Lyn Dankel
My name is Lyn. I am 40 yrs. old and a survivor of a brain aneurysm and stroke. Around 8 years ago, I started to get these weird light headed feelings, along with a feeling of disorientation and smothering. I would cry for no reason and it seemed as though I was having a mental breakdown. My marraige at the time was really rocky so that added to the stress. Finally around 1994 my husband (now ex) made me see the Dr. Those weird feelings seemed to be getting worse all the time. My Dr. thought it was anxiety/panic attacks. He gave me prozac and it seemed to help for a while. I hated the life I had, I was very deppressed. So I was happy that I finally knew what was wrong with me. Then the attacks became worse. My husband left me in 1995. I tried to work and not think about what he was doing. It was a very hard time. I got off the drug and started to eat lots of vitamins. In May 1996 I met a nice man at a divorce clinic. He kind of knew the pain I had been through. We fell in love. Sept. 14,1996 we went out that night to hear friends of ours play in a band. I had one glass of wine, got up to sing a song and felt really queasy. So we left to go home early. In the middle of the night I got out of bed and threw up. I couldn't understand it. I never got sick from one drink before, I thought I may have the flu. Sunday, Sept. 15,1996, my fiance, Scot wanted me to go with him to the store so he could get his watch repaired. I told him I didn't feel well, he promised it wouldn't take long, so I went. He went to the watch counter and I was looking at purses, when I got one of those weird attacks. I remember thinking to myself, Oh no, not now. It was stronger than the others ever were. I felt weak so I went to find Scot and tell him. I never made to him. I blacked out and hit my head face down on the hard tile. I remember hearing my name, and I awoke to find myself in an aid car. They told me I had a seizure and that they wanted to take me to the hospital to stitch the nasty cut on my head. I asked about my fiance and they said he was on his way to the hospital to meet me. After having my head stitched up they wanted me to get an MRI and a CAT SCAN. I had know idea of what they were to tell me next. They thought I may have an aneurysm. I remember looking at Scot thinking they were joking. I was young, I had three children, this can't be real. It was and I was really frightened. I hadn't seen my kids since I left to go to the store. The Dr. needed more tests. So, I had 2 or 3 spinal taps to see if there was blood in the spinal fluid and there was. Thats why I blacked out. My head felt as though it were literally splitting in two. The Dr. talked with Scot and I and suggested we go to Harbourview Medical in Seattle. He said they do brain surgeries every day there. So Monday, Sept.16,1996 they took me by ambulance to Seattle. Scot bought tickets for the family to see our first Mariners game, and the game was Monday. I told Scot that I was sorry I couldn't go now. So my brother got to take the kids. Surgery was Wednesday Sept.18,1996. I was nervous, but I had a lot of peace. I did have one little scare. A priest came over to my bed to pray for me. At first I thought he knew something I didn't and that he was there to give me my last rights. Then, a big sigh when he said he was going around to all the patients to pray with them. Scot took a lot of time off work to be with me. He was there almost every minute. Time came for surgery, I kissed him goodbye. I told him to take care of the kids if I didn't make it. My surgery was 14 hours long. I don't remember much after because I was on morphine. The Dr. said I had a calcium build up in the brain and it blocked the main artery. I had what is known as a berry aneurysm. They scraped calcium out and put in an aneurysm clip. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. When I went home, my Mother flew out from Ontario, Canada to help take care of me. My head was shaved off in the front and my son said I looked like a baseball with the way the stitches were. A year later I went back to work, but they laid me off after Christmas. They told me they thought it was too much stress for me. So, I'm still not working. I have to take medication now for a seizure disorder due to the surgery. I'm not supposed to drive. My Dr. told me that I had a minor stroke during surgery. An EEG shows slowing in the brain now too. My biggest complaint is lack of energy. Shopping, dishes, one small task and I'm so tired. My 3 childrens ages are 18,14, and 10. I'm just not the same as I used to be. They have had to depend on thereselves a lot. Some of the physical problems I now have are fatigue, blurry vision, vertigo(dizziness) and sometimes a short fuse. Also crying. I am very thankful to be alive and I know I'm getting better. Scot and I were married April 19,1998. He is very good to me and I'm very lucky he stood by me. One of the things I love to do, is sing. I sing in a band at church. I am also glad that I can still do that. Thankyou for offering this website. The stories I have read have been an inspiration to me.
