able to. I don't read anything by loved ones on this site that may have lost a friend or family member through surgery or had them end up with permanent brain damage. You know, that "5%" that we're told end up in this way. Do you follow people here up until their surgery date and then never hear from them again (because they are either dead or brain damaged and cannot type/read/understand/etc)? I don't mean to focus on the negative, but realistically I have to commit to this decision 100% and in order to do that I need all the facts, all the stories, not just the one's that went well. Sorry if I am depressing anybody, that certainly was not my objective, but these are the things going through my mind and if anyone can offer me their opinions and thoughts I would appreciate it. Thanks, KK.
When my neurosurgeon came in to my hospital room (my aneurysm was already bleeding; I had been admitted) to discuss the risks of the proposed surgery, he put the estimate of a serious negative outcome at 2%. When I commented that 2% was "pretty high", he responded "I think it's pretty low. I think you'll be fine." I am fine. It's tough to speculate on your neurosurgeon's motivation, but perhaps to be clear that there are very serious risks and no guarantees. He can't promise you a positive outcome.
I know there are no guarantees and of course there will be risks with surgery like this, it's just that with such a hard decision to make it may ultimately come down to the numbers. I guess I'm just trying to get all the facts, although 2% sounds a lot better to me than 5%!
Thanks Sue. I certainly don't blame your sister for having hers done with your history of rupturing, I definitely would too. I am most grateful that mine has not ruptured yet, but it does make the decision so much harder. My second (third) opinion is on Wednesday afternoon (Sydney time), so will let you know how I go. Thanks for the hugs and prayers xx
Kitty, I just wanted to tell you that I have been praying for you. I feel like I will be facing the same decision after my appointment on Dec. 13. I too am scared. I have the same thoughts that you have, including the silence of the one's who don't do well with the procedures. I pray that we are guided in the right direction with the correct neurosurgeon. Regina
Hi, I had my unruptured 5mm ICA coiled in July. It is a very difficult decision to make. In the end you have to do what you think is best. I was once told that the reason mine was found before rupture was so that I could do something about it. I lived with mine for 5 years before I had it fixed.
Hope this helps.
Hugs, Deanna