Portrait: Andrew
On June 29th 2018, I had a ruptured brain aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage. I was at an airport about to board a plane.
A little bit about Andrew
On June 29th 2018, I had a ruptured brain aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage. I was at an airport about to board a plane. The only symptoms I experienced were that I began to sweat uncontrollably, and my backpack felt like it had bricks in it. Still, I disregarded these "red flags," and when they called my group, I attempted to board the plane. The floor started to shift like I was in a funhouse at a carnival, and I fell on the jetway. Since it was early in the morning, and the airport had fewer travellers, first responders could get to me quickly. Thankfully, I hadn't been at home, in the bathroom at the airport, or boarded the plane.
My recovery
During the first year, there were physical limitations that required therapy and time to heal, but it was the emotional recovery that was the most difficult. It took about three years before I felt comfortable with an uncertain future that didn't resemble anything I had envisioned. Support from my family, other survivors, time, and a non-profit, Brain Injury Services, helped me to adjust.
What life looks like these days
In 2018, I had been an English teacher, and my first crime fiction book had been accepted for publication just before my aneurysm. I still find time to write (thankfully, my processing and cognition weren't permanently affected). I'm now finishing up a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program to help others navigate their recoveries.
My advice to others
In terms of advice, be kind to yourself. The recovery will happen in its own time and way and will not be a straight line. As a reminder, I used to think of the lyrics by Paula Abdul and M.C. Skat Kat: "I take two steps forward, I take two steps back... we come together cause opposites attract."
Find Andrew’s book, “The Second Act: My Recovery Of A Ruptured Brain Aneurysm”, on Amazon here.