After initially struggling to find a neurosurgeon willing to take Medicaid and help her with a life-threatening condition, a 47-year-old Union City woman finally had the surgery that may have saved her life.
Peggy Albedhady, whose story was told in a February cover article “A 6-mm brain aneurysm and no one to help,” said last week that the abnormality grew to an even more dangerous proportion, 8 mm, when her doctor decided surgery was a must.
“That thing was getting ready to burst,” said Albedhady. But because she was so nervous about the surgery, her blood pressure increased, she said, and she was put on medication to try to bring it down while she waited another week.
Finally, Albedhady had a craniotomy to remove the aneurysm that could have killed her.
Afterward, she didn’t want to hear about every detail of the 12-hour procedure, but she asked her doctor to tell her just what she needed to know.
“What he said was that he got it,” said Albedhady. “He took the aneurysm.”
For a while, she seemed to be recovering normally.
“I was coming along pretty good,” she said. “I basically had mild headaches.”
But not all the side effects were physical. Having been so anxious about the surgery and about surviving to take care of her 3-year-old granddaughter, she started having frequent panic attacks.
“The doctor said he never saw anything like it.” – Peggy Albedhady
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She thought about going to the emergency room, but stayed home until a sneeze left her in tremendous pain.
“It felt like something exploded in my head,” said Albedhady. But what really happened was air bubbles got into her brain cavity.
Albedhady and her husband rushed to the emergency room, and the doctors there ran tests.
“They did the CAT scan and they came in right away,” she said. “The doctor said he never saw anything like it.”
She was immediately scheduled for a second procedure, this time to remove the air, on May 20.
Slowly recovering
Now, she said, she is trying to focus on her recovery. Her doctor said it could take her up to a year to regain normalcy.
“I try to keep getting up the same time every day,” said Albedhady. “I don’t want depression to kick in, but I am depressed, I have other things going on in my life.”
She said she is still taking care of her granddaughter Sophia, but it has gotten much harder.
“I can’t pick her up,” said Albedhady. “I am not allowed to pick her up. She is starting to get it now.”
Albedhady hadn’t wanted her granddaughter to know about her condition, and before the surgery, she had successfully kept it from her.
Since she is now not supposed to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs., Albedhady has a home health aide helping her with routine housework and cooking. The patient said she also has to be careful about getting her head wet and sitting in the sun.
“I have to follow directions,” said Albedhady. “He put me back together, and now I am going to be all right. As long as I do my part, I think I will make it.”
Long struggle to find doctors
Still having the occasional panic attack, Albedhady said she is working through her anxiety with a counselor who has been there for her at all times. She said she has reported to the state how she was allegedly mistreated by certain doctors and hospitals when they learned what medical insurance she carried.
She said she doesn’t hold a grudge and she is just happy to have gotten the chance to get better.
“I am grateful for the help I got,” said Albedhady.
Amanda Staab can be reached at astaab@hudsonreporter.com.