Hey there! I am Athanasia. I got diagnosed with lupus since I was 7 years old. At the age of 23 I had the worst lupus flare of my life that led to two ischemic strokes. Half a year after my last stroke, my doctors found out that I developed 4 brain aneurysms on my cerebellum due to lupus, which apparently is a rare occurrence.
They urged me to not exercise as I take anticoagulant medication. I lost hope after we found out about the aneurysms and I entered a depressive phase that lasted for some months. Firstly, I could not cope with the idea that I had four ticking time bombs in my brain that if they burst, it could lead to the end of my existence, or severe disability. Now, I changed medical professionals and the new doc allows me to do exercise as long as I measure my blood pressure and monitor it below 12mmHg.
However, I cannot settle only on the happy side of this. If the aneurysms start getting larger due to the inflammation lupus induces, I will have to go through a surgical intervention called endovascular coiling which one its side effects stroke is included and of course the rupture of the brain aneurysm.
For now, I am carrying the aneurysms with me and I try to accept them.
