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My Moms Brain Aneurysm

January 16, 2012

For my first dedicated blog post – and by dedicated, I mean a lengthy, sit down and take the time to write this; I would like to dedicate it to my mom, who on November 15, 2010 had randomly fainted at work, was rushed to the hospital and suffered a brain aneurysm.
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The 2 months to follow, I would have never expected the word “aneurysm” to become a part of my regular vocabulary.

If you are unfamiliar with what exactly a brain aneurysm is, here is my understanding and quick explanation:

Brain Aneurysm for Dummies
Aneurysms are weak areas on the wall of your blood vessels or arteries, which weaken as the area develops a balloon type pocket as the aneurysm grows.  Once the aneurysm ruptures, this is what causes hemorrhaging in the brain.

How and why we develop these aneurysms is based on our health and lifestyle, here are some of the symptoms and causes:

  • Stress
  • Cigarette Smoking
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Trauma
  • Drug use (specifically cocaine)
  • … and more

I would recommend researching yourself, reading on medical articles, or asking your doctor for further information.

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After an excruciating period of hospital visits to the ICU, my mom had a speedy and miraculous recovery, including:

  • Memory Exercises (ensuring there was no brain damage)
  • Respiratory & Speech Therapy (from having the trachea tube oxygen assisting her breathing)
  • Vision (she lost her vision from the haemorrhaging in her brain, causing the blood to flood the back in her eye sockets.  She underwent surgery on her right eye to have the blood drained and has regained her vision.  She will be going in for surgery to have the left eye drained in the next week.)
  • Physio (regaining muscle mass and strength from being in a hospital bed for 2 months)

During the last of her recuperation, my mom was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital and was released to go home on Christmas Eve.

In 1999, my nonno (my mom’s father) passed away during his sleep, of an aneurysm; and migraines run in our family history as well, so it was only safe that I had myself checked out to ensure my own well being (which I will explain my experience of a CTA scan in my next entry).

I strongly believe that if there is any family history of aneurysms, you should have yourself checked out to prevent aneurysms from happening.  Visit your family doctor and ask to have yourself scanned.

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