I just returned from the Christmas Holiday, spending time with my in-laws in Tulsa, OK.   I always love going to visit my husband’s joyful, and quite large family.  At any given time, there are no less than 10 people visiting – his parent’s live by the open door policy, which means that when you’re there, time alone really isn’t all that possible.  This trip, I had the privilege of “making the rounds” at the hospital with my father-in-law who is a neurosurgeon.  I had asked if I could spend some time with him as he interacted with patients, previewed scans and did many post-op appointments with aneurysm/AVM patients.  We at The Joe Niekro Foundation visit patients frequently, offering support and prayers to the families, and hope to these sad, anxious and overall frightened individuals.  But, for as many times as I have walked those hospital halls – it never gets easier.  Aneurysms seem to be something that you don’t hear much about – that is until your life is affected by one – but a few minutes in the Neuro ICU and you soon see that they are so much more common than you realize.  My heart always aches for those families, spouses and friends who are hanging on to every bit of hope imagineable as their loved ones fight for their life.  The advancements in aneurysm treatments has grown incredibly over the years, but no matter how advanced these treatments are, unfortunately there will always be a few patients that even the best treatments in the world can’t save…and those are some of the patients I saw this week.  These killers….these ugly enemies we call aneurysms are evil and can change our life in a matter of seconds.  This is why we continue to promote the importance of early detection…why we continue to educate the public on the warning signs and what to do when you have “the worst headache of your life.”  Please, I beg you – don’t take this lightly….save yourself and your life before it’s too late!  Find out if you’re at risk today!

And to those patients and families from this past weekend, and to all those across the country who are suffering from an aneurysm/AVM, may God bless you!