So if there were ever any doubts that Owl is a dramatic, attention-seeking medical diva- allow me to lay them to rest.
On July 1 she went in for her CT Angio. This is where they injected a radioactive dye into her brains to see how the aneurysm was doing. Turns out the aneurysm was doing great, had settled down and decided to start a family. Specifically, a daughter. Yes, her aneurysm had a baby aneurysm.
Following the CT Angio, Owlie sprung a leak from the femoral artery that the surgeons had opened to access her brainy bits, and when the nurse couldn’t close it off, she had to call for backup. So a giant man named Danny mashed Owlie’s leg closed apologetically for a while until the spurting stopped.
On July 2, the surgeons went back in through the same artery to repair the two aneurysms, and found that a third daughter had appeared within the 24 hours since the CT Angio, popping in for a lovely mother-daughter tea perhaps. The doctors brought a balloon, and you know when someone brings a balloon it’s going to be a party.
They used the balloon to block off the exit to the rest of Owlie’s brain and then filled the aneurysms with a fancy brain glue called Onyx.
Science says that Onyx is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer dissolved in the organic solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) opacified with tantalum powder, but google says that onyx is a type of stone. And that is why Owlie’s husband is now snickering that she literally has rocks for brains.
Later, Owlie awoke from anaesthesia and starting bleeding all over the place again. First into her stomach and then back out again, projectile vomiting blood all over everything. Then from her leg again, because all that vomiting caused her to spring open the same leak. And then a vein collapsed in her arm. So she bled into her arm too. I wasn’t there. But I’m pretty sure she looked like a purple lawn sprinkler spraying tomato juice. Just saying.
Alhamdulillah, Owlie has since been upgraded from lawn sprinkler to walking dead, and her pasty, zombie-white self was allowed to shuffle (gently) out of the hospital and back to our brother’s house. You can read her account here.
To make a long story short, she’s alive. She’s recovering. Her head is full of rocks. And the moment her husband messaged to say that the surgery was a success I broke down completely- in the darkness of my living room, 2:30 am Dubai time- into the longest Sajda of gratitude and happy tears that I have ever done, for anything. Ever.
AllahuAkbar wa lillahilhamd.
:’)
All is well that ends well. May all the patience, pain and perseverance be rewarded multifold.
-Walhamdulillahi Katheera-
Al hamdulillah!!!! Please pass on my love. Praying much for Z2.
Oy. I are not a diva. I are a ZEBRA. You know, I sound like a horse, but I am not a horse. Makes complete sense to me.
Alhamdullilah. Did I say that yet? Cuz I can’t say it enough. I am so blessed. Even if I do now literally have rocks for brains. 😀
Jazakallah everyone for your prayers and love and Zeba, don’t tell me you cry! It makes me cry! *hug*
I didnt want to cry..but ur sisters comment made me..alhamdulillah truly our Lord is the best of the providers
Alhamdullilah. Wow. I mean, wow. When you do aneurysms, you go all out! Glad you are on the mend and will keep you in my prayers.
Sumaya: Alhamdullilah. He really is. If there is anything that I learn from the insane rollercoaster that is my life, is that Allah is the Best of Planners, and everything happens for a reason.
Hey Baji! I keep emailing you at the old email address. Let’s blame my rock for brains. 😀 But I wanted to keep you in the loop that I was alive and well – just, as you rightly pointed out, prone to medical dramatics. 🙂