Richard Tolar

Seven years ago, 4/3/02, I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. It wiped out about 20 or so years of memories. I've been working really hard to get back to a somewhat normal state of mind. In doing so, I have discovered a whole new world that has evolved into todays wonders.

I think that maybe I should expand on the aneurysm thing a bit. On April 3rd, 2002 at around 8:15am EST. I stepped out into the hall from our bathroom. I was sweating like I was stuck in a sauna with very high humidity.

Fortunate for me my wife had decided to finish watching a program before she went to bed; she was a 3rd shift nurse at the time. What follows is what I was told.

I said that I'm having a real headache problem and dropped like a rock to the floor.  Again lucky me, because my wife, Bonnie, knew exactly what to do. She's really good at saving lives.

The survival rate, at that time was very small, 2% to 5% during the 1st few hours of a rupture. The chances drop even more if it is not attended to right away.  

Once in the ER I spent a couple of hours in an operating room. What sets me off a bit is a doctor came out to the waiting room after about an hour and told my wife that  I would not survive.  It's clear that he did not know either me or my wife. We are both survivors!

Anyhow,  they shoved just about every tube they had in the ER room in my head, nose, throat, stomach, chest, and a couple of places I never knew a tube could go.

The got the bleeding stopped by inserting metal coils in the ruptured hole in the brain artery. The coils are still there. A NOTE: The coils are much better than having the skull cracked open and clipping the ruptured artery closed.

It took about 10 weeks before I came out of a stuper. I was in a rehab hospital at that time. I had no idea why I was there or what had happened.

It's been a tough 7 years. The first two were the worst.  I had no idea who I was or where I was. I had to learn how to walk and talk all over. There again is where Bonnie came into play. She knows how to take care of victims like me.

There are still a lot of things that I can't do. Things that most just do without giving a thought about what they are doing.  ie: Starting your car. The key is in your hand, but what is it for? You are holding the TV remote. Why?

The brain can do funny things.  But, I guess that's what makes us all different.

It's a new world for me and I intend to make the most of it. 

Good marketing to all.

RT...