God sure does have a wicked sense of humour!

In November, I started a new med for perimenopause and depression (a kind of two in one thing😆) and the third night I took it I woke up with a slight headache.... Until I reached the bathroom where I was going to get a Tylenol. Then BAM!! My head felt like it had exploded and was on fire! It was the worse headache I had ever had. I was able to call out to Dennis before I fell to the floor - where I am not sure if I passed out or not. I was hot and cold, my head was pounding, I couldn't talk or open my eyes... The. The heaving started - followed by Dennis getting me in the tub and was trying to cool me off because like I said, I felt like I was on fire! Some how Dennis got me back into bed where I again either passed out or went to sleep. I woke up the next morning with one of those migraine hangovers that takes a day or two to recover from.

We called the doctor because we were thinking that it was down to the medicine I was taking but she said no and called for a ct scan to be done. Then I promptly forgot about it. Head was gone, gave the pills another chance and issues with them. 

Fast forward to a week or so later and the doctor calls to say that they think they have found an aneurysm in the Circle of Willis in my brain; and another ct will confirm this. There was a lot of things said that pointed to possible coiling (a procedure to fix said aneurysm) and no travelling by plane for Christmas (we were planning to go to my moms in Southern Ontario). We had an appt with doctor before ct and told her again of the symptoms I experienced and some family history (I had a cousin die from a brain aneurysm a few years go). She assured us I was NOT a ticking time bomb and the next ct would give us more to go on. So we waited....and waited... And waited. In real time I had the ct on Thursday and got the results on the Monday but it felt like FOREVER! 

The second ct confirmed a small 2mm aneurysm and when the doctor called a specialist, she thought he sounded annoyed by her calling with such "a small aneurysm" because they would do nothing about it but they would see me anyway (since they get paid to see me - apparently what he said).i am also good to travel by plane now 😳 too. Which is nice so I can go see my mom, but does freak me out a bit! 

Now nice again we play the waiting game. Wait to hear from the vascular specialist, then wait for an appointment and I am sure a wait to,get results and see what they think. 

Now there is something about this that is a bit nice to know... I have headaches.

All.

The.

Time.

It is just the severity that  changes...

Circle of Willis -- My diagnosis-- a small saccular bulging of the left anterior cerebral artery and/or the junction of the anterior communicating artery

UPDATE: so we heard from the neuro vascular at the Health Science Centre in Winnipeg before Christmas and I was told by my doctor that I was safe to travel by plane to visit my mom! We had a wonderfully marvellous visit with her!! I was so glad I could go. I have an appt with the Neuro on Jan 29th ... so it is still a waiting game. 

I ave joined an Annie (the short form/nickname for aneurysms) support group on FB and they have given me some support and advice for our appt. Number ONE is ask for a second opinion -- so if his annoyance continues with our appointment that will definitely be happening. Another thing I learned was that even though the doctors say there is no correlation to Annies and headaches, most people with them DO experience headaches similar to mine! so I was told to stick to my guns. (little does this specialist know I have been dealing with these kinds of doctors for 8+ years!) 

I have still been having headaches and two times I have had toradol at the hospital.  And I have been having just daily pains in the head which are vastly becoming a pain in the a$$. 

I will try to keep things updates on here more.... but we will see.

on a humorous side note - when our son Isaac told his gf about the annie and we had the appt with the neuro the gf said (and I am SURE it was said with a smile) "What is it with your family and brain injuries!?"  I laughed and that to myself... "does this mean I have to change my blog title to family of 4 survivors?" LOL -- You have to laugh or you will only cry! lol