On September 1, 2020, in an unrelated trip to the emergency room, I learned that I had a 6 mm aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery.  After consulting with my Neurosurgeon and a team of professionals, the best course of action was surgery.  The aneurysm was oddly shaped, therefore ruling out endovascular coiling as an option.  On November 30, 2020, I underwent a craniotomy to have my aneurysm clipped.

When I went in for my follow up appointment, I asked the Nurse Practitioner if there were any support groups for aneurysm survivors and she told me about JNF.  I connected with someone through email and was given the Facebook site.  I found that I needed to share my experience with others who knew what I was feeling physically and emotionally.

Connecting with JNF has greatly benefitted me.  I was able to nominate my physician for the patient choice award and subsequently present it to him at the Knuckle Ball Gala.  It has allowed me to encourage other survivors on the Facebook support group and being an admin of the Facebook group allows me to connect with thousands of survivors and their family members.  Connecting with JNF also allowed me the opportunity to join the Board of Directors.

My words of hope and advice to other survivors and their families would be to be patient, have faith and take one day at a time.  You will have down days, allow yourself those moments but just don’t stay there. I would also advise everyone to take advantage of this second chance at life, we are all still here for a reason, find that WHY and soar with it every day.”  I am embracing my second chance at life and cherish each day.  Seeing firsthand how different the outcome could have been, I take advantage of every opportunity to be of service.