7/16/2011 An Honor To Be At A Brave's Game

On July 16, 2011 several of us aneurysm SURVIVORS were invited to an Atlanta Brave's Game that was honoring us as well as the http://www.joeniekrofoundation.org/ in this photo is myself in between fellow aneurysm survivor Scott, who actually ended up having to have TWO surgeries because he was "Coiled" the first time and when he got checked 2 years later it was leaking again into his brain and then had to have the original aneurysm clipped! To my right as you are looking at the photo is Katie who I call my Angel. She was always there, had the best bedside Manner and she always answered my questions as to what was going on and she would put them in "layman's terms". She also is extremely active in the success of the Brain Aneurysm survivor's group at Emory University Hospital.


Here is Lindsay getting a hug from "HOMER" the Brave's Mascot. I was shocked she was not afraid of him.




Then I got into the picture with Lindsay and Homer!

Here we, the SURVIVOR'S are out on the field with our special "Knuckle Up For Aneurysm Research" Tee-shirts on. They were hoping for up to 50 of us to be able to come; but for this year only 16-18 of us were there on time to be on the field. We're hoping to do this again next year with larger numbers!

Here we are meeting the former (HALL OF FAME) Brave's Player Phil Niekro (Joe's brother)and Natalie Niekro (Joe's Daughter) on the field! This was such an honor, everyone couldn't have been any nicer!

Natalie Niekro (Phil's neice)is the Founder/President of the Joe Niekro Foundation. This Foundation was established in 2007, in honor of Joe who lost his life from a sudden ruptured brain aneurysm on 10/27/2006. The lack of public awareness and research of such a widespread and often fatal condition led to a launch of a crusade to educate and encourage awareness about aneurysms.

Each person who suffers an aneurysm may have extremely different results and recoveries.

Every 8 minutes an anurysm ruptures 50% of those individuals die within minutes. A cerebral aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on a blood vessel in the brain that balloons out and fills with blood. The bulging aneurysm can put pressure on a nerve or surrounding brain tissue. It may also leak or rupture, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue (a hemmorage).

As you might guess, I feel like a walking MIRACLE! So many things happened that night in my favor to help save my life and I am so thankful that I did not leave my husband and 2 beautiful girls' on August 5, 2008. Just 3.5 weeks after I gave birth to Brooke Marie Bresnan.

Here I am as we are being led off the field.

Here is Lindsay a happy girl, at her first EVER Brave's game!!

Lindsay figures out how to get comfortable in the stands and chills out at the game.

As the night went on, Lindsay started getting silly!

Lindsay learned the TOMAHAWK CHOP--Here she is doing a DOUBLE CHOP!! She is so funny!

Linds & Mommy our shirts said "WANNA GET LUCKY" on the front, and "GET YOURSELF SCANNED" on the back!

The night before our game the Brave's won 11-2 and it was the 10,000 Atlanta Brave's win in history! Thus, the 10,000 on the field.

We made a trip to "guest services" and got Lindsay her souvignier a certificate of her First Brave's Game!

Here is a SLAP HAPPY Lindsay in front of the COCA COLA CANNONS!

Thank you so much to Natalie and Janie from the Joe Niekro Foundation for such an awesome night. It was an honor to be on the field for the first time ever in my life, and being honored as an ANEURYSM SURVIVOR!!! If you know anyone who complains of the "worst headaches of their life", have them see a doctor right away. I wish I had known that information, I just had a baby and kept thinking I needed to eat or sleep. I am so Thankful that my aneurysm waited to rupture until my precious Brooke was already on this Earth! For more information and if you wish to donate to the cause for research and the spreading of awareness of this condition, PLEASE click on the link I have at the beginning of this blog post and donate to the Joe Niekro Foundation. A donation can also help fund education and treatment for patients and their families!!

Once Lindsay and Brooke reach around age 16 or so, we have been told to have them checked/scanned to make sure neither one of them have an aneurysm, since they are a direct descendant from me who had an aneurysm. They should also be checked every 10 years after that. I was told at Emory since I was so young (38) when I had a rupture, I should be rescanned in 10 years as well.

Mike and I pray that neither one of our daughters will ever have to face the condition that I did. I also can't thank my family enough for helping me in my obstacles since this happened to me. My sister Pat, her husband Steve, our church St. Peter Chanel, my neice Donna and my nephew Michael who was in Las Vegas on business when he heard I was in ICU and he hopped another flight and came back to Atlanta to see me and the family at once. They would only let 2 people in the ICU room and that was my sister and my husband. Also Mike's mom and dad who took care of Lindsay through my entire recovery and my Sister-in-law Agatha and Brother-in-law Paul, who took care of Brooke exclusively for Mike and I during that time as well. There is nothing like family to rally around you during times like these. May God Bless all of us, Survivors and those people who are surviving now and our families who are also SURVIVORS for giving up their lives and personal time to help out and be strong for their family. And finally to my love, Michael thank you for being there for me that night and realizing something was wrong and called 9-1-1 and saved my life. I love you!