A Philadelphia woman who suffered a nearly fatal brain aneurysm in her home is now hoping others learn from her story. At the time of her aneurysm, she was a full-time healthcare manager and working on a master’s degree; she’d been working in the healthcare field for more than 25 years. Philly.com recently told of her story and her initiative to raise awareness for those who may be at risk for brain aneurysms. She hopes that increased awareness of the risk factors for brain-aneurysm will save lives.
A brain aneurysm is a “bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain.” An aneurysm may rupture causing bleeding in the brain, also known as a hemorrhagic stroke, which can quickly become deadly. Brain aneurysms that do not rupture may be discovered through medical testing and procedures can be done to prevent rupture.
The 58 year old Philadelphia woman gave little attention to her risk factors for brain aneurysm leading up to her devastating injury. She was a smoker. She had a poor diet leading to years of high blood pressure and a family medical history that should have been another red flag. Each of these factors put her at significantly increased risk for aneurysm.
One night, the woman’s son found her unconscious and lying on the ground. He had her rushed to a local hospital. After being unconscious for weeks, she found herself in Temple University Hospital. She had to undergo two surgeries and then had to relearn how to walk and talk. She eventually returned to work but only lasted three weeks before it was discovered that her brain was bleeding and another surgery was necessary. She then faced yet another long recovery at a rehab facility.
This woman’s story provides a very important message for at-risk patients. It took nearly losing her life for this woman to realize just how important it is to monitor your health and pay attention to daily habits may be putting you at risk. It is easy to get caught up in our day-to-day lives and neglect to take care of our health. For certain individuals, the effects of this neglect can be devastating and even fatal. If not treated immediately, incidents such as brain-aneurysms are can prove fatal. In order to prevent these incidents and ensure that you are doing everything for your health, pay attention to your risk factors and family history. Your physicians, local healthcare facilities and community organizations can provide more information about the risk factors for brain aneurysms and other serious medical conditions.
