My aneurysm happened in June, 1997. It started with a dull, pressure-like headache and a sick feeling stomach in the evening. I took aspirin and went to bed. Woke up in the middle of the night with that "worst headache of my life" , took more aspirin and the pain let up enough I could go back to sleep. Woke up the next morning with the dull pressure headache and sick stomach. Called in sick to work. At about 10 am I decided maybe if I took a shower I would feel better and be able to go to work. When I stepped out of the shower I had another "worst headache of my life" times 10, it knocked me flat on my back.
I was alone so I do not know if I was unconscious for a time, but I know I could not move or speak. I could think, though, and I was thinking really weird stuff, like -Help I"ve fallen and I can't get up - and - I can't die and be found naked on my bathroom floor. I could finally move enough to get to the phone in my bedroom, first I tried calling friends - no one was home- then I decided to get smart and called 911. I went to the hospital in my robe only as I had no strength to dress. Ambulance took me to the local hospital, did a CAT scan, pretty much knew what my problem was and wanted me out of there NOW as they were not equipped to handle these situations. Sent me to larger hospital where they confirmed aneurysm and hemorrhage.
I am so amazed to hear so many say how calm and unafraid they were while awaiting their surgery. That is exactly how I felt. And no pain, or at least no memory of pain. Not even the angiogram or spinal tap. Nothing after surgery except tenderness on side of my head where they shaved bone. I was in the hospital 15 days and remember very little of this time.
I was really, really goofy after surgery. I was telling my 21 year old daughter that I have a 10 year old blond daughter living in my upstairs bedroom (her old room) and I get her up every morning to get ready for school. She tried to tell me she wasn't 10 years old anymore and I said, "not you, her name is Monkey. (Her nickname when she was little). One day I would say that everyone walking past my door was my doctor. She was so scared that her mom was going to be loony for the rest of her life.
I have really enjoyed reading some of the comments here. The symptoms and changes some of you have are just like mine. Memory, depression, weakness, personality change, etc. It' reassuring to know these are common with brain surgery.
I wish all of you the best of the best.