Brain aneurysm patient puts pen to paper

In 2017, Megan Bacigalupo survived a near-fatal brain hemorrhage, while riding a bike. Megan shared her story in a Here for Life blog post several years ago.

“A lot has changed since then. I had written a short essay that was not only featured in that post, but it was also featured throughout some of the leading brain aneurysm foundations. It was titled, “In the Cobwebs of My Mind” and it has now been expanded into a book of the same title, In the Cobwebs of My Mind: A Vivid and Magical Recollection of Surviving a Brain Hemorrhage.

September is Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month. It aims to raise awareness, educate about prevention and warning signs, and raise funds for research.

A brain aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on an artery in the brain that balloons out and fills with blood. This puts pressure on the brain tissue. If it bursts, blood spills out into the surrounding tissue, and is called a hemorrhage. This can cause serious problems such as stroke, brain damage, coma and even death. Progress in neurocritical care has significantly lowered the mortality rate.

According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, emotional changes after a brain aneurysm can be confusion, changes in self-esteem and self-confidence, feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. Megan felt a lot of those.

“My book documents the strength and creativity of a healing brain and all that it witnessed in its struggle to survive. It was written in no specific order, in a discombobulated form, much like my brain as it was healing. It is avant-garde. It is gestalt. It is rich, vivid, and theatrical. This story ushers the reader into a world of possibilities, creating a complex, poetic, and imaginative experience. ‘Cobwebs’ teeters between two worlds – the world of ghost-dancing hallucinations and the world of mundane visitations by doctors, nurses, family, and friends. I use several artistic disciplines: It is imagined as a one-woman show, a documentary film, and more; it is visually stunning with images that capture the true essence of my experience, which took place right here at Hennepin Healthcare and in the cobwebs of my mind.”

Megan continues, “I share my inspirational story. I encourage other brain injury survivors to share their stories. We all have a story to tell. Trust your vision, your instinct, or your impulse. If you lived through a ruptured aneurysm a.k.a- a hemorrhagic stroke or a brain bleed, you survived major trauma. You are a lucky one! I continue to receive my aftercare, here at Hennepin/Healthcare. I am so glad to be a part of this community. I have had several wonderful experiences here throughout my life. Bravo, Hennepin Healthcare. Five stars!”

Megan Bacigalupo remains a patient at Hennepin Healthcare.

Her book is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.