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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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247 entries.
Megan Bacigalupo Megan Bacigalupo from Minneapolis wrote on June 23, 2018 at 10:12 am
Last September I survived a subarachnoid ruptured brain aneurysm a hemorrhage and stroke!! This is my story http://www.edgemagazine.net/2018/06/in-the-cobwebs-of-my-mind/
Emily & Ryan Rauch Emily & Ryan Rauch from El Gastor, Spain wrote on June 4, 2018 at 12:54 pm
We are an American family living in a tiny village in the mountains of Andalucia, Spain. Three months ago, we invited our kids' friends over for a sleepover party at our house. One of the little girls, Luena, 11 years old, woke up after midnight complaining of a bad headache. My husband and I went in to check on her, and she had collapsed. Moments later she began vomiting, and I realized that she had lost consciousness. We didn't realize it at the time it was happening, but we were the first responders to a child who had just suffered a catastrophic sub-arachnid hemmoraghic aneurism. She was hospitalized and in a coma in Malaga for eight days before she died, surrounded by her family. Aside from this tiny defect in her brain, Luena was absolutely a vision of health, and her parents made the decision to donate her organs to other suffering children all over Spain. Her heart went to a little boy in Barcelona who would have died within 24 hours were it not for Luena's donation. Together with her family, we started The Luena Foundation, to carry on her legacy of helping children everywhere who are in great need. While her family and her pueblo continue to feel the loss of our little friend, Luena, we are comforted by the fact that she will lives on through the good works of her foundation.
Melissa Melissa from Woodstock,Ga wrote on May 29, 2018 at 10:17 pm
I just lost my beautiful momma just 9 days ago. May 20, 2018 I am still I shock and disbelief but would love to be part of spreading awareness. She did not exhibit any symptoms except when it was too late. She was only 63 and I miss her horribly.
Rose Rose from Decatur, IL wrote on May 21, 2018 at 6:57 pm
I just recently found out that I have a brain aneurysm. My sister died of one in 2002, but my doctor here never suggested that I be scanned for one! I changed doctors and that was the first thing she asked: "Have you been scanned for a brain aneurysm?" When I told her I had not, she set it up and within 4 hours after my scan she was on the phone with me advising me that I did have a brain aneurysm! I have had 2 brain scans here in Decatur, IL and a brain angiogram at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO. The results showed that if they were to operate, there were not be a good outcome at this time. So we are just "waiting and watching." My restrictions: get my blood pressure and diabetes under control and NO STRESS! Yeah, right!!!! I am scheduled for a stroke risk evaluation next month and Holter monitoring. I am to return to Barnes Hospital for more scanning in January of 2019 I have faith in God and know that He is my healer. I have given the situation to Him...it is out of my hands!
Saundra Sanchez Saundra Sanchez from Lubbock wrote on May 7, 2018 at 11:17 pm
My dad died of a brain aneurysm 21 years ago. He was 49 years old. It's sad to say that I have outlived my father. I also have an uncle who had a brain aneurysm but it was caught early and he survived. They were brothers. My dad got up to go to work one morning and he never even made it into the shower. He passed out on the bathroom floor and was found two hours later.
Debra Crocker Debra Crocker from Sikeston wrote on March 20, 2018 at 10:44 pm
My father died at age 54 and my sister died at age 63 from aneurysms. Another sister was scanned and had 2 aneurysms getting ready to burst. She had surgery & had a tough time. She has memory loss and some other challenges. I am definitely interested in research and education.
edgar dean blair edgar dean blair from blavkfoot wrote on March 19, 2018 at 2:21 pm
let me tell you about my experience; i was having extreme dizzy spells several weeks before my major one my doctor did not know what was causing it kept thinking my ears were plugged up with too much earwax so started to treat that not telling me my blood pressure was getting to high which now new doctor says was probably caused my stroke. i have no memory of it at all wife says i complained of terrible headache and i could not stop from throwing up. spent 4 weeks in hospital and another 3 weeks in a nursing home no memory of my time in the hospital and bits and pieces in nursing home
Kelsee Hoy Kelsee Hoy from Staunton wrote on March 4, 2018 at 11:38 am
It was a scary encounter to see my mom like this, one morning my mom had screamed for me to go into the room, so I rushed it, she was in so much pain, it was hard, she was shaking, throwing up, saying her head was hurting so much, so I told her I was calling 911 she looked at me shaking, and said “I think I’m having an aneurysm.” In that moment I knew it was something serious, she kept saying she was going to pass out, I told her no mom stay with me til the paramedics get here. The paramedics finally arrived and rushed her to AMC, she doesn’t really remember much, but said they were going to do CT scans, and that morning we knew her brain had blood on it, there was nothing AMC could do so they sent her to one of the best hospitals UVA, that evening UVA said she had a hole in a 9MM aneurysm. They drilled a hole to relieve pressure from her brain. Three weeks was a tough fight for her, through having pneumonia, a collapsed lung, and this aneurysm we didn’t think she would make it. Then something amazing happened, she was waking up, and she was responding fenominal to every single thing they asked her! They said her aneurysm was in the biggest artery in her brain, and that many people don’t make it or that they have a major disability, the only thing she lost was a little bit of memory. I’m so grateful god is so good!
Beverly Beverly from West Babylon wrote on February 28, 2018 at 11:52 am
My name is Beverly and at my brain aneurysm support group at Good Samaritan we were given some papers on Lisa?and her husband Todd who is fighting for all of us who have brain aneurysms I have one that was worked on by doc Bekelis and his team at Good Samaritan I have a coil and a stent and I’m a survivor thank god I also have another one that we will keep an eye I’m grateful and blessed to still be here ? im looking forward to meeting u next month Todd at our support group please keep up the good work I think that brain aneurysms and there survivors have truly gone unnoticed I never realized till I have become one myself see u soon enjoy life always ?
Andrea Andrea from Morgantown wrote on January 8, 2018 at 4:39 pm
When I was 13 years old I had a brain aneurysm. I stayed in a hospital for 2 1/2 weeks without the drs knowing what it was. Finally one night I had a bad round of seizures & one of the nurses told my parents to get me somewhere else cause something was seriously wrong. I was sent to Kosair Children Hospital in Louisville. They saw it was an aneurysm on other hospital xrays. By then i was so dehydrated they had to wait another 2 weeks before they could even operate. Finally they operated & fixed it. I recovered with no brain damage or side effects. I am now 38 years old.
Lori Balzer Lori Balzer from Bismarck, ND wrote on December 10, 2017 at 10:23 pm
On October 17, 2017 my Mom Judie Keller age 73 was getting into her car to go to a doctor appointment. I found her in the drivers seat of her car, trying to buckle her seatbelt. She looked confused, I asked her what was wrong. She only could look at me, she was unable to speak, but could follow my direction. I thought she was having a stroke. She had a history of high blood pressure and always had what she called sinus headaches. I called 911 she was transported to our local hospital and was taken by the stroke team to CT. There they discovered a large cerebral aneurism that had ruptured, she also had brain shifting. At this point she was no longer responding to us. They could not do anything locally so we airlifted her to a larger hospital in Minneapolis, MN. They were unable to do anything for her as the anurism was very large and there was extensive bleeding. My mom passed away on October 18, 2017. Not sure if my brother and I should be check for an anurism or not? Should our kids be checked?
Dewana Davis Dewana Davis from LOUISVILLE wrote on December 5, 2017 at 9:54 am
Hi my name is Dewana Davis ,I was diagnosed with a brain Aneurysm in 2015,that's when I was having stroke like systemsome along with my high blood pressure.I went into the emergency room with high blood pressure complications and the doctor ordered an MRI of my brain and that's how the Aneurysm was detect.I'm still living to tell my story bye the Grace of God but if I never had the brain MRI I wouldn't have know .Is there anyway that I can try to petition for there to be a law for a mandatory brain scan year just like breast cancer and then maybe we will cut down on losing loved ones or bringing awareness to people like me that don't know.I'm so sorry for your loss and anybody else .God bless
Deborah williams Deborah williams from Holtsville wrote on December 4, 2017 at 1:24 pm
I suffered a brain anorism in September 2015 I suffered a stroke with left side paralyzed
Ellen Bailey Ellen Bailey from Allen wrote on December 3, 2017 at 6:28 pm
Hello all. September 2, 2008 changed the lives of my husband, Chris, myself and our then 7 year old twins. Chris had the worst headache of his life that morning, went to lie down and kept telling me that "something wasn't right". Being a migraine sufferer myself, I told him to lie on some ice and take some of my imitrix if he needed. He passed out and I couldn't wake him up. I called 911, the paramedics came immediately, started talking about a "possible brain bleed" and we all went to Memorial Hermann hospital in Houston. Our children were in school that morning and had no idea what was happening. My father died of a brain aneurysm when I was 16 and all of those thoughts kept flooding back to me. The doctors said Chris had suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and they weren't sure he was going to make it. I have a strong faith in God and prayed a lot that morning. They stabilized Chris at that hospital but couldn't perform the clipping surgery at that location and he was going to be transferred to the Memorial Hermann hospital at the downtown medical center. We had to wait over 8 hours for this as the hospitals were too crowded down there. Dr. Dong Kim (lead neurosurgeon) at Memorial Hermann performed the clipping surgery and said Chris was extremely lucky but had a lot of rehabilitation ahead of him. He went through countless rehab therapies, 2 other brain surgeries to relieve swelling/bleeding, and slow but sure regained most of his motor skills/personality. We are now in 2018, our kids are now 17, and I would say Chris is pretty much back to normal except he does have short term memory loss. It was a very long & difficult journey, but we made it and are definitely here to help other families cope with this terrible issue. Brain aneurysms are hereditary, contributors are high blood pressure, alcohol, and several other factors. Because they are on both sides of our families, the neurosurgeon told us to have the kids checked with a CT scan once a year after they turn 21. I get a yearly check myself and of course Chris does too. These CAN be prevented through screening and I highly encourage folks with any of the above mentioned contributors to do this. The mortality rate with aneurysms is high, especially a ruptured aneurysm. We feel Chris is indeed a miracle and we are always here to help anyone else in this similar situation. You can get through it with faith, love, family and lots of emotional support.
Walt Walt from Albany Oregon wrote on December 2, 2017 at 8:29 pm
In 2002, I was living in a home with my then out of the home Internet and Computer Technology small business partner in rural Virginia. When my partner departed for another state for a business meeting, I was left home alone for several nights. On the second morning home alone, I awoke unable to sit up in bed. I was experiencing a severe headache unlike anything else I had experienced before, not even the migraine headaches I was accustomed to. I had thankfully gone to bed with a wireless telephone and called the business partner's cellular phone to look for help. I then refused an ambulance later, with the concern regarding the extraordinary expense of ambulances. This is when the business partner called a friend of ours, whom came over and picked me up and put me in his truck. I was transported to the small local hospital. The little hospital discovered the hemorrhage and summoned a life flight helicopter, which flew me to Richmond where an angioplasty was stopped after vasospasms occurred in the brain. After this, the surgeons performed an aneurysm clipping on 4 August. I was 25 at the time. I remained in recovery and rehabilitation in the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit until just before Halloween, released to my business partner. I have since been taken in by a good friend, spent several years homeless while awaiting the glacial pace of Social Security and have since been able to just scrape by on SSI. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease in 2012 (in fact, I typed most of this on my tablet while on dialysis). In the effort to get cleared for the transplant list, a second small cerebral aneurysm was found, coiled and embolized at the Oregon Health and Sciences University hospital in 2015. The end result of the ruptured aneurysm is that my short term memory is next to nonexistent. I also have serious balance issues with the occasional multiple hour bouts of vertigo (for which I am not permitted to operate motor vehicles). I largely use mobile devices (especially an iPad Mini) to help overcome the memory fault with a couple of useful apps and a lot of persistence in making myself use the apps.
Yvonne Heim Yvonne Heim from Lockhart wrote on December 2, 2017 at 7:47 pm
I was married to a wonderful man who was a Army Special Forces Green Beret and served his country for 21 years before retiring. He then went to Physician Assistant School, which was a dream come true for him. In 2009 he graduated from the University of Washington and we moved to New Braunfels Texas where we finally were living out our dream life. Finally, no more deployments to dangerous places for months at a time and being apart for most of our 25 year marriage. Unfortunately, on August 12, 2015 my husband only 48 years old had a brain aneurysm while riding his motorcycle. He was such an experienced rider and was the only one in the accident. Witnesses stated he was riding normal, not speeding etc., but proceeded to get off the road where he eventually ran into a steel pole holding up a fence. It was a beautiful day and according to the state patrol, there were no skid marks, no attempt to stop and one foot to the right he would have been able to ride through the gate. Although the corner had to list the death a result of severe physical trauma, there was evidence of a brain aneurysm, which explains the lack of skid marks and no attempt to stop or lay the bike down. I can’t begin to tell you how devastating his death has been on me. The only comfort is he probably was already passed before he crashed. Today, I saw the segment on Fox News about Lisa’s foundation and wanted to share my story and learn about ways to bring awareness to this issue.
Dan Azbdell Dan Azbdell from Hot Springs wrote on December 2, 2017 at 7:31 pm
On 10-09-16, my daughter were in Sunday school. I started getting so much pressure in my head just like a tire being over filled with air. i felt and heard a loud" POP" and then all this pressure and a whole lot of severe pain started settling in my neck. The only thing on my mind at this point was how can i get up and leave the room without anyone thinking something was wrong? I have always been a very independent and strong willed idiot who refused help when i could have used it!. I finally was able to stand and get out of the room where i went to the foyer. i saw my Daughter after a few minutes, i told her " let get home, somethings wrong". I drove 15-20 miles, past a hospital to get home. The pain was so bad I cant believe I was still conscious. I was going to take a handful of hydrocodons and crawl under the bed and wait it out. When we arrived home, I made it into the house, the phone rings, it was a friend from Sunday school class. He asked if I was ok, I said I don't think so. He was here in less than 10 minutes. by know I had trouble standing. H helped me into the car and we headed for the hospital. By the time we arrived, I couldn't move anything. The pain was so bad at this point. They did a spinal tap upon arrival and found blood. I was rushed to UAMS in Little Rock Ar. I remember talking to my daughter about what to do, I knew I was going to die at this point. The next memory was in ICU, I was in so much pain, I was begging the Lord to take me. I guess I was freaking the nurses out. I was in ICU for 16 days. It was the most miserable time in my life. I finally got to come home. So far, the issues I still have as a result is poor short term memory problems and severe confusion. I had 3 follow up appoint. with the neurosurgeons. They were approx. 45 miles from home so I drove there. The Dr. said I shouldn't be able to drive for another year if I was lucky. He kept telling me," I cant believe you are walking and talking". Why, other than my daughter am I still here.
Paulette Tardugno Paulette Tardugno from The Villages wrote on December 2, 2017 at 7:10 pm
In the fall of 2008, just after my 60th birthday I was experiencing weird symptoms. I would get in the car and couldn't find where I was going. I panicked and would sweat profusely making everything feel worse. This frightened me so much that I headed to the nearest emergency room. No headaches at all. This happened 4 times and each time they couldn't find anything wrong. I started experiencing vertigo and confusion. Finally my general practitioner recommended a CT scan. No one was more shocked than I when he said it was a brain aneurysm. The two department heads at the hospital had different opinions of what to do. One said to wait and watch and the other said time was of the essence. I couldn't believe that they were suggesting that I make the decision. I arranged to see Dr. Howard Riina who at the time was at New York University Hospital, Well Cornell. He said emphatically that he didn't want to know who I saw or what they said but if I were his sister he would get it out asap. Several days later he clipped it. I was home after 5 days, I healed well and will forever be grateful that he saved my life. Dr Riina is now at NYU Langone Medical center. The 4 hospital visits used up and wasted a good portion of my insurance coverage, but in the end it all worked out. My follow up scans have been clear and I am grateful for every day.
Kelly Whitworth Kelly Whitworth from Clarksville wrote on December 2, 2017 at 6:55 pm
I had a mini stroke in April 2017. During Scans, etc. They found a brain aneurysm. I have had 3 family members died from a brain aneurysm one was my cousin at age 23 my uncle at age 49 or 50. This was terrifying, they told me it would be fine that they would keep an eye on it and when it got a certain size they would remove it. Since then my doctor has moved to Chicago and I'm trying to get in with the new neurologist in the same group that don't have an opening until February and this puts a lot of stress on me to wear I think I work myself into headaches and I'm not sure if I'm bringing the headaches on myself or if I need to go get checked again it's been 8 months. I asked was there a time frame that I needed to be rechecked they said come back if you start having headaches. My mind is still a little scattered from the mini stroke I'm having a real problem with memory and I also have seizures, the stroke took place on the same side of the brain as the aneurysm. Any information or advice is appreciated. Thank you so much and bless you all Kelly Whitworth
Judy Jeong Judy Jeong from Pleasanton wrote on October 20, 2017 at 11:13 pm
My daughter, Sophia had a brain aneurysm in 2001, she was 15 years old when this occurred. We are fortunate that she survived, and have made a full recovery. Sophia had reoccurring headaches for months prior, she was seen by Kaiser and told to take Tylenol. The Dr told her that the headaches was possibly due to stress and/or allergies. Sophia was at school when she loss consciousness. Thankfully, she was in class and 911 was called. She was transported by ambulance to Kaiser ER. Test revealed that Sophia had a brain aneurysm, a CT scan revealed bleeding in the brain, and her pupils were dilated. She was transferred immediately by ambulance to Kaiser's Redwood City, CA facility that specialize in Neurological Surgery. Once there, a MRI revealed that she had a Berry Aneurysm that was bleeding, but had not ruptured. The surgeon performed emergency surgery and attempted to clip the aneurysm, but unfortunately he was only able to clip off part of the artery. The full artery was not clipped off due to the location of the artery, the surgeon could not access the full artery due to the location. Sophia spent a week in the hospital and was sent home to recover. Within the next weeks, she started having headaches again, had problems with vision from her right eye, and had lots of nausea. She was taken to Kaiser Er. The Dr ordered a CT Scan and spinal tap to check for bleeding. While we were in the examining room in ER, Sophia went into a seizure. The test revealed that her aneurysm was bleeding again. The Dr was at a loss because they could not go back in to clip the aneurysm because the area that was bleeding was not an area that they could access. The Kaiser surgeon consulted with UCSF where they had just started a procedure called Endovascular Coiling to treat aneurysms. The UCSF surgeon advised that he would be able to perform coiling for Sophia's aneurysm. Sophia was transferred to UCSF. We met with the surgeon, he told us that he had one other case similar to Sophia's the past year. The patient was also very young, survived the surgery, but died from complications while recovering shortly after. Due to the seriousness of Sophia's condition, our only option was to go ahead and have the coiling procedure. For the next week, Sophia had coiling surgery daily, several coils were placed each day until the artery was fully blocked off. She spent almost 2 weeks in ICU with a nurse by her bedside. Her aneurysm had gotten so large prior to the coiling that it pressed on her 4th nerve (behind her right eye), causing damage to her nerve. Because of this, her right eye was damaged, she was not able to open her right eyelid. The surgeon advised us that the nerve might heal, but it would take time. The nerve did improved, she was able to open her eyelids after about a year, but there was damage to her eye muscle that resulted in strabismus. We waited for about 2 years and had eye muscle surgery. The surgery corrected movement to the left and right, but the pupil could not move up and down. Other than the damage to the eye muscle, Sophia has made a full recovery. Sophia is now 33 years old, and leading a productive life. She is one of the fortunate ones that survived, we are very thankful.

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.

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The Lisa Foundation

Administrative Office & Mailing Address

P.O. Box 13

Frankenmuth, MI 48734

info@lisafoundation.org

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