onyxgates
06-14-2007, 10:42 AM
Well to give some background.
12/16 I suffered a grand mal seizure which they believe is from some medication that I was taking (lowered the threshold of seizures). Anyway I had an MRI/MRA which showed a 4-5cm aneurysm. On January 24th I had an angiogram which confirmed this discovery. It is above my right eye. The vein is connected to my carotid artery. I have seen three different doctors to get opinions and all three of them stated I need treatment. The first wanted to coil which is the least invasive of my options. Because I am so young and that the coiling procedure would require a stint, there is a large chance that as I get older, I could suffer a stoke. The next doctor advised me of this risk. He advised a clipping which is a craniotomy procedure. I will explain more later. Despite his great credentials we opted to get a third opinion. This doctor is associated with Northwestern and works out of the Evanston hospital (go big ten!!!). Anyway he agreed with the second doctor in that I should have the clipping. This man has even better credentials head of surgery at Harvard, Stanford and now Evanston. Can't ask for much better.
Okay now the procedure.
I will go in at 5:30 am July 9th for an operation that starts at 7:30. It will last 3-4 hours. The procedure does not require any shaving (thank God) of my hair. They will do a part and a small amount of shaving. Thank God for thick hair. Anyway they will cut from above my right eye to my right temple. This will be about an inch deep into my hair line. I will be at a recline so my brain will automatically separate from my skull and leave an opening for the doctors to get to the aneurysm. Mean while they will also put a balloon via an angiogram in my carded artery to prevent any major bleeding. Once inside, they will clip the artery and sew me up. Sounds simple enough...glad I work at a food company and not as a doctor :) I will spend one day in ICU to monitor for stroke, bleeding out or infection. I will then be moved to a regular room for three days. I will then be released to go home. Six weeks later and I will be able to do anything I could do before assuming any complications.
The risks are bleeding out, blindness or infection but the doctor gives me a less than 1%.
Please keep me in your prayers or thoughts. I don't normally ask people to do this but I am scared and need all the help I can get. Please take care and don't take any day for granted. That is one thing I have learned from all of this.
12/16 I suffered a grand mal seizure which they believe is from some medication that I was taking (lowered the threshold of seizures). Anyway I had an MRI/MRA which showed a 4-5cm aneurysm. On January 24th I had an angiogram which confirmed this discovery. It is above my right eye. The vein is connected to my carotid artery. I have seen three different doctors to get opinions and all three of them stated I need treatment. The first wanted to coil which is the least invasive of my options. Because I am so young and that the coiling procedure would require a stint, there is a large chance that as I get older, I could suffer a stoke. The next doctor advised me of this risk. He advised a clipping which is a craniotomy procedure. I will explain more later. Despite his great credentials we opted to get a third opinion. This doctor is associated with Northwestern and works out of the Evanston hospital (go big ten!!!). Anyway he agreed with the second doctor in that I should have the clipping. This man has even better credentials head of surgery at Harvard, Stanford and now Evanston. Can't ask for much better.
Okay now the procedure.
I will go in at 5:30 am July 9th for an operation that starts at 7:30. It will last 3-4 hours. The procedure does not require any shaving (thank God) of my hair. They will do a part and a small amount of shaving. Thank God for thick hair. Anyway they will cut from above my right eye to my right temple. This will be about an inch deep into my hair line. I will be at a recline so my brain will automatically separate from my skull and leave an opening for the doctors to get to the aneurysm. Mean while they will also put a balloon via an angiogram in my carded artery to prevent any major bleeding. Once inside, they will clip the artery and sew me up. Sounds simple enough...glad I work at a food company and not as a doctor :) I will spend one day in ICU to monitor for stroke, bleeding out or infection. I will then be moved to a regular room for three days. I will then be released to go home. Six weeks later and I will be able to do anything I could do before assuming any complications.
The risks are bleeding out, blindness or infection but the doctor gives me a less than 1%.
Please keep me in your prayers or thoughts. I don't normally ask people to do this but I am scared and need all the help I can get. Please take care and don't take any day for granted. That is one thing I have learned from all of this.