Since I was a child, I had known what a brain aneurysm was and that if one ruptured, it could kill you. This knowledge came from my Grandma Lillian whose mother had died at the age of 32 from a ruptured brain aneurysm. We knew from our own research that one of the biggest warning signs of a leaking/ruptured brain aneurysm was a sudden and very painful headache; a headache that survivors describe as the worst headache of their life. This headache may also be accompanied by a stiff neck, sensitivity to light and nausea. My mom had such a headache when her aneurysm began to leak the morning of December 23rd, 2018. Unfortunately, she waited to call 911 and by the time they arrived, it was to late.
If my mom had called 911 immediately would she have lived? Would they have been able to save her life? I will never know. I do know that about 30,000 people in the United States suffer a ruptured brain aneurysm. Brain aneurysms are fatal in about 50 percent of people who have a rupture. Those who survive, often have permanent deficits. With a ruptured brain aneurysm every second counts.