Experience: a brain surgeon dropped part of my skull on the floor
I was a healthy 34-year-old when a mass of blood vessels ruptured close to my brain. It took three neurosurgeons and a risky 16-hour operation to fix me On a Sunday in May 2017, I was at the gym and using a chest press when there was this pop. It wasn’t a sound – it was more like a sigh in my body. There was no pain, but I went limp. I shuffled along the wall to some mats. I thought I was having…
In the spring of 2017, a 34-year-old man found himself in a hospital bed after a devastating brain injury. At the time, he was in peak physical condition, participating in gym workouts like chest presses. However, during one such exercise, he experienced an inexplicable sensation akin to a sigh emanating from within. Despite the lack of pain, he felt his body go limp, shuffling towards the mats with uncertainty.
Initially, he feared a stroke, as his left leg began to numb while his upper body remained functional. Concerned, he sought medical attention at St Thomas' hospital in London, where doctors initially suspected a bruised spine. Mistakenly discharged, he underwent a series of missed follow-ups. The culprit behind his condition was a ruptured blood vessel near his brain, requiring an extensive 16-hour surgery involving three neurosurgeons to repair.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
