Hi:

I was a division I basketball player in college and the moved on to fencing in recent years. This is my first post here. In 2005 I had a stroke that turned out to be a fusiform aneurysm in my basilar artery. Hard to reach and a nasty aneurysm. I was flown to Barrow Neuro in Phoenix and they stented me. dandy, I am all fixed. I have my angiogram follow up in 2007 and am told that not only is my first aneurysm growing again, but I have also grown a new one right above it.

In the summer of 2007 I had a craniotomy and STA to SCA bypass.

In September 2008 I had my first seizure. A couple of weeks ago I had another stroke. Once again I was flown to Barrow and after my angiogram they said they wouldn't recommend surgery at this point to do another crany and shut down the basilar artery once and for all. I have my three year scheduled angiogram next summer and Dr Spetzler said if the aneurysms keep growing or I have more incidents before then that I might want to "Bite the bullet" and have it done.

I am now totally freaked and cannot think of anything but fencing again and my brain. I am afraid to do anything that might mak them pop. How do you tell if they are leaking? I am scared to death and can think of nothing else. I have a wonderful caregiver. But I hate to say it, unless you have gone through it, only you can know what it is like. I am going crazy.

Thanks for letting me vent.