Category: Healing

Happy 20th ANNIE-versary

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I am a little surprised it has been twenty years since I heard the words “you have a brain aneurysm” in the ER at Augusta’s Maine General Hospital. Wow, how time has flown by. And yet, I remember it like it was yesterday.

I suppose it’s lucky I DO remember. I remember feeling that awful sudden headache that everyone talks about. I didn’t know what it was though. It was so sudden and odd. It wasn’t a migraine, which I had suffered from since 1976. At 4:30 in the morning, right after I got up to use the bathroom. When I put my head back down on the pillow, it hit. BAM! That’s exactly the moment it happened. I’m one of the “lucky” ones that I remember that morning. Many don’t.

I thought I was having a heart attack because my heart rate was skyrocketing and I was starting to sweat profusely. Not being able to walk right was also a concern, but I still felt it was my heart.

It wasn’t until I woke my then boyfriend, now my husband, that I realized it was something very different and something I had never experienced before. Both arms going numb while he was calling 911 was something new.

I have learned over the last 20 years that not everyone experiences that sudden headache. The majority do, but it’s not a given. Brain aneurysms don’t care. They can burst whether you’re rich or poor, black or white, republican or democrat, or young or old. 

The last twenty years have taught me that every walk of life can be affected by this silent killer and that is why we work so hard to share my story, and others, with the general public. Don’t ignore that strange headache. Don’t ignore that disturbance in your eyes. Don’t ignore that dizziness you have experienced for days. Go to the doctor. Insist on an MRA. Get answers. 

The black blob is my original 11mm aneurysm
Me and my late sister Dori when she visited us in Maine
Dave and his late niece Kim on our boat
Me with sister-in-law Nancy, who lost her only daughter Kim to a brain aneurysm
Me with two brain aneurysms survivors I met online, Lori and Julie
With my Maine Man, Dave at our annual walk/5k for brain aneurysm awareness

As I mark my 20th year of surviving a ruptured brain aneurysm, I am grateful for many, many things. 

I am grateful for:

  • The ER doctor in Augusta, Maine who was walking out after the end of his shift at 5am as we were walking in and walked us to the CT scan that showed my rupture.
  • The intervention radiologist who cut his vacation short at Maine Medical Center to come in and perform the coiling procedure that saved my life the following day. (16 coils)
  • My sister Dori, who flew in to Maine from New York to be by my side and to comfort my husband. Sadly, in 2012, she succumbed to a ruptured brain aneurysm herself. 
  • My boyfriend, now husband, who didn’t know about brain aneurysms, but educated himself immediately, and sadly had to bury his 32-year old neice Kim two years later from a ruptured brain aneurysm.
  • My current doctor at Maine Medical Center, for picking up the messy pieces from 2006 and working his hardest to keep me alive and kicking with additional coils and two stents.

I was one of the lucky ones to survive without major deficits. I have also been fortunate to meet so many incredible survivors the last twenty years who have inspired and encouraged me. I have also met with the families and loved ones of those who have lost someone to brain aneurysms. Sadly, we share the same grief and sadness of losing a loved one to this sudden, cruel disease. 

I continue to share my story in the hopes it gives hope to those who have are currently suffering or have been diagnosed, but I also share the grief with those who have lost a love one.

I am bless to still be here. 

Coming up to the 20th

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I am a little over half way to my fundraising goal for this year’s KAT-Walk & Karo-5k! Thank you to those who have donated already, I truly appreciate you taking the time and generously helping to raise money for brain aneurysm awareness.

I’ll be walking the KAT-Walk for the 18th time if anyone wants to physically join me for the walk in Portland, Maine on Sunday, September 20th. LEARN MORE

I will also be marking my upcoming 20th annie-versary of the rupture of my first aneurysm. I am blessed to still be here and so glad our small organization is able to help the brain aneurysm community in Maine.

Thank you so much for your support!

DONATE

Happy Puzzle Day!

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Happy National Puzzle Day! I can’t recall doing many jigsaw puzzles growing up. My first recollection of puzzles filling a need, was during the time my dad was fighting cancer. 

The hospital in Buffalo, NY where he was treated for five months, had a large waiting room where my mother and two sisters would gather until the next time we could see him. There was always a puzzle set out on the table. I found it a wonderful way to pass time, settle my mind on something other than the trauma our family was going through, and a small reward each time you found the right piece for the right spot. 

I picked up puzzles again, a few years ago after having a difficult couple of months where we had to say goodbye to our two beloved senior kitties within months of each other. I reconnected to the calming and challenging influence finishing a puzzle had.

As a brain aneurysm survivor, I also take comfort in knowing my brain is being exercised while working on puzzles.

According to many reputable online sources, working on jigsaw puzzles can help keep your brain healthy by improving memory, problem-solving skills, and cognitive function. Engaging in puzzles activates different parts of the brain, which can enhance overall mental sharpness.

Cognitive Improvement

  • Memory Enhancement: Jigsaw puzzles help improve short-term memory by reinforcing connections between brain cells.
  • Visual and Spatial Reasoning: They enhance the ability to visualize and manipulate objects in your mind, which is useful for tasks like reading maps or driving.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Regularly solving puzzles encourages creative and effective problem-solving through trial and error.

Mental Health Benefits

  • Stress Relief: Engaging in puzzles can reduce stress levels, similar to meditation, by allowing the brain to focus on a single task.
  • Mood Enhancement: Completing puzzles increases dopamine production, which improves mood and concentration.

Overall Brain Health

  • Cognitive Delay: Regular participation in puzzles may delay the onset of dementia symptoms by up to two and a half years, although they cannot prevent dementia on their own.

Not all puzzles are alike, however. Some have thinner pieces, some have pieces that are the exact same size and shape, and others are frameless. I prefer ones with a straight edge frame, slightly larger pieces that aren’t too thin and that are cut in different shapes. I was gifted a hand-made puzzle and could not finish it. Not only was it printed on a glossy surface, which made seeing the pieces difficult, but they were all the exact same size and shape and very thin, which made it easy to misplace or slip out of my fingers. I ended up abandoning it because, although it was a huge challenge, it wasn’t fun or relaxing in ANY way.

My favorite puzzles are from White Mountain Puzzles in Vermont. I like to do 1,000-piece puzzles that are beautiful scenes or subjects that interest me like the ocean, cats, birds, or tea. The large, portable puzzle table I purchased also provides a safe place to house the puzzle and its pieces from our new kitties we adopted.

There is a true sense of accomplishment when I finally place that final piece.

The Big Picture

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Yesterday, Dave and I spent the afternoon at the Brain Injury Resource Fair in Augusta, Maine. This annual event, sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of America – Maine chapter, was the first held since the pandemic. Our brain aneurysm group had a table along with many, many vendors from different areas of Maine and New England.

The program director of the Maine chapter of the BIAA is headed by Sarah Gaffney who is a spark plug of encouragement and energy. As usual, she and her team did an amazing job with this event. Sarah’s advocacy is motivating and impressive. I was honored when she asked me to tell my story in their November 2020 newsletter.

Dave and I had to shake off some of the cobwebs while setting up our many banners and table-top displays as it has been so long since we have attended any indoor events like this. It felt good!

We might be a small group, but our presence was mighty! 🙂

It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in person and reconnect with some of the many, many people whose daily focus is to assist the brain injury community here in Maine.

These events are always a challenge for me, mainly because I’m better with faces, but horrible with names. Dave, on the other hand, has a great memory and all of his faculties when it comes to matching names to faces. I didn’t see much of him during the 3-hour event because he was busy catching up and networking with other vendors around the large arena at the armory. This is one of THE best events in the state for doing that.

We got reacquainted with our table displays again.

As the general public started to arrive, you’re quickly reminded why we were all there: to offer much needed education, outreach, information, and resources to those who desperately need it.

I do relatively well when people ask questions regarding brain aneurysms, but when a question is thrown my way that I wasn’t expecting and haven’t had to answer before, I can often struggle. I feel bad I may not give the answer the person was looking for, but I try my best. Dave is much better at that than I am. When I get tired, I can also start to fumble with my words. But I think I’m among friends here who are more forgiving.

Every type of brain injury is represented at this event and every type of service can be found, but knowing where to look is one of the biggest problems, especially in such a rural state like Maine.

Since the pandemic, our brain aneurysm support group has only been held virtually, via ZOOM. So it was wonderful to meet two newer members of our support group in person today for the first time as well as meeting one of our previous speakers in person. I’m very proud of our small group. I KNOW we’re doing good work and today only validated that. If we can help one person feel better, find resources, or navigate a challenge, it’s all worth it.

The general public and other vendors appreciated the brochures.

The term “brain injury” encompasses a wide range of issues from mild concussions to debilitating damage from severe trauma, stroke or tumors. The struggles survivors endure can be very similar, but every story, every injury is different and requires different needs. Witnessing the strength and daily commitment of survivors and their caregivings is an inspiration. It’s not easy. It’s frustrating, scary, and complex. Knowing where to go for support and care can improve the daily lives of not only the person who is struggling, but for their families. Events like todays are so important and we were thrilled to be a part of it.

I created this short reel some time ago to highlight some of those struggles survivors deal with.