Aneurysm Without A Bleed
1 June 2002
I first noticed things weren't right in the Autumn of 1999 when I found I couldn't put my lipstick on without my hand shaking and lipstick going all over my face. I started using my right hand to put it on (I am left handed). I mentioned this to my Doctor who didn't seem to think it was any big deal, I also told her I kept falling over - again no response from my Doctor.
It wasn't until I fell over in February 2000 and broke my elbow that my Doctor started to sit up and listen, he sent me to see a Specialist who after a lot of tests said I needed a scan, at no time was it suggested that time was of the essence. By this time I could hardly use my left hand at all and my writing was no better than a 6 year olds. To speed things up I took a sample of handwriting before and after to show the Doctor, who arranged for my scan to be within 3 months. I had my MRI scan in July 2001, and a week later I saw the Specialist who told me I had 'something' in my brain that could be life threatening, and he would arrange for me to have a angiogram, which I had in August 2001, by this time I could do nothing at all with my left hand, I couldn't even hold a piece of paper - it would just slip through my fingers. I was also having a job to walk as my left foot kept tipping to the side, so I was balancing on the side of my foot and instead of putting the ball of my foot down on the floor I was landing on the outside of my foot on my little toes, sometimes I just couldn't move my leg at all. One day it took me 30 minutes to move 10 yards.
The angiogram showed that I had a massive aneurysm but it was at the base and underneath my brain, somewhere that wasn't easy to get to, so the Neurosurgeon decided to glue it using Onyx rather than using the more usual coil method.
I went into the Radcliffe Infirmary on Thursday 30th August 2001 - 3 weeks after my 55th birthday, and had the operation the next day. I was terrified, I had to put all my affairs in order and give my Husband instructions as to what to do if I didn't make it. (I had bought a new coat just before I knew what the problem was and I gave him the receipt to return it to the shop and get a refund if I never got to wear it).
However, I came through the operation and was discharged 3 days later but I still couldn't use my left hand and could now only walk with help. After several frantic phone calls to Occupational Therapists I finally got them to loan me a zimmer frame so at least I could get around by myself in safety. By October, when I had to go for a follow up scan things had not improved at all, in fact if anything they were worse, I now couldn't get up stairs which meant we couldn't go out to visit our family because I couldn't get upstairs to get to the bathroom - thankfully we live in a bungalow.
The MRI in October showed that the aneurysm hadn't sealed so I had to have another Angiogram, which showed that the aneurysm had only sealed 99% so I needed another operation to correct this. This was done on October 15th but when the Neurosurgeon went in via my groin he found that the aneurysm had sealed itself, so all he could do was perform an angiogram just to make sure every thing was OK. I was discharged the next day, although everything now seemed OK I was no better, but I now had the additional problem that where they went into my groin I had developed a large pseudoaneurysm which was extremely painful, it was the size of an egg and every time my pulse beat, the pseudoaneursym pulsed as well, the pain was unbelievable, so I had to go into hospital for my third operation in 2 months. This time I was in hospital for 10 days, while in hospital I had a very nasty case of gastroenteritis. The day after I came home I had to have the District Nurse in for 5 days to dress my wound as I had a bad infection in it and I needed two courses of antibiotics.
This all happened 8 months ago, I still cannot walk without help, although I am now going to Physio and they are trying to get me to walk with a walking stick although I am not very confident. My groin still gives me pain and I have another appointment to the Surgeon in a fortnight. I have to have another MRI and see the Neurosurgeon in September.
In June I am going to a Cerebel Aneurysm Support Group to see if they know of anyone else with the same symptoms as me. If anyone out there has - I would love to hear from you so please get in touch.
Discussion, comments, or questions: Janet Clark
© Copyright 2002 Janet Clark
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