Hello all! My mom suffered a ruptured aneurysm on June 22nd and underwent the coiling procedure but in the middle of the night needed to have the other side of her head opened and underwent the clipping and removal of a blood clot in her left frontal lobe. A smaller clot was left on her right side to dissolve on its own as the surgeon felt removing brain tissue bilaterally would be dangerous to her quality of life.
For me, the only child and taking care of dad after an accident he had in February where he suffered a brain injury from the head on impact, is very overwhelming. He is much better with only minimal damage, if any, but now the focus is on mom.
I guess what I am trying to figure out is what my mother may be experiencing in terms of level of awareness and what her potential to live a quality life after all is said and done is. Since she has had tissue removed in her left frontal lobe and a clot on the right frontal lobe was left to dissolve on its own, do you think it would be possible another part(s) of the brain would take over some functions of that left frontal lobe that was taken out due to the clot? How likely is it that the tissue surrounding the remaining clot, which by the way is dissolving, hasn’t been terribly damaged? Do you think my mom has hope of living a decent life?
Also, I want to facilitate her recovery and also make her as comfortable and “happy” as possible. What do you think she is aware of? She is starting to move and track us, even turn her head a bit and sometimes yawns. She will be going to a subacute rehab facility sometime this week, but for now, I have been working with her as far as range of motion and basic things. I am a school teacher and somehow I break things down very well that even the doctors were surprised at how well mom responded to me because they don’t get that same response. They had to watch me in action. She doesn’t really follow commands consistently. What is your take on this? Keep in mind, she is approximately 2 weeks out of her last surgery which was to remove the forehead bone flap. Less than a week prior she had both the coiling, clipping and clot removal.
Also, when a person such as my mom in this condition frequently and randomly just moves body parts, like feet and toes or bends a leg, maybe opens and closes a hand, why do they do that? Is it like they are becoming aware of their body again however just don’t have control yet?
I really appreciate any feedback you can give me to these questions. I am very sorry if this post seems rather long. I can’t thank anyone who responds to this post with whatever information they can provide. It really makes a difference speaking with someone who knows and understands!
Thanks again!
Christie
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Thanks very much for your feedback and words of encouragement. A few days have passed since I posted this and there has been so much change for the positive just in these past few days! I know for a fact she understands what we say because she shakes her head yes and no periodically when we ask a question or include her in the discussions we have by her bed. Just yesterday the nurse manager was amazed at mom’s progress and on her way out of the room she said to my mom, “I’ll see you later.” My mom looked at her and nodded her head yes. The nurse took her blood pressure and an announcement came through the loudspeaker but we couldn’t understand the room number that was said. The nurse, who has a very hardcore Brooklyn accent says, “I didn’t hear what room they said, did you?” Mom shook her her head no! Same thing when we saw a note left by friends of my mom while my dad & I were at lunch. I guess my mom was sleeping because I asked her if she remembers her friends coming by and she shook her head no. Later on I called her girlfriends to thank them for stopping by and they said she was asleep so they didn’t want to wake her. That’s why mom has no recollection. It’s a miracle! To think, the last surgery of 3 she had was only 3 and a half weeks ago! I can’t wait to get to the hospital to see what she does today!
Thanks very much again for your support and feedback. It makes this journey a bit more tolerable!
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hi christie, its funny you should mention the body parts, i to had a ruptured aneurysm and one which hadnt they both have been coiled, 23rd may this year ,for the first 2 weeks i cant remember anything, my memory was all over the place even now i still get memory lapses with the headaches, but you mentioned moving of body parts, i would keep rotating my ankles and wrists and bending my knees and stretching my fingers and toes the only thing i can come up with is that they feel stiff as though fluids around them so i do t6his and it makes a cracking noise my necks the same ive never done this before ,when i was in hospital my partner said i would stretch my hand out wriggle my wrist , he said it would make a cracking noise then i would go back sleep but even now i still do it, i think we do it to keep the blood flowing it must be a phychological thing. take care
Wow Dawn! That’s very interesting. I try to circle my mother’s ankles and stretch her, but most times she tenses up. I am inspired by your progress. I wish you all the best and hope my mom is well enough one day to be able to write on this forum!
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