Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum and just looking for some of your thoughts on my father's situation. Eleven days ago my father was brought to the hospital and diagnosed with a ruptured anuerysm in his anterior communicating artery. He was talking and alert and fully functional (other then a serious headache) prior to surgery, which he had the very next day (a surgical clipping). We found out the clipping was not secure, so he had another operation two days after the first surgery.

Four days after the second surgery he was taken off the ventilator and he is now in the neuro ICU and doing pretty well physically (can move all limbs and speak in sentances). The problem is that he is extremely confused and his memory is very off (he does know who I am, and my two sisters, but not his wife (my step-mom)).

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether these issues are permanent? Or maybe just caused because he was under sedation for a week? Or maybe something happened during one of the two surgeries? We were hoping he would be able to return to his mental state after the rupture but before the first surgery... any way of knowing this? thanks you all for your help. this is very difficult as you all know.

It is very hard to determine at what length it will take the brain to heal, each one of us is different. Did he have any other medical conditions? How old is he? I am 62 had very little problems after clipping however my annie did not rupture prior to sugery. Just remember that the brain takes time to heal and as it does hopefully he will regain all of his prior memories. Please read and print the letter from your brain, it helped me and my family. Nancy

Thanks for your response Nancy. My father is 59 and has no significant prior medical history (never even been under general anesthsia before). I guess what bothers us the most is that he was fine after the rupture, so we're very scared that it was the surgery itself that messed him up and not the bleed. I guess know way of knowing...

Hi,
My situation sounds very similar to your Dad's A rupture, clipping repair, some complications and about 3 weeks in neuro ICU. I don't remember a whole lot from that time, just bits and pieces. I am told I sometimes said strange things and got family confused as who was who, I even hallucinated sometimes seeing zoo animals in my room. Here's what I know, lots of pain meds are given, Morphine and some other powerful drug I can't recall was given to me through a central line every 2 hours, considering I've never been any where near a drug user it really effected me, but was needed to control the head pain. Your dad has also had trauma to the brain itself through the bleed and the surgical clipping and can cause changes in memory and behavior and in most cases heals itself over time. Your Dad is in very early stages of his recovery and needs lots of rest and time to heal. Be there for him and love him and I pray he makes a full recovery as I did,
Ruthie

Thank you so much Ruthie for that, it really means alot, and I'm so glad to hear you are doing well (I forgot to say that to Nancy in my last post, but I'm so glad to hear about so many people who are recovering nicely). Interesting, my dad did claim to see a dog in the ICU (so maybe its really just the drugs at this point). My family is staying strong, thank you again for your support.

I ruptured too and experienced short term memory loss. I also didn't speak or know who I was for 2 1/2 months after. But after that rapidly healed, short term memory loss is still there but other than that besides a drop in IQ no one would know. I agree with Ruth healing will take time and you have to have patience with him. Ruth and I are good friends and had similar experiences.

Glenn

Having done some research, I was wondering if anyone who responded had an aneurysm on their anterior communicating artery?

In reponse to your question, i had the above 9th dec 2008, but had the coiling done, discharged from hospital 4th jan. i was my dad's main carer as he had lung cancer.
i have short time memory loss, which has made the last few months of my dad's life just a haze.
i get tired quite easily, which brings on the mixing up of words.
and sometimes i feel as though am their in body but nothings going on up their.
My dad passed away 10th of march.
not sure if it's the greaving or another back lash of the heamorage
I am told that i am so angry, and aggressive.
when before hand i would never show these emotions.
He said it used to take me months to get angry at the moment it's when ever i speak.
Apart from that am doing well and have to go in for the 6 month angio soon.
keeping my fingers crossed.
hope your dad is doing well i wish him a good recovery.

roberta: