Hi everyone! I just joined the forums hoping to find some useful, and hopefully optimistic information about aneurysm recovery. I could probably find situations similar to ours by reading through the threads, but as most of you know, when going through this it's hard to wait for answers.

This is probably an unnecessarily long post, but I'd like to try to tell the whole story at once.

On Friday night, February 15th, my boyfriend, Larry, got a terrible headache. He took OTC pain medicine and went to bed. On Saturday morning, he still had the headache, so he stayed in bed until around noon. At that point, I begged him to try to stay awake to see if the headache would ease. He took more medicine and said that he thought he had the flu because he felt so bad. Throughout the day, I saw some (slight) confusion and begged him to go to the hospital. Being a typical guy (I mean absolutely no offense here), he refused. So he slept most of the day, ate once and was lying in bed on Saturday night when I again begged him to sit up and talk to me. At this point he started rambling about things that made absolutely no sense. Thats when I forced him to go to the hospital. The ER docs said that he had a migraine, gave him three shots and sent him home to rest. On Sunday morning, the headache was still there full-force and the confusion was ten times worse. His mom and I took him back to the hospital at which point he had his first CAT scan and was airlifted to a larger hospital because of "bleeding on the brain."

The first day, more CAT scans were done which showed that the bleeding had apparently stopped. The neurosurgeons said that the blood was in the ventricles, so it was not causing brain damage by being there. (From what I've read, intraventricular bleeding is very rare except in infants. I havent been able to find very helpful information on adults. If anyone has any information on possible damage caused by this, please let me know.) They wanted to do an MRI, but because of his confusion, Larry was unable to lie still. So, they sedated him for his first angiogram. The neuro team told us that Larry had an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and that we would have to wait 6-8 weeks for the blood to dissipate before we could discuss treatment options.

Throughout the first week, the headache became less severe (he was switched from morphine to tylenol at one point) and the confusion seemed to have lessened slightly. On Monday the 25th, it was as if we were back at day one. More confusion, headache even worse than before. At our urging, another CAT scan was ordered which showed more bleeding. On Tuesday another angio was done, which showed that it was not an AVM, but an aneurysm in the anterior choroidal artery. The neuroradiologist said that he was unable to get close enough to coil, so he glued. Said that he felt confident it was closed. The angio took 5 hours. However, Larry appeared to have had a stroke during the procedure - he was coming out of the anesthesia with severe right-side weakness.

We were allowed in to see him one hour after the procedure was finished. Larry did not know us and didnt seem to be able to speak. We witnessed very blank, almost lifeless stares. He was so confused he was biting his lips to the point that they bled. We were told to wait 24-48 hours to see how he recovered. The next day, we had moments where Larry recognized us and tried to speak, but speech was very difficult. Usually only one or two words, never complete sentences. On Saturday, March 1st, Larry was moved to a step-down unit. He was then talking in full sentences but would still occasionally go off into left field and make almost no sense at all. He never knew where he was, would guess at places like Philadelphia, even though we live in NC. Called me Elizabeth and Angie instead of Erika, although he obviously knew who I was and that I was his girlfriend. Very bad memory problems - could not remember when he and I started dating, couldnt remember where certain pictures were taken.

On Wednesday the 5th, he was almost discharged but instead moved to the rehab floor for rehabilitation after stroke. His speech is remarkably better, although he is suffering from aphasia and sometimes inserts the wrong word. For instance, he used "refrigerator" instead of "wheelchair." His right side is amazingly stronger - he can eat with his right hand, shave, brush his teeth and can walk and stand. Once moved to rehab, we found out that his vision in his right eye is damaged - the doctors cannot tell us if that will get better. The memory problems still exist, although he can now remember when we started dating, where pictures were taken, etc. When I visit, he can't remember what he did the day before. His headache was very bad today, but eventually the Ultram kicked in and he was able to get out of bed. He isnt on morphine anymore, only Ultram and Tylenol.

While I was washing his hair today, several handfulls of hair came out. He has very thick hair, so his scalp isnt showing yet, but each time he runs his hands through it, more comes out.

What I would like to know, is if anyone can tell me if his memory will return to normal. The vision problems he can get used to, as he isnt completely blind. Nothing has been done to drain the blood, so there is a great deal of pressure. The doctors have not told us whether or not his memory will come back as the pressure goes down, or if this is what we are going to get. It's driving me crazy not knowing whether or not I'll get "my Larry" back.

Larry is 29 and I'm 22. Any information would be greatly appreciated. He is supposed to be released in one week.

Hi Erika,
I'm so sorry to hear about Larry. I had a brain aneursym clipped a year ago this month and have a untreated one behind my right eye on the carotid artery. I spent several months in therapy and slept a lot. Now it's a year out and my ability to focus on more than one thing at a time stinks and my recall is bad, but I am working full time and quite functional. I'll probably always be spacey, but I'm still walking this earth. Brains heal very slowly and you just have to wait (months) to see where you end up. In the hospital I thought that I had to take camel rides with my family to get better. Now I just can't remember names and do things like walk off with other people's shopping carts. My hair also fell out for a short while and my skin was incredibly dry. Hope Larry's headaches get under control soon. Best of luck to you both.
Oh,there is such a thing as a neuro-optomologist. You might want to check to see if there is one in your area.

Hi Erika and Welcome!!

I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend.... I'm sure it's a scary time for both of you. I'm sorry I don't have any answers to your questions.

Hopefully someone will be around shortly who may be able to help you out.

I wish you strength and hope.


Abbie

Hi, Erika! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

Wow, sorry to learn of this situation for Larry. Stick around, there are many friends here who understand and can help answer your questions. Let us know if we can help you in any way.

Thanks a lot you guys. It's heartbreaking to see how many people have been through this, but at the same time, it's good to have people that understand.

The good news is, when I visited this evening he remembered seeing me yesterday! He could name everyone that came by yesterday! But, for some reason, tonight the "out-of-left-field" statements were back. He thought that he had been across the street to eat every day, when of course he hasnt left the hospital. Since the Ultram wasnt keeping the headache under control, he was switched to Percocet today. This is so very confusing

Hi Erika,

Boy, reading about Larry brought a lot to my memory. I can relate with almost everything he is going through. I had the same situation with not knowing where I was or why I was there. I thought I had been kidnapped and that the nurses were keeping me from my family. I too had a stroke at the time of my aneurysm and seizures as well.

Medications have a way of altering people's perception about what is going on with them. Morphine did it to me. Once I came off and it was out of my system, I was better in that regard. I still have a problem sometimes with speech and my aneursym was on 12/31/05. It was clipped because it had ruptured so there was nothing to coil. My friends recently told me I referred to the channel at the Spaulding hospital in Boston with their ads and Tedi Bruschi as their spokesperson as the playboy channel, since I love Tedi Bruschi..lol. I also referred to my nightgown and robe as a bathing suit and cover up to the nurse who asked me if I was ready for bed. Speech therapy was a big help and it will help Larry as well. As long as he is kept positive that his recovery will continue forward, he will do well. It is amazing what our minds can convince us of.

His support group sounds good with you and his family being there for him. Don't forget, though, that you guys need the support as well. Is there a group in the area that deals with Brain Aneurysm support? If you are not sure about that, you can go to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation at bafound.org and they will be able to direct you in your area. Stay positive. It will get better for you.

Hi Erika and Welcome to NeuroTalk. I don't have any help for you; the only thing I know about anneurysms is that my Father had an abdominal one repaired and his recovery was long...

I hope Larry continues to improve and I am glad to have you w/us. NT is a very caring place, so please make yourself at home.

Oh and I see Godmom posted here, so if I haven't welcomed you already GM, please make yourself at home too.....

take care....

Hi Erika -- I feel for you. My mom suffered a ruptured aneurysm on 1/19 this year. For about a week and half in the ICU she was constantly talking nonsense. Thinking she was at home, yelling at me to reach down and get her green kitchen towels or telling me the small pics in front of her were lifesize, 3D and moving. Needless to say it was a very scary time hearing your loved one saying those things.

Also about 2 weeks ago she started losing her hair, a very frustrating and scary thing to happen. It is attributed to the major amounts of radiation she received from the every other day CT Profusion scans while being in the ICU.

Best of luck to you and Larry. This is a great site to be on.

Thanks! And thanks to the rest of you! Larry's coming home from rehab tomorrow!

Did your mom have memory problems? How is she now? Larry's confusion seems to have mostly cleared except for when we first wake him. The longer he's awake, the better he does. His memory, vision and balance seem to be having the most effects.

welcome to NeuroTalk Erika ... i am so sorry to hear about what your boyfriend, yourself, and family are going through ... i know how scary it can be when you have tons of questions and not near enough answers ... surf this site and join in ... there are lots of friendly, helpful, supportive people here ... you are not alone ... again ... welcome to NT