Hello....
I recently had a MRI and they found a 6.5 Berries aneurysm. Luckily they can get to it and will have surgery soon. They will be going in right behind my ear.
I was wondering if anyone out there could share their surgery experiences with me...recovery?
Thank you...Karyn
are you having this clipped or coiled?big differences there,thats all.you can find many posts on this board right here about peoples experiences with brain aneurysms.i had mine coiled in nov of 05.what do you want to know?if you are actually having the clipping done,thats kind of a whole different animal than what i had.there is one poster named ONYX who recently had hers clipped.she is doing well now from what she stated not too long ago.are you out there ONYX????hopefully she will pop in soon and she will be able to tell you more about her surgery.i do wish you luck.please keep me posted on how things go.marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
They are going to clip it. Going in right behind the left ear. They are saying that its all going to be fine abut I am concerned. As you can imagine I have tons of questions...will I be able to eat? Walk?
I am fairly worried.
I see you are also from the frozen tundra of the north,who is actually doing your clipping surgery?marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
Ahh...I am going out of St. Josephs hospital. Will look up the Dr. name next time I am to my paperwork..
I had paperwork to do today for this..FMLA, insurance stuff, release from work papers...
I had then in my hand and decided to sneak down to the hospital to drop them off myself on the ICU unit...got a look at others on the unit and I am not very pleased by what I see! Getting more anxious each day.
This is quite concerning for me....The ICU is right next to the hospice unit!
Anyone out there have a survival story?
did you know that st joes has the number one interventional neuroradiologist as the head of their new neurovascular institute?great wonderful guy.he is my neuro rad who did my aneurysm coiling.dr madison.wow he is fantastic.he is the guy that other neurorads call in for consults on their more difficult cases.he travels all over the place in MN.believe me,if there is any issues that pop up during your sugery that need a vascular consult,you will have one of the best for them to consult with.i have had all but one of my seven surgeries done at Joes.good hospital.their pre op team of nurses are really fantastic too,you will be in good hands there.did you happen to go thru neurosurgery associates? FB
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
Good Morning! A crisp cool 43 degrees this AM....Welcome to the cold north...
So...I am using Nussbaum for this. I was refered to St. Joes directle from my Doc when he saw the MRI.
I met yesterday with the surgeon and was so scared I didnt ask many questions...didnt want to look too foolish. Then I lay in bed at night and conjure up all these horrible images of what will happen to me...
I am worried over the morning of....I am so anxious about going in that I get short of breath when I think of it..
Will they hold me down and cut my hair off while I am awake? So I have to see my hair fall? Will they freak me out and start drawing lines on my head? Will I get something for anxiety? Will I have lots of pain after?
Poor little me is so worried about the mornign of and what happens in the 3 hours pre op that they told me to be there....
Hello Bohunk, I can tell you my late husband (who did not die of aneurysm but rather cancer some 26 years later) had a right internal carotid artery aneurysm at age 23. We were extremely lucky as his was diagnosed and we were referred to a microneurosurgeon who stabilized him (his was leaking) and clipped that aneurysm and we celebrated 25 years of marriage with absolutely no ill effects from his surgery. This was in 1973 and I am sure that skill and perfection in the technique of clipping an aneurysm has progressed to be a very successful surgical procedure now. I know that you have apprehension but try to put your faith in the medical community. There are success stories out there.
I can tell you that the only thing that bothered him was his incision (in his opinion) but after a few months it was barely visible, if one did not know of his surgery they wouldn't even notice. He stayed in intensive care for a few days and then went home for a few weeks of convalescence but he never slowed down one bit.
I will say a prayer that you have the best of care and that you are back on the board and telling us your own success story in a few days.
see,things can work out for you,just reading the above should help some.what you are experiencing in many ways is just the simple 'fear of the unknown'.believe me,i was there too,many times espescially when they had to cut right directly into my spinal cord back in 03.what i did was leave a piece of paper and a pen out on the kitchen counter at all times,no matter when i actually thought of a good question i needed an answer to(best thinking while trying to sleep of course)i would immediately(if you wait to write it down you forget the "good" question you had there)go to this sheet(which eventually turned into three full pages)and just add it to the list.when you meet with this guy again or if you do just need some answers from him,make an appt just for that.they DO understand the gravity of the surgery they are doing on you and your expected fears and should be able to make time to ease your mind.i was very lucky with my surgeons in this way.they made time for me.they owe this to you as their patient.it comes with their job tho sometimes they seem to forget that with certain tyes of surgeons.
but i CAN defintiely ease your mind about one huge thing.the nurses and other medical profs who will be taking care of you while you start the process and while you are inthe pre induction area,are really very caring and fantastic people.i have never ever had a bad experience with these kind folks at joes.in that you can be assured,you will feel well taken care of.i have had many mnay surgeries and procedures done at joes and can tell you this with almost 100% certainty.really.you ARE in great hands there,trust me on that.
if you feel really anxious,talk to the surgeon before hand,he may be able to Rx something you can take that morning(with a very teeny tiny amount of water.i was told i could take my pain meds and other stuff that morning as long as it was with a very small amount of water),but making certain you tell the anesthesiologist about it and the other staff,or while in that pre induction area,they can give you something before to help you relax.they wont do that tho till you have spoken to the other docs and get papers signed.they want you 'in' the picture while you speak with the docs and other people so they wont do anything before that.just easing some of your fears by asking all the questions you feel you need to ask will help tons,trust me.
i really don't know just exactly when they would shave your surgical area tho,i never had to have that done since i was coiled not clipped.someone else may know tho.i do wish onyx would pop on,she just went thru this.
just trust that things will all work out no matter what.you gotta have some faith in this.sometimes not easy,i know,but you just have to believe everything will be okay for you and it probably will be.do you feel your surgeon is up to the task?having good faith in your surgeon really helps tons.i just let go of what i could not control and hoped things would go well.did a little praying even tho i am not a overly religious type.things could have been so much worse for me with my spinal cord surgery and my coiling went off without a hitch.so there ya go.you just do not have alot of control over this and thats the hardest part of the whole process.you just gotta have faith hon.thats the key.just express your bigger concerns with your surgeon or even your primary doc.just getting the crap out will help alot too.sorry i couldn't be of more help for you.if you have any other questions that i can answer for you,fire away,K?take care,marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
My Surgeon is Nussbaum (sp?)
Thanks so much for all the time you are all taking to answer my questions...
Hey...can anyone tell me what to expect in immediate post op? When you come out of the surgery? Is there confusion? Pain?....it is my understanding that they wake you up in recovery.... I have read of fatigue that is horrible...is this common? Do I need to take flash card pictures of my family so I kow who they are? Memory loss?
Another question...at what point pre surgery do they shave your head? Are you awake for this?
I am having both the clipping but understand that they are going up the leg as well as clipping may not be able to get it all....???? something about a artery wrapped around the aneurysm.
really don't know about the head shave thing buti would think if it did indeed bother you that you could actually tell them you prefer not to be awake for it,thay may be able to accomodate you.it never hurts to ask ya know?you will wake up inthe recovery room where they will be asking you questions to determine your neuo status.this is actually pretty rountine post op with any real surgery,but when it involves the brain,they are just a bit more thorough.
they also will be giving you lots and lots of good strong MS to help your pain,which may or may not even really be bad as you may think.they are really great people in there who are there just to make sure you are okay and asking you if you are cold(they have those wonderful hot blankies.LOVE them).and if you need more morphine.don't hesitate to take them up on it,lol.you will be a bit groggy at firat and pretty tired during that first day,usually by night time i am feeling uch better with just about every surgery i had done.the crap wears off(the anesthesia?) and you do start to feel a bit more human anyways.in your case,you will be sent up to the ICU just so they can keep a closer eye on you.when they sent me up there,i was one of the few patients who was actually concious so i got lots of attention from those really great nurses.their ICU was really great as far as staff.you will feel well taken care of up there trust me.i was treated so well by that ICU staff that i actually went out and bought them a nice thank you card.they were very caring and also attentive to all the wierd things that just happen in my body from SCI.i have some pretty severe spasticity in my legs but my whole frakin body went into spasm that night.wow it took three nurses to massage the crap out of me while one nurse ran for the valium.all was good to go in about fifteen minutes.they were on me in a heartbeat tho.
the big really good thing for you is you will be having any neuroradiology procedures done probably by my IR,dr madison?he is now the head of the neuroradiology unit up there.they work out of st paul radiology?you will be in fantastic hands for any actual vascular coiling or whatever else they need to do by going up thru that femoral arery in your groin.this doc really is an amazing guy at what he does.if he is involved you are very lucky,he just really knows his stuff and is the one that other neurorads call in for their difficult cases.this guy is all over the place in many different hospitals.he is a really nice guy too.
i know you are worried about this whole thing and thats pretty normal with any surgery but moreso when it has to do with our brains or spinal cords.i just came to terms with the fact that whatever was going to happen was going to happen and i had no real control over it.like i said before,it comes down to just having faith that things will go well and you will be okay.its that ugly fear of the unknown that gets us everytime.just trust in that you have good knowledgable docs and the hosp you are going to has an amazing staff.everything they would need if there was some sort of problem is right there practically at their fingertips.trust me,you are in great hands and that really IS something that not all people get the luxery of having.thats a biggie.
i forgot or did you ever mention just when your actual surgey is scheduled?it would be nice to just have it all over and done with i know.just hang in there.you would be amazed at what the surgeons and neuro rads can actually even do these days with minimizing the risks to you the patient.keep me posted hon,marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
Thanks..
What is MS? I am not up with the medical abreviations...
Dr. Madison is doing the assist to Dr. Nussbaum.
The surgery is on the 29th of Oct...
Actually..I have enough to keep em busy as I am going next sunday on a short cruise with some gals from work..I return on that frid prior....I have sat and sunday at home...hoping for a nice Red Lobster for evening before supper...and then go in monday AM..
I read on the net about memory loss...not knowing who others were....loss of vision...black eyes...fatigue that went on for months..waking to horrible jaw pain...
The up side to the internet is the access to information..the down side is the access to information...
I just might need a anti anxiety med...I was given 5 mg of Buspar but not thinking it is enough....maybe a shot of whiskey like in the old we****** and I will get brave again...
Ohh...got another questison? Or 500...lets just keep rolling here..
I have to go into the salon tomorrow anyway to get the rug waxed off my forehead..(LOL) I have a haircut that is now about neck length...think the top will flop over the cuts or should I ahve my hair gal trim some off so its more even? I know...bandages and all....
The aneurysm is in the mid artery right about over the ear (ish) so why are they cutting at the front hair line? They are going to bend it all back? To the ear? Why not just go in at the ear?
I would think that they are probably going to do an arteriogram (going through the femoral artery) to pinpoint exactly where they need to make the incision to have the best position to access the aneurysm. I know my hubby had one the day prior to his surgery, of course that was 1973 and the way surgery is done now is more expedited than what it used to be. I can tell you they will probably keep you pretty sedated the first few days post op and will be checking all the neuro signs such as checking for your alertness (such as where you are, your name, the date for example), the reactivity of the pupils of your eyes etc. They will probably want a very quiet environment for the first couple of days. Naturally they will be checking your vitals (Temp, BP, and Heart rate) very frequently after surgery. That is pretty routine with any surgical procedure.
Back when Keith had his surgery, they shaved his head (partially) the night prior, but as I said, his was an emergency situation and not a scheduled surgery per se. Generally I would think they will do the hair shave prior to your arrival in the surgery suite, as it is a sterile environment and hair is not sterile. I do remember them giving him a preop medication before they took him to surgery.
Do not be alarmed as you will see some swelling for a few days due to the trauma of the surgery. You may or may not have some vision problem due to the swelling. Just remember that swelling is normal to see with any surgery. It is the body's normal reaction to any trauma or incision. They will bandage you and of course they will monitor that for any abnormal bleeding. Just remember that the scalp bleeds very freely, so do not be alarmed!
I know that if you have never had a surgical procedure, you may feel apprehensive, but be assured that you are going to be monitored very closely by highly trained professionals. Try to relax and not worry so much, and yes let us know when you are having your surgery so we can watch for a progress report. We are all going to be praying that you will do exceptionally well and be back online telling us all about your success.
thanks...they already did the angiothingie. They have their pictures and are set. Actually..I have everything in my hands and am set to bring it all with me the morning of.
I went shopping last night to Walmart..(the only place open at 12AM) as I just could not sleep...looking for lounge clothes. More pajamas...and a extra set of sheets as I understand that I will sleep alot.
Both teams are set for the surgery...except me who threw her teddy bear out of the playpen last thursday....yep...a real life adult version of a temper tantrum. I was totally insistant that I am not awake for any head shaving. Got panicked about being awake for this. I think it is that I have lost control of everything else in my life. I have lost if I live or die from this, lost going to my job(temporarily), Will loose my abliity to be independant, drive, eat what I want, shower unassisted...ect..if even for a bit...it is now all out of my control...all I can control is that I get put to sleep a full person without writing on my head...I got so upset at this issue that could not see beyond. They have agreed to this wish that I will leave whole...no shaving, writing on, or head in bolts till fully down. I felt much better with this done.
BTW....for the angio..they shaved my bottom in the surgery room so it can be done and apparently does not change the sterile environment.
I have been working all day today with the countdown approaching to get my house clean, laundry done, and the winter clothes changed out for the summer ones...fluffed up and ready for my family on those cool nights.
Tomorrow I am going to get my hair cut a bit shorter...neck length. And then off to shop for my hospital and after bag...
any suggestions to buy other than comfie clothing?
Any one have any idea of what generally it is like to wake up form this? Will I know my family? Will I know where I am? Confusion?
I have a question for soemone out there....
So...many have a choice of coiling or clipping. Those that got theirs clipped say they are so glad they had them clipped and that they are now done with it...but they list problems of cant smell, nausea, dizzy, cant think right, depression, headaches, fatigue, seizures, personality changes...
I think reading some of the "postitive testimonials' scared the heck out of me as to the less than positive ones...
My Dr. indicated to me that many return to work in 3-6 weeks but he was keeping me out longer due to my physical job....he never mentioned the kinds of things I am reading on these threads..
I thought that having the clippign is a harder surgery but in the long run its better as you dont have to worry about it anymore..."when it done its done" ahh...thats not what I am reading here!
I am getting really freaked out now!
MS is short for morphine,sorry.the big thing here karyn is that there really is not any real way to tell you just what things will be like when you wake up.i DO know about the feeling the loss of control thing,oh believe me,but things will depend on your particular aneurysm and how things go,you know what i mean?i really would love to be able to give you definitive answers,but as with just about every surgery,things will go the way they will go.the questions you asked about what will or will not be intact when you wake up would really be best answered by your actual surgeon.he knows much more about the particular area of the brain they will be working in.the fact that you DO have dr madison should really be a comfort,really.he is the best of the best so thats a really great thing for you.
like i said before,you just have to have faith in your surgeon and good old doc madison that things will go off without a hitch.coming to terms with the fact that you don;t have control over what happens is just something you have to work out inside your head hon.i know you wanted easier simpler answers ,but i just cannot say.i really DO think tho that you really need to speak with your surgeon about some of these questions tho.like i said before,just keep writing them down and set an appt to speak with him about your concerns.he knows what type of surgery you are going to have and that his patients will be somewhat scared,geez it just goes with the territory.
chances are good that you will actually wake up fully in tact with no deficits,go with that.the odds,from what you have stated really do appear to be in your favor.you just have to place your trust in the really knowledgeable people who will be working in you.you DO have a wonderful IR.his nurse jayne,by the way is a total sweetheart.we had to set up major plans when i had my coiling just becasue of my SCI and the many problems.she had everything set and ready to go if i needed it.shes amazing,you will like her.she will be speaking with you at some point along the way.
the above poster gave you some good info tho things were abit different back in 73.you know longer are admitted the night before any surgerys anymore.they did that shave 'one half" shave thing on me too in the actual radiology suite.
honestly,i really don't know just how much haircutting i would do right at this point yet,or maybe just get it cut short all the way around,it wont be quite as noticeable then.
but honestly karyn,my best advice to you would be to get that list of questions(all of the ones you asked here since they are good questions)and speak with your surgeon about them.he is the person to go to here as he knows what is actually going to be happening.bring another person with you when you go tho since one person alone tends to forget things said?its easier,trust me.and then write down any info you need or want to remeber.just bring the questions in a notebook,this has always worked for me.
just when are you having this done?i think i answered everything for you that i could.if there is anything else,just hollar,K?just try and hang in there hon,it will be over before you know it and you'll be okay.ya gotta have faith.marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
Dr. Madison is very cool. Jayne has been great as well! When this started out the were going to do a Angio to grab it...now as things have changed they are backup for Dr. Nussbaum who is going through the head....
So I actually have 2 teams going at this and am sure they will get it.
I am getting lots of information form the boards..
Ohh...packing list for the hospital...and after at home. Got to work on that..
I am currently packing for a trip south. Decided I cant hang out here and wait so am flying out on Sunday and returning 2 days before the surgery..
Time passes better with a margaritta...
I wonder if I am just advised to not drive...or if there is some sort of retesting after any cutting on the old melon?!
Got the hair cut at neck length.....it should be fine. Not really concerned about the haircutthey give me but only that it is done after I get put to sleep...
so,you have met the wonderful jayne?she really is as sweet as she sounds.a margarita does sound good,lol.
you know,whether you have them clipped or coiled,once those coils assimilate,it is done and overwith too.my coiled aneurysm cannot even be detected upon angio anymore.with the coiling,they fill the aneurysm full of these little wires made of platnum?they snake them up with a bit of tension on them and as soon as they get inside the aneurysm,they let go,and these little things just start squiggling around inside the aneurysm and end up looking like a little brillo pad or something?then they just keep adding them til it appears as full as possible without any actually herniating out.once those coils sit inside,they immediately start forming tiny clots within that metal framework.after one year,when they did my follow up angio,not one bit of it 'lit up" with the dye.that means it has been killed off or taken completley and permanently out of the arterial circulation.so mine is also considered,done.its just the less invasive way of doing the very same thing really.each procedure has its own risks and good and bad side i guess,but not having to have that craniotomy was the best part for me.i wouldn't have even actually had that option because of where my actual aneurysm sits,right directly in front of my brainstem.that option was taken off the table pretty quickly.i am sorry you have to go that route.
enjoy your little vacation karyn but DO NOT forget to keep me posted,K?Marcia
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
