Category: Support

Angiogram and Results

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I had my four-year aneurysm check-up angiogram yesterday. Had to be at Maine Medical Center at 9:15, so we left the house around 7:45. I couldn’t eat or drink anything so, of course, today I woke up with a horribly dry and sore throat. Figures. Despite an earlier weather report of snow showers, it was just cold and sunny, so we had good traveling weather.

Dave and I arrived at Maine Med right on time and were quickly whisked into the radiology patient recovery area where I was promptly told to strip out of everything and put on the lovely johnny gown. Oh, they’re so attractive. The wonderfully funny nurse, John, arranged to get me a water swab so I could at least wet my dry throat.

I was hooked up to an IV and blood pressure and oxygen monitor then taken into the operating room. As I was wheeled in, I heard some amazing music being played. They had on the Rat Pack station from Pandora Radio. LOVED it! It was around 10:00 when I started to be prepped for the procedure to sounds of Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra belting out standards.

I was moved onto the narrow table surrounded on one side by large monitors. Arm guards were positioned to keep my arms on the table and out of the way and I was hooked up to multiple sensors as well as a strap place over my forehead to keep me from moving my head. My groin was shaved and I was introduced to at least four or five different radiologist, including Bernie, who was my “bartender” with the meds. I didn’t go with any med prior to being wheeled in and I REALLY regretted that when the Dr. began inserting the catheter. The worst pain I’ve had at the beginning of an angio. Next time, I ask for meds, and more meds….and some meds too. OUCH!

I’m not sure how long the actual procedure took. I DID get some meds when I was experiencing the pain, so I was a tad groggy. Had to take deep breaths and hold them on many occasions for pictures to be taken. So I was awake for the whole thing. One injection of dye was almost painful in my head and part of my tongue felt a little numb, but it didn’t last long.

Once the procedure was done, I was unhooked from all of the sensors and one of the radiologist had to hold strong pressure on my incision area on my groin. We chatted about Buffalo weather and the Bills. It helped pass the time of having a stranger hold your groin! LOL

At around 11:00, I was wheeled back into the recovery area. Dave wasn’t there, but one of the nurses said that Dr. Ecker  had spoken to Dave “at length”. Uh, oh…that didn’t sound promising! And I thought when Dave came around the corner, he looked pale.

Dr. Ecker came in shortly after Dave and informed me there did appear to be problems with the coiling in the aneurysm so something would have to be done, but that he’d discuss that with us at the follow-up appointment on Monday. Then he divulged a 2nd, smaller aneurysm was discovered above the initial aneurysm. This one was about 3 mm (1/8″). My original one was 11 mm (1/2″). This was shocking. If I had one in 2006 for my last angiogram, wouldn’t they have said something about it? If it wasn’t there, then it’s not a good sign that one has developed in such a relatively short span of 2 years. The Dr. had told Dave that this smaller annie had a wide neck too and it might not be a good candidate for coiling.

So, not only do I not know what’s going to happen to the original annie (Or Big Annie), but I don’t know what’s going to happen, if anything, with this new little discovery (I’ll call her Little Annie)

I know Dr. Ecker had mentioned possibly adding more coils to Big Annie, which isn’t that highly unusual, and it’s far less dangerous because it’s not a rupture, but he had also mentioned clipping, which means a craniotomy and that’s a far more invasion process that involves removing part of the skull and having open brain surgery. But that’s with the original annie. Now this 2nd one comes into play. Goody.

I have been introduced and read storiesabout many people who have multiple aneurysms and my own cousin is living with two un-ruptured aneurysms that they’re simply monitoring, which might be the case for me with Little Annie. So, it’s not that highly unusual for people to have multiple aneurysms and the positive take on this is that I KNOW it’s there and we can do something (hopefully) before it ruptures unlike last time.

My fear is not the surgery at this point…it’s the outcome and having complications during the procedure that would require a longer recovery period or prevent me from doing my job or driving. I was VERY lucky with my previous rupture that I was not dealt with life-altering deficits – which could have easily happened and could still happen. I have a lot of faith and trust in Dr. Ecker and excellent staff at Maine Med. They were fantastic to me in 2006 and I know they’ll take good care of me
this time…for whatever I’m going to be dealt with. I’m still very, VERY thankful that Dr. Ecker is here in Maine and we don’t have to travel to Boston.

I wish Dave didn’t have to go through more crap with aneurysms. He has been such an angel and powerhouse during all of this. I’m sorry he has to “suffer” as well.

MRA Results and New Doctor

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Today I met the new aneurysm doctor here in Maine, Dr. Ecker, and got the results back on the MRA of my annie.

Dr. Ecker is a real straight shooter and got straight to the point: The MRA showed a slight recanalization of the coiling in the aneurysm. That was a term Dave and I had
never heard, so Dr. Ecker took us to his office, showed us the MRA results and drew us a diagram on what was showing up on the MRA and what his concern was.

I’ll try to explain it without drawing it! Basically, either the aneurysm has slightly grown, or the coils have contracted and it has allowed some blood to flow into the aneurysm through the neck of the aneurysm. His words were that I had a “recanalization of the neck”. Of course, I was initially shaken. My fear has always been they’d discover another annie, not having an issue with my existing one, so this was a
surprise to say the least.

He wants me to have an angiogram now.mDr. Ecker said it wasn’t an emergency situation, so we’re waiting until January, after the holidays for that. He does the angiograms, he also does coiling and clipping operations. I’m thrilled he’s here in the state of Maine. He also appears to have experience with the by-pass surgery I’ve just recently read about.

Right now, there is no course of action until after he see the arteries and coiling on the angiogram. Right now, all of the things he mentioned were “if this….”, or “if that….”, so we need to see the results of the angriogram. Dave has done a lot of research online since we got home and is discovering it’s not that highly UNcommon for this to happen. Usually the recanalization occurs within the first two years after the coiling, so this is kind of unusual, but I feel confident Dr. Ecker will give us the best course of action. He’d either have to go in and insert more coils, which I’ve read several people have had to do on the message board, there’s a possibility I could have to have it clipped, which is a more serious operation, or he’d insert a stent inserted to block off the flow off blood there. Again…he can’t tell for certain what needs to be done until we do the angiogram.

He studied in Buffalo, was in the service as a medical surgeon in Japan, and after listening to an emergency call he took in his office while we were there, someone I would want fighting for me on the operating table. The risk factor for recoiling isn’t as extensive as my first coiling because it wouldn’t be because of a ruptured aneurysm and I’d be home from the hospital on the same day. The same risk factor would hold true
for the clipping, although it’s far more invasive and would probably require a long hospital stay.

I’m doing okay. Still processing this information. But I’ve always known I could be at risk, so we’ll just deal with what God deals me, when he deals it. I’m feeling good now, the Dr. didn’t feel it needed immediate attention, so we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, right?

2nd Annual KAT-Walk 2010

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Yesterday, the 2nd Annual KAT-Walkwas held on the Back Cove in Portland. A 3 1/2 mile walk to remember Kim Tudor and to raise awareness of the causes and symptoms of brain aneurysms, as well as raise money for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

Many people worked many months bringing all the elements together for a wonderful day. There was a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, and we sold t-shirts. The final numbers haven’t been tallied yet, but to Kim’s family members and close friends, I feel it was a huge success.mThere was also a very special article about Kim that was written and printed in the Friday issue of The Portland Press Herald. Many people commented on the article and how special it was. I completely agree.

We were also able to get some local television coverage, which was unexpected and surprisingly wonderful as well.mThe camera crew and reporter interviewed Dave, then hung around to film the event and stayed for the start of the walk. Thank you WGME and Channel 13 for doing this for us and thank you Ray Smart, for speaking with them to give us some coverage. Here is the Video.

The crew was there covering the ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) walk that was also happening on the Back Cove earlier in the day. We saw their piece on the ALS walk on the news as well and it was wonderful. Their event was highly attended and looked like they had a professional crew to handle the event. Another very worthy cause to bring attention to and the Channel 13 piece had a very moving and emotional tribute to one local soldier who was battling ALS, but was able to complete the walk. KUDOS to you!

On a personal note for me, I was able to spend the day and meet three other ruptured brain aneurysm survivors. Two I met that day, but one, Julie from NH, I had met online at the Brain Talk message board shortly after my rupture. We share three major things in common:

1) Our ruptures were treated at Maine Medical Center,
2) Dr. Eddie Kwan performed our coiling procedures, and
3) WE SURVIVED!

I was thrilled Julie and her husband came over to participate in the walk and to also help raise awareness. Julie is still suffering complications from her rupture and well as other medical issues so I was doubly pleased she made the effort to be there and lend her support.

Another young woman came to the walk who had suffered a rupture but wasn’t quite sure where to turn locally. Hopefully, we were able to direct her to where she could get some comfort and assistance and hopefully we were able to educate those who aren’t aware of the symptoms, so that if anyone in their family, our themselves for that matter, exhibit any of those symptoms, they’ll take them serious and seek medical
assistance immediately.

I hung around the Brain Aneurysm Foundation tent we had set up to help sell t-shirts and offer any information that I could to people who were curious. A woman from Orono, Maine, Gail Bickford, came down for the event and helped man the tent. She is not only a ruptured brain aneurysm survivor, but a cancer survivor. Some would say a walking miracle…and she DID walk! After Julie and I did our 1/2 of the walk, we came back to the tent to relieve Gail and then Gail proceeded to make the entire 3 1/2 trek. I was very proud of her and thrilled she did it. Certainly put ME to shame, but I did the best I could.

At the end of the day, Dave and I felt the walk was a success. We may not have had a professional event staff to man our walk, or a professional fund raising committee to plan and arrange the printing, donations and everything else, but I think that’s why our walk was so special. Everything that was done and everything that was created, was all very, very personal and done by Kim’s close friends and family, not my others
who didn’t know anything about her or aneurysms. As we said last year and this year, what we lacked in quantity, we more than made up for with quality and I know Kim would have been very pleased and proud of the work everyone did and the turn out. We think she was there in the form of the gale-force winds that popped up right there on the water! LOL Dave thinks it was Kim getting back at him for all of the scary sailboat rides he used to take her on.

God Bless you Kimmie and we’ll never forget you.

3rd Annie-Versary

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I “celebrated” my 3rd annie-versary of my rupture last Monday. It’s been a rough month with putting Kim to rest so close to my own anniversary of my rupture and things being very stressful at work. I think Dave and I just need some time away from everyone and everything.

BUT, I have to continue to remember what I’ve been through and how lucky I truly am. Also how lucky I am to have Dave with me.

Even though it has been three years,mthere are so many things about that time period that remain so fresh in my mind. Some good, some bad and even after three years, there are still things that effect my head. I still get very tired. I still have head pain when I cough hard or sneeze hard. My eyes still have trouble in stores that have a lot of enclosed, small aisles with tons of items in them.

One interesting “side effect” I noticed is that I sleep more soundly. I was always a VERY light sleeper prior to the rupture. Now, once I’m asleep…I’m out! The furnace doesn’t wake me up when it pops on. Only the cats seem to wake me when I don’t want to be awakened…as the did that cool October morning in 2006 shortly before the rupture.

I’ve had trouble dealing with Kim’smdeath over my survival of my rupture. The questions “Why her and not me” is a question that won’t ever be answered. And I supposed I have to be okay with that. It’s a struggle sometimes.

It’s been a tough year for Dave and I, but I look forward to making more plans for our wedding in June. Something we’re looking forward to with great anticipation.