Category: Doctor

Clipping a Brain Aneurysm

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Dave and I both admitted to each other on the drive to Portland that we were both scared last night. We were scared something would go wrong during surgery and I would not be the same afterwards. As a result I would regret making the decision. Well…as it turns out it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

We also both admitted our fears were completely resolved when Dr. Ecker walked into to the pre-op prep room and explained the procedure again. He just oozes confidence. Hower, he mentioned the size and location of the incision and THAT was news. He told us in September the size of the location he opened the skull, but not the size of the skin incision. THAT was much larger and something Dave and I should have though about but never did.

They quickly put me under when I got into operating room, so I didn’t get much of a chance to see either doctor or explore this operating theatre. Previously I had only been in radiology.

The actual procedure only took about and hour and a half instead of the 4-5 hours we were warned about.

I woke up to Dave standing over me and I was already correcting him and Dr. Ecker told me it was a huge success and they he able to place the clip in a perfect spot. He also informed me that the top of the aneurysm was very thin walled…we may have dodged a bullet with this one.

I was taken to the lovely 6o8 neuro ward. The staff is great…the atmosphere is not. I got no sleep and then became very nauseous over night as well. Twas a long night.

My head was hurting pretty bad and my jaw was quite painful. I learned the next morning they had to cut my jaw muscle. Goody!

I also got the first look at my incision. Wow! It’s big and ugly with 53 stitches in the outer skin.

Clipping Day has Arrived!

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So, here I am at 5 a.m. ready to head down to the hospital for my brain aneurysm clipping today. I have my Care Bear (part of my “Get-Better-Bear” collection) who is wearing the angel necklace made and given to me by Kim.

I know there are two (Kim & Dori), now three (Rhonda), very special angels watching over me today. Wish me luck! And hopefully I’ll be posting more blog entries soon.

Today’s Top Story

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Now that my family, closest friends, and co-workers know, I can let others know about my aneurysm news. I’m going to have my 2nd aneurysm clipped in January.

I found out in April, 2013, right before we left for Scotland, that my 2nd smaller aneurysm was actually visible on the original scans done in 2006 during my rupture of the other, larger aneurysm, but it was never mentioned to me in those immediate checkups with my old doctor. My current doctor indicated he felt we should start thinking about doing something about it. That scared me and certainly gave me pause about our trip to Scotland. Well..it was more like denial that anything was wrong. I was going to Scotland, dammit. Which we did!

The doctor said his office would call when we got back to discuss my options. They did call in June, but I wasn’t prepared to discuss it just yet.

Then, after our annual walk and run for Brain Aneurysm Awareness in September, I met some fabulous survivors and it gave me the strength to make a decision, so Dave and I met with the doctor at the end of September and the decision was made to proceed with clipping.

Several factors with regards to MY aneurysm and history, made that decision easier. I guess:

  • I have a family history
  • I have previously ruptured
  • The 2nd aneurysm has grown in the last six years
  • I’m still relatively young
  • I have great health insurance
  • I want to go to Scotland again!

Even though Dave and I are, sadly, quite educated on brain aneurysms and the treatments, we went armed to the meeting with quite a list of questions for the doctor. Dr. Ecker spent about an hour and a half with us and his recommendation was to go with the more physically invasive clipping procedure over the less-invasive endovascular coiling which I have had previously.

When discussing both options, he just had to many “if”s with the coiling and the aneurysm itself is more rectangular in shape than a balloon or bulb, which leads me to believe keeping a coil in the darn thing to begin with would be tough. The doctor agreed clipping would be more durable and stable than coiling in this case.

Since I have already had a compaction issue with my other larger aneurysm, which now has 20 coils, I really didn’t want to have to go through the endless checking and worry with TWO aneurysms now. I’m very confident that clipping is the way to go with this particular brain aneurysm

So, after surviving another catalog at work, I will be making plans for the surgery. It’s nice to HAVE the luxury of planning and a date for the procedure. With a rupture, there is no advanced warning. There is no indication you’ll be bed-ridden for months. There is no warning your family’s life will be changed for ever.

By deciding to DO something about my aneurysm, I AM in control…not the other way around. Of course, I’m scared. It is open brain surgery, but meeting, and knowing other survivors has given me the strength to show this aneurysm who’s the boss. I’m one of the lucky ones because I know I have an aneurysm.

The doctor showed me my brain scans, drew me diagrams and showed me where the incision will be made. They shave just that part of the head, then remove a 2-3″ diameter part of the skull along my hairline around my left eye. They’ll isolate the aneurysm away from the artery and place the clip on it. Then close up the skull. Possibly a 2-night stay in the hospital, then home for a 6-week recovery period. It’s not an emergency situation so the recovery period is far less stressful and difficult, although fatigue will still be an issue.

I feel fine. There are no symptoms that something is wrong, and that’s the whole point of doing something now. Could something go wrong during the procedure? Yes, but the risks of that are far fewer than if I let the aneurysm continue to grow and HAVE to do something about it during a tramatic event. Been there…done that…bought the t-shirt Pedro.

Annual Angiogram

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Last week was my annual angiogram to check on my large, 20-coiled annie and see how the smaller aneurysm that was discovered in 2011 is coming long.

As usual, it’s an apprehensive time. Even though I have felt fine, one just never knows if the coils have compressed again or the size and shape of either aneurysm has dramatically changed…even though it has only been one year since my last checkup.

Thankfully, at the follow-up appointment two days later, Dr. Ecker said the large aneurysm looks very good. The stent and additional coils that were added two years ago are doing their job…keeping blood from getting back into the aneurysm. He also said there were no NEW aneurysms anywhere else. Great news.

The smaller aneurysm has grown a little bit. It’s not a cause for alarm…yet, but the fact I’ve already ruptured once and it’s at an odd spot on the artery AND has a wide neck indicates to the doc we’ll have to start considering doing something about it. Not immediately, but at some point….while I’m still relatively young – and that’s not much longer! LOL

Even though coiling is the least invasive procedure, I have since learned there CAN be complications and it needs to be monitored more frequently. Clipping is far more invasive, and in my mind more dangerous, but it’s a far more permanent treatment. I need to do more research and ask some people, but I’m starting to lean more in that direction. I could care less about a scare on my head, but it’s the danger involved in the procedure and the recovery period afterwards should there be any complications during the process that concern me.

As usual, the staff in the Maine Medical Center radiology & neuro-endovascular teams were top notch and provided great care. We had a long wait as there was an emergency stroke case that was brought in that needed Dr. Ecker’s care, but everyone was great and I had no residual pain or major discomfort after the procedure. Thank you everyone! Here’s hoping I don’t see any of you for awhile!

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