Portrait: Valerie
I was attacked while at work. I had just been acknowledged companywide for the work that I had done within the community. During the attack my head flew back, and everything went white.
Where Valerie’s story starts
I was a victim of workplace violence. The obvious injury was to my neck, which required disc replacement surgery. In the years following the disc replacement surgery, I struggled with (what seemed like) random symptoms like eye twitching, electric sensations in my jaw/teeth, numbness and tingling down my arms and in my hands. I saw numerous specialists who ran countless tests that, for the most part, were inconclusive. None of the doctors stepped back to look at the bigger picture of what could have happened to my brain when I was attacked. It wasn’t until I was referred to a neurosurgeon that I had several brain scans done. It was not until many years later when my brain aneurysms were diagnosed. In March I underwent brain stent surgery. I have been in absolute hell. I have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, PTSD, tinnitus, stomach disorders, and sinus disorders.
The moment that changed my life
I was attacked by my co-workers while at work. I had just been acknowledged companywide for the work that I had done within the community. During the attack my head flew back, and everything went white. This is when the noise, screaming and chaos took over. When I say noise and screaming, it was like a banshee screaming in my head 24-7. Doctors passed it off as tinnitus with a bleak diagnosis of “nothing can be definitively done for tinnitus.” I knew there was something more going on. In time, I felt an increasing pressure in my head, to the point where I truly felt my head would explode.
For me, it was like watching the world on a static TV and the sound was not in sync. The only thing that was clear in my head was reliving the attack.
Due to the attack, I had neck disc replacement surgery and moved from my home in Tampa Florida to Kentucky.
Undergoing surgery
I had the aneurysm surgery using a titanium stent long enough to cage a small and much larger aneurysm (1 cm). Immediately following the surgery, my doctor reported back how quickly the large aneurysms shrank. I noticed immediate relief of the intense head pressure and the screaming had stopped.
The doctors saved my life.
My counselor has been my saving grace through dealing with PTSD, finding out I had an aneurysm and now post-aneurysm life. For me, it felt like a near-death experience.
My family keep me going
My husband, Adam, and our daughter, Sydney, and son, Andrew, are my home. They are the reason I kept going. They hold me close even when the world makes no sense. Even now when I look back, things seem jumbled and scary, but I remember we had beautiful adventures together. Adam and I traveled to New Zealand and Dubai. Our kids are successful and found their wings.
I told myself at the time to remember these moments with my family, because I knew that there was something different about my memory.
How I’m moving forward
The best medicine that helps my heart and brain are the things that make me happy, such as my new Icelandic horse, Lettleiki, and celebrating Kwanzaa for the first time. The constant calm, strength and energy that soothes and invigorates my brain is Kanye West. I am always playing his music!
Reconnecting, making new friends and being close to family is the best advice for fellow TBI survivors.