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Life after you or a loved one experiences a brain aneurysm may be different, but sharing your connection can provide hope to many others navigating recovery. We encourage you to share your journey, advice, and any other messages of support below.

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Lisa Foundation

Shared Stories of Brain Aneurysms

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Jennifer Jennifer from Pittsburgh wrote on May 15, 2020 at 2:52 am
May 28th 2019, it happened. I spent the next month in the ICU. I don't remember anything, my oldest daughter found me while I was at home on a break from work. I'm a school bus driver so I had a 3 1/2 hour break. My daughter told me I was laying on the bathroom floor, crying and saying my head hurt really bad. Earlier, after my morning shift, I always take my 2 younger daughter's to school and they also said I was complaining about a bad headache. I do not remember any of this! My daughter called 911, they came and transported me to the hospital. They assumed I was having a stroke. My family met the ambulance at the hospital. My parent's said it was so crowded that I layed on a stretcher for 2 hours in the hall because they had no rooms available. After 2 hours had passed my father was really antsy so went to search for a doctor. The doctor finally came and told my family he believe I was having a stroke and they were waiting for CT to open so they could take me in. Another 45 minutes had passed before I was finally taken into CT. My mom says that's when all hell broke loose! They rushed me in a trauma bay, told my family they needed to life fly me to the bigger hospital because I had a ruptured aneurysm. At this point, a really bad lightning storm had rolled in and the pilot said it was too dangerous to take the helicopter up. They loaded me into another ambulance and rushed me to the next hospital. This hospital, thank God was prepared for me. I was immediately taken in for a few more procedures and then up to surgery. I spent the next 4 weeks in the ICU with about a 10% chance of survival. Things were really bad for the first 2 1/2 weeks, so I was told. I had 3 strokes, multiple vasospasms, my kidneys were shutting down, a touch of pneumonia (from laying in bed all the time), I had 7 angiograms and at one point I was intubated. My family was told to prepare for me not to come home. Somehow, by the grace of God, I pulled through. I can only remember about a day before I left for a rehab facility and even now, it's kinda fuzzy. I do just remember all the sudden being awake and very confused. I remember my mother telling me what happened but I just really didn't understand. I spent several weeks in the rehab facility because when I woke up I couldn't read, could barely walk or do simple things. My head was shaved, I hadn't eaten in almost a month and I was extremely weak. I was so annoyed because 5 hours a day I had to do physical therapy, occupational therapy in speech therapy. I was annoyed but those therapist we're wonderful and they got me back on my feet. After a few weeks I was discharged from rehab. I still had to have physical and speech therapy come to my house three times a week to work with me. I am blessed and happy to say that the only deficit I suffered was my eyesight got really bad. I'm okay with that, I just need to wear glasses for the rest of my life but it could have been so much worse! I eventually went back to work and was getting back to my normal life. This past March 4th 2020, I had a craniotomy because I also had two more unruptured aneurysms. They couldn't fix them when I was in the hospital because they needed to repair the one that ruptured before it was too late. I am still healing but I feel great! I had a frontal craniotomy and thank goodness I got it in right before covid-19 shut everything down. God willing, I will return to work after summer is over! I am blessed and thank God everyday that I have been given the second chance.. and that my children were given their mother back❤️

Our Foundation

The Lisa Foundation, a 501 (c)(3), is the leading private funder of Brain Aneurysm initiatives that directly or indirectly support awareness, education, research, and survivor support in the U.S.

Our Mission

To foster a national dialogue and understanding around Brain Aneurysms and drive better patient outcomes through pioneering education, research, and support.

Contact Us

The Lisa Foundation

Administrative Office & Mailing Address

P.O. Box 13

Frankenmuth, MI 48734

info@lisafoundation.org

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