Hi Snoopsndoops,
Your husband's story sounds so much like mine it is quite chilling to read. I presented to an MD back in 1997 with horrible headaches that left me pretty much immobile. The small town doctor that i went to was a new graduate, and had no experience with any kind of brain problems. He kept thinking it was sinus related and prescribed antibiotics. This would help relieve swelling, but eventually, I was right back in his office because of the pain.

Eventually, he sent me for a cat-scan which showed "something" as he called it. Eventually, I was sent for an MRI. The cyst was located, but he still did not proceed with much encouragement that there was potentially a killer lurking in my brain.

My husband, young son and I moved back to the city and I was working full-time as an RN. In the National Guard, and Mom to a young energetic son. My life was full and hectic, all at the same time.

I kept on working as best I could until I just had no energy. I wanted to cut my hours down to a lesser load, but was unable to. Eventually, about three years after the return to the city, I awoke one morning about 4 am with the absolute worst headache I had ever had. I went to the bathroom because I thought I was going to throw up. When I turned on the light, I could not see from my left eye. At that point, I remembered the previous brain scans I had had done in the small town. I waited for my husband to wake up, and told him about the loss of sight. By that time the vision had returned. He insisted on me going to the doctor, but I put it off until the next day. When I went to the neurosurgeon's office, he came in, put the scans on the light board, turned to me and my husband and said, "You have a colloid cyst of the third ventricle. When you leave here I suggest you go immediately to the ICU and await me rearranging my schedule to perform emergency surgery." I asked what would happen if I didn't have the surgery, and he looked at me and then my husband and said, "He will wake up tomorrow morning. You, will NOT!"

At that point we left the office, heading to the hospital. Sent straight to ICU until he got there the next morning for surgery. When I "woke" up, it was actually a week later when I was put in Brain Injury Rehab at a Rehab Hospital. I could not talk, I could not remember past 5 minutes, I had no bladder control, It was degrading. I was told I would treat the other brain injury patients like they were my patients when I was working as a nurse. I was frequently found at the med cart riffling through the Med admin book. One day while doing this, I saw a very familiar face. A picture of me on my med page! This was an awakening for me. I began to remember bits and pieces of the little doctor who told me to go to the ICU and await surgery.

It took a great deal of therapies to get me back to my somewhat "normal" self. Speech Therapy, to relearn how to talk, Occupational Therapy to help me begin to organize my thoughts so I could return to work some day, and at first I had Physical Therapy, because my balance was somewhat off and I kept walking into walls. (Dilantin serum sickness later diagnosed)

Sorry for the long, long story. I just kind of wanted to give you an idea from someone who went through what your husband is going through and let you know he can make it back to you. Is he on any meds right now? The first few anti seizure meds I was on proved very bad for me. Once I was put on the right one, the lights started to come on!

It has been almost 11 years since my surgery. I have since retired from the Military with 23 years service, and working as a full-time RN. My headaches are gone, I feel healthy. Most people have no idea I have had such an experience. Please stay strong for your husband. He needs you now. Write small notes and leave on the mirror, table, in a book etc. for him to read. One of the nicest things I remember about rehab was a daily note from my husband saying, "You are getting stronger day by day. We are here for you".


Sorry this is so long, but I feel you need to have someone say "hang in there". Post pictures of happy times so your husband can see them. This will help spark his long term memory.

Please let us know how he is doing. I wish your family the best, Dodi