Hi! My name is Kristin and I am a disabled vet tech and survivor of a SAH and THREE brain aneurysms. My story starts with my mom.
On Christmas 1993, my mom complained of the “worst headache of her life”. I was only seven so there’s not much that I remember from back then but my mom was taking to a local hospital where it was discovered she had a ruptured brain aneurysm, which caused a stroke. She was air lifted to a more advanced hospital where she had a craniotomy to clip that brain aneurysm. I do remember she was on life support and in a coma. She survived but so much trauma was eft for my family.
On November 30, 2020, I lost consciousness and knew something was wrong. I had my dad call 911 and I was rushed to the hospital. It’s crazy because, other than the severe vertigo and vomiting, I showed no other “typical” symptoms. I was given an anti-emetic in the ambulance and did feel better so I was convinced I had just pinched a nerve as the EMTs theorized. Turns out I actually had three brain aneurysms and one ruptured. I was then transported to the same hospital that my mom was taken to almost 27 years earlier. When I heard the diagnosis, the trauma from my mom’s battle came rushing back and I thought it was a death sentence. I had coils placed in one aneurysm that was life-threatening and close to rupturing. The next day, I had a craniotomy to place clips on the remaining aneurysms but soon after, trouble started. I lost all muscle tone on the right side of my body so I was rushed back to surgery. At some point, I had a grand mal seizure and stopped breathing. One of the clips had slipped and blocked my actual artery instead of just the aneurysm. That one was quickly removed. I continued to fight but developed hydrocephalus. There’s not much that I remember from that time and I’m thankful for that. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and then 2 weeks in rehab. I had to learn how to walk, talk, feed myself, process my emotions, and so much more. But I did it.
I came home on Christmas Day, which was my mom’s 27th annie-versary. Five days later, on the one-month annie-versary of when my battle started, we lost my mom. She passed away due to dementia and I’m still struggling to cope with losing her. I know she gave me the rest of her strength so her baby girl would kick butt but I’ve never needed her more.
As weird as it may sound, my stroke was the best thing to ever happen to me. Yes, I have disabilities but I overcome all of what I’m dealt. I started my own Facebook group for fellow Warriors, Brain Aneurysm Warriors, and I’m so proud of that. I’m far better than who I was prior and I will forever keep working on myself to become the best that I can be.
Follow Kristen on social @warrior.kristin
