Brain Aneurysm Foundation One Day at a Time: Embracing the Road to Recovery After a Brain Aneurysm
“Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes longer than you thought it would.”
– Anonymous
When facing a challenge as overwhelming as recovering from a brain aneurysm, familiar advice like “one day at a time” or “baby steps” truly resonates.
A brain aneurysm is a life-altering event that requires not only physical effort in therapy (physical, occupational, and speech) and lifestyle adjustments but also a deep commitment to patience, self-compassion, resilience, and a strong support network. Recovery may be a long journey, but every small step is a meaningful one.
The brain is one of the most resilient organs in the body, capable of adapting and reorganizing itself after injury. In areas where damage is too extensive for regeneration, the brain can reroute functions like speech or movement from the affected area to healthier regions. This remarkable flexibility enables new parts of the brain to take over tasks once managed by damaged sections.
Recovery, however, is often a gradual process. The brain is designed to learn incrementally, improving through small adjustments after each challenge. Embracing this slow and steady progress is essential; it’s a normal and positive part of the healing journey. Recovery may take a lifetime, but every step forward is a triumph, not a failure.
“All things are difficult before they are easy.” – Thomas Fuller
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict the length of time or how much improvement will occur after treating a brain aneurysm. In the best of cases, patients may have minimal recovery times and no long-term effects. On the other hand, others may face longer roads with life-long challenges. Many factors contribute to the recovery time, such as if and where the aneurysm ruptured, if the patient experienced subsequent medical problems (vasospasm) and the kind of medical treatment they received (open surgery (clipping) or endovascular treatment (embolization)).
Embracing Your Journey as a Brain Aneurysm Survivor 
The physical and emotional challenges survivors endure are traumatic and can cause grief. It is normal to go through stages of denial, anger or frustration, depression or withdrawal, before being able to move on to acceptance. Regardless of where you are on your post-brain aneurysm treatment path, here are some things to consider as you take on the road to recovery and acceptance.
PHYSICAL CHANGES
Some physical changes after a brain aneurysm may gradually improve over time, while others may persist for years. It’s important to remember that recovery isn’t always linear. Even if progress feels slower than expected, rest assured that you’re still moving forward. Often, small improvements accumulate over time, leading to significant change. Embracing moments of frustration or perceived setbacks as opportunities to learn, rather than viewing them as failures, can help you build resilience and continue making progress.
The most common physical changes survivors may experience include:
Open Surgery (Clipping):
- Incision Pain or Numbness
- Hearing Loss
- Jaw Pain
- Clicking Noise in the Head
- Seizures
Endovascular Treatment (Embolization):
- Slowed Reaction Times
- Groin Pain
- Hair Loss
- Fatigue
- Diminished Sense of Smell or Taste
- Headaches
- Vision Problems
- Lower Back Pain
- Constipation
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHANGES
Survivors of brain aneurysms often face emotional and psychological challenges in their recovery journey. It’s common to experience difficulties with emotional regulation, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness can also emerge. Relationships and the perception of a “normal life” may shift as well. It’s essential for survivors to understand that they are not alone during these tough times. Sharing emotions and concerns with supportive people can help put things into perspective and foster healthier coping strategies. Along with professional guidance, joining a support group like the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s online community offers a valuable space for survivors to adjust to their “new” reality.
Potential Deficits
Following treatment or an aneurysm rupture, survivors may experience both short- and long-term physical or neurological deficits. These may range from subtle or unnoticed changes to more pronounced impairments. Many of these deficits improve over time, especially with therapy and rehabilitation. The key to progress is patience and self-compassion. It’s normal to have days where you feel closer to your goals, and others when you may need to adjust expectations based on how you feel physically and mentally.
Memory Problems
Memory issues, both short-term and long-term, can arise depending on the location of the aneurysm or the treatment received. Survivors may struggle with processing, storing, and recalling information, or learning new material. Consulting a neuropsychologist or a trained rehabilitation professional is crucial for understanding which cognitive functions may be affected and for developing the most effective recovery plan.
Building a Recovery Routine: Tips for Staying Organized and Strengthening Memory
- Organize — Use a daily planner, calendar, or device such as a smartphone to schedule your day. Never before were “sticky notes” so important. Invest in several packages of these. You can also consider an audio recorder or use your smartphone’s recording function if that will help you remember things.
- Written plan and “notes-to-self” — Write down all important information, such as doctor appointments, social engagements, birthdays and other important events, and medication schedules.
- Routine — Recovering from serious illness requires a healthy and well-planned routine. Routines solidify and anchor memories, so they can be recalled much more quickly and with less frustration. Put important items such as keys in the same place each and every time.
- Regular reviews — Each evening, review your day’s events and recall specific details.
- Play — Crossword puzzles, word searches, and other games help with information recall.
Back to Your Regular Routine
No aneurysm survivor is like any other making each journey unique. Some are longer and harder than others and the outcomes will vary at different points of the recovery process. Striving to resume your regular routine or get back to work is a common goal and may take a lot of patience to accomplish. Taking one day at a time and recognizing each day’s limitations or growth opportunities will help you achieve that goal. If you are realistic and embrace gradual improvements over a long period of time, you will be proud of your recovery process whether you’ve made it back to a familiar routine or “new norm.”
Other resources:
Learning Principles to Aid Recovery
Brain Aneurysm Foundation Support Community
