12 year old suffers brain aneurysm *UPDATE*

[lakegeorge_mom]

My dd best friend, Abby, suffered a brain aneurysm that ruptured last week. She is 12. She is lying in a medically induced coma, in critical condition, unable to communicate and on machines helping her survive. She was at school, all of a sudden a severe headache made her go to the nurse. On the way she collapsed, half of her side had gone numb, then she was unconscious. They airlifted her an hour away to the childrens hospital where she is still today, almost a week later.

I am not writing this to make moms cry, I wont give more medical info on how she is, or what we may be looking at, there are medical websites to explain it all if u wish more info. I am writing this to tell u moms to please pay attention if your child sufffers from persistent headaches. There are silent, and deadly, things that happen to us without warning, this one is called an aneurysm, though it may also be an av malformation. Another that is silimar is an embolism, that usually affects the heart. If your child has leg aches, unknown bruises often, get them looked at.

One thing that is worth mentioning is whats happened since Abby was affected by this. She so wanted to be popular, though honestly she has alot of friends, trust me my dd cell and text bill is crazy and she never gets a quiet moment, but the populars were thought to be better. They wear the best clothes, are the prettiest, usually are athletes. My Abby always tried so hard to be as good as them, my dd doesnt try as hard and could care less she says, but girls are girls. Well since this happened to Abby, the titles have been pushed Aside. "populars" were sitting with my dds friends asking about Abby, crying with them, signing the cards. When we had a candlelight vigil for her, teachers came, bus drivers, grandparents, kids in all groups all hugged, cried and lit a candle for Abby. Kids in school from all groups have come together to support each other through this, and stand together with hopes and prayers our Abby will come home soon. Well Abby, my sweet baby girl, you are popular now. Everyone all over this town knows of you, how you are suffering, we are all standing together sending stength, prayers, and love to you, wishing you to get better. The labels dont matter when one so young and so pretty, young, sweet and always obnoxiously happy suffers. Kids, care a little less whether they shop at old navy or Aeropostale, care more that you are all young and healthy and able to enjoy life.

I went to see Abby today, its been a week, and she is fighting!!  She is starting to breathe more on her own so they are turning down the ventilator to allow her to do more on her own. She is now being fed through an ng tube, she was just on iv fluids. She is off the cold packs, she was packed to keep her cold to slow her body to prevent more aneurysms and brain damage, her body is doing so well on its own they took it off. She was at 97.7 on  her own. When her mother and I were talking I was on her right side, she moved her right arm up into the air! As if she were reaching... she is reacting to pinches and penlights when the dr is examining her. Her cranial pressure is down and staying down so we should be able to run tests in the next few days to see how much damage was done to her brain and exactly what went wrong. How could a 12 year old suffer a brain aneurysm? She is fighting..and our Abby will keep fighting.. we are determined to have her home to shop for next years school clothes, next years school dances, and I think she is just as determined. Thank you all for the nice notes of best wishes, and kind prayers and thoughts. We are a tight community where we live, we have had candlelight vigils, we have a fundraiser at a local skating/gokart/lasertag rink coming up, we have hundreds of cards from the kids at school, flowers,cards and balloons from people throughout the community too. It makes u look around and appreciate so much when a child suffers.

[FLMomOf1]

Mar. 23, 2009 at 10:58 AM

Thanks for sharing, sometimes we forget that kids are subject to the same things that causes adults to die.  I will be lifting Abby up and prayer because I know that GOD can change things.

[Imamom4sure]

Apr. 3, 2009 at 4:12 AM I just found out but am going to read every post, I'm flabbergasted that this could happen, thanks for looking out for all our children, I'm so sorry for Abby and her loved ones.