For one brain aneurysm survivor, a routine Monday morning walk with her dogs turned into a fight for her life.

Fifty-five-year-old Kari Rixstine of Bloomington, Illinois, had said goodbye to her husband, Tim, as he left for work and decided to take the dogs for a walk. They had gone only about a half block when one of the dogs suddenly lunged after something.

Then came a pain she had never experienced before.

Rixstine had a shooting pain in her right temple and actually thought she had gotten shot. The pain was so severe it nearly brought her to her knees. Almost immediately, she lost vision in her right eye. She managed to get the dogs home but struggled to text her husband for help.

By the time an ambulance arrived, she was experiencing severe pain in her neck and profuse vomiting. She knew something was seriously wrong.

At the hospital, however, her symptoms were initially attributed to a migraine. Her husband pushed for further evaluation, telling the medical team about her symptoms and her family history. Both her mother and an aunt had died after ruptured brain aneurysms.

A CT scan ultimately revealed blood from the rupture, leading doctors to discover the aneurysm.

A surgeon placed an external ventricular drain to relieve pressure in Rixstine’ s brain before treating the aneurysm with endovascular coiling. The woman spent about two weeks in intensive care while physicians monitored her for complications, including vasospasm.

Recovery was emotionally challenging

Her physical recovery was relatively strong, but the experience left lasting emotional and cognitive effects.

“It was like I was terrified to even leave the house. When I was alone out there and it ruptured, I worked so hard to get home. And then once I was released from the hospital after begging to go home, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to live.”

Thomas Russell, MD, an OSF HealthCare neurosurgeon specializing in neuroendovascular surgery, says while many aneurysms never rupture, a rupture can cause a life-threatening brain bleed and requires immediate medical attention.

The challenge is that the symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm can sometimes overlap with more common conditions such as a migraine. He encourages people, especially those with a family history of aneurysms, to advocate for a CT scan to rule out aneurysm.

Also, Dr. Russell says it’s important to know the signs of a bulging aneurysm.

“Sometimes it can be something as simple as a droopy eyelid. Your pupil gets really dilated because sometimes these aneurysms can enlarge and press on the cranial nerve. When they press on those nerves, they can cause some symptoms. But it’s kind of silent because they didn’t actually rupture.”

During this Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, Dr. Russell also wants people to know stress doesn’t cause an aneurysm.

“People think that if you got really stressed or really angry that it can cause an aneurysm. Or lifting heavy weights. That doesn’t cause an aneurysm. But if you have one, that can cause a predilection for rupture and that’s usually the concern,” he shares.

Dr. Russell also wants people to know a brain aneurysm isn’t a death sentence.

“We actually have a bunch of different ways to treat aneurysm. So, if you have a strong family history and there’s some concern about aneurysms and brain bleeds in the family, then talk to your doctor about it because there are screening tests we can do. And there are treatments we can also perform.”

Dr. Russell emphasizes there are certain conditions which make someone at higher risk of a brain aneurysm rupture. Risk factors:

• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol and drug use
• High blood pressure
• Certain inherited conditions, such as brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), polycystic kidney disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

The worst headache of her life

After staying in the house for two months immediately after she was released from the hospital, Rixstine began resuming life as normally as possible to show her children she wasn’t giving up.

“And I wanted to be an example for them of overcoming. Going through it and overcoming and recovering from it. So knowing they were watching me gave me the strength to get through the bad days,” she says, choking back tears.

Rixstine continues to deal with fatigue, vision problems, occasional headaches and short-term memory difficulties. Crowds, bright lights and loud environments can also be overwhelming. Outings to see her husband play in his band are no longer possible. And she no longer works and drives only in optimal conditions. Post-it notes help her deal with memory issues.

In sharing her story, Rixstine wants people to recognize that a hemorrhagic stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm can look different from the more familiar warning signs associated with an ischemic stroke.

“They call it a ‘thunderclap’ headache. [It’s] the worst headache of your life. That’s what you need to look for. There are vision issues and nausea. When mine ruptured – pain in my neck. I was totally confused, instantly,” Rixstine explains.

Other signs and symptoms include:

• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to light
• One or both pupils being dilated
• Seizures or sudden loss of consciousness
• Confusion, disorientation or difficulty concentrating
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body

Rixstine suggests that anyone experiencing these symptoms seek emergency medical attention.

Stroke support group offers community

Support from her husband, children and other survivors has played an important role. She attends a stroke support group through OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

While not exactly what she endured, the experience and recovery can be similar. However, surprisingly to Rixstine, her condition isn’t as widely talked about or understood.

“And it has been incredible for me knowing people who have been through most that [which is] ischemic stroke not hemorrhagic stroke like what I had. I don’t understand how ischemic stroke is so well known and they push it and push it and push it. But the hemorrhagic stroke with a brain bleed, nobody has information on that.”

Ristine’s experience has taught her that signs and symptoms for brain aneurysm rupture should be, as she put it, “part of the conversation.” Her advocacy drove her to create 100 yard signs she’s distributing in the community. And she and husband Tim paid for two billboards that are on major roadways in Bloomington-Normal.

Additionally, Rixstine changed the way she thinks about her family's health.

She now has another aneurysm (this time unruptured) that doctors are monitoring. Her adult children have been screened because of the family's history. And so far, neither her daughters nor her grandchild have shown indications of an aneurysm. She is grateful every day for that.

For more information, visit the Brain Aneurysm Foundation website.

Video clips with Kari Rixstine

Video clips with Dr. Thomas Russell

B-roll-Brain Aneurysm Awareness

On a cold winter night in December 2019, Deanne Meseck of Rockford, Illinois, couldn’t wait to dig into her store-bought meal of roasted chicken, gravy and mashed potatoes. She had just completed a colonoscopy earlier that day and was famished.

But as she and her husband, Ryan, started eating, her life at age 47 changed forever.

Ryan noticed food was dropping from the left side of her mouth. Concerned, he told his wife to put her arms up, but Meseck couldn’t lift her left arm. And when he asked her to speak, her words were jumbled, so he immediately called 9-1-1. A crew arrived and suspected Meseck was having a stroke.

Meseck was taken by ambulance to OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, where she underwent a battery of tests and procedures. The diagnosis came back as an ischemic stroke from a blood clot.

Ischemic strokes, caused by a blocked vessel, account for about 87% of all strokes, and roughly 60% of strokes among people under 50.

Michele Johnson, APRN, is a nurse practitioner at OSF HealthCare, and Meseck’s primary care provider. Johnson says Meseck had a large-sized right middle cerebral artery stroke, that affected half of her brain.

“Anytime somebody goes in for a stroke, you have to look at what type of stroke,” says Johnson. “What was it caused from? Was it from a blood clot? Is it a bleed? Just trying to figure those things out initially, in the emergency room and in the hospital.”

Meseck required surgery to relieve the swelling in her brain. She suffered respiratory depression from pneumonia, which required being on a vent for an extended period. After spending weeks in the hospital, Meseck was moved to a rehabilitation facility, followed by extensive physical, speech, occupational and ophthalmological treatment, some of which is ongoing.

Turning a corner

Johnson says despite tremendous progress, Meseck will always have some limitations. 

“With the contractures (stiffness) of the hands, going back to therapy is important, some speech impediment, some visual problems and the weakness, she has progressed significantly since this all occurred,” Johnson says. “But there will always be some permanent disability.”

Perhaps the hardest part for Meseck was giving up her 26-year career in finance. “They were just really worried about what being in a stressful work environment would do,” says Meseck. "There was no way that I could hold a nine-to-five job.”

While the physical toll was hard on Meseck, the mental hurdles proved equally challenging. She sought mental health therapy, which gave her a new perspective while coping with severe depression.

“I spent a lot of time with a therapist talking about how I lost my identity, and I lost my whole way of life and had to figure out how to be a new person,” she says.  “That was probably as difficult as any physical therapy that I had.”

Meseck filled her days by walking her dog, streaming TV shows and enjoying time with her two-year-old grandchild. But as she worked to heal both inside and out, Meseck, now 53, was searching for an opportunity where she could make a difference, especially for people going through similar challenges.

Giving back

She started attending a local, monthly group for stroke survivors. In 2024, the organizers of the group planned a benefit walk, and Meseck was on board, recruiting friends and family to form a team. But when she found out there wouldn’t be a second walk the next year due to a lack of volunteers, Meseck knew what she needed to do. She and her sister, Shelly, rolled up their sleeves and started planning the second annual walk, which takes place on May 30 in Rockford. Proceeds from the event support a stroke camp for survivors.

Meseck says coordinating this major special event is her new calling.

“I want to motivate people to know that there is life after stroke,” she says. “It may be hard to find it, and you won't be the same as you were, but you can do it. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

Johnson says the timing is right for Meseck to take on her latest challenge of planning the walk. 

“It is good for her to have a purpose because she was so busy before,” says Johnson. “This does give her joy. It’s important to hear from somebody like Deanne; there are treatments out there and you can live and function. Maybe not the way you did before, but there is life after stroke.”

Meseck says her journey is far from over. She knows that she will always be in constant recovery. And she can live with that.

“It was difficult,” she says. “But I just kept waking up every day saying, 'You know what, I'm here, and there's a reason I'm here.' You have to find a silver lining.”

When to seek emergency help

Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number right away if you or someone you're with has signs or symptoms of a stroke.

Use F.A.S.T. to remember warning signs.

• Face. Does the face droop on one side when the person tries to smile?
• Arms. Is one arm lower when the person tries to raise both arms? Is one arm weak or numb?
• Speech. Can the person repeat a simple sentence? Is speech slurred or hard to understand?
• Time. Every minute counts during a stroke. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number right away if you see any of these signs.

Deanne Meseck interview clips 

Michele Johnson interview clips 

B-roll

Time is brain, in other words. So, remember the acronym BEFAST. If you notice irregularities with your balance, eyes, face, arms or speech, it’s time to call 9-1-1. And, talk to younger people in your life about those signs. Ingold says strokes aren’t just an old person thing. She’s seeing more people in their 30s, 40s and 50s come to the hospital with stroke symptoms.

“The brain has something called neuroplasticity,” Ingold adds. “So the quicker you can start physical, occupational or speech therapy [after a stroke], it impacts those brain neurons. We don’t always get them back, but the brain can sometimes remember how to get your strength back.”

Prevention

Some risk factors for stroke, like your family history of health issues, are unchangeable. But you can spin that into things you can control.

“You can check in with your primary care provider and see how best to fix things,” Ingold says. “Do you need to lose weight? Do you need to eat a better diet? Medication? Exercise? You can watch your blood pressure and diabetes. Small amounts of walking. Walk in your home in the winter months. Do some arm exercises with water bottles or cans of food. All that makes a difference.

“And the most obvious modifiable risk factor is smoking or vaping. We see a lot of patients with a history of vaping. Smoking and vaping are equally bad for you. We encourage you to stop. If you need help, talk to your primary care provider about products to help you stop,” Ingold adds.

Williams today

After a three-day hospital stay, Williams went home with no long-term deficits. She’s now preaching stroke prevention through a healthy diet, active lifestyle, knowing your body and more. For one, Williams now wears a medical alert bracelet. It contains her health information if she’s stricken and can’t talk. She’s also put that information on her refrigerator so her grandchildren will know what to do in an emergency.

Plus, Williams wants others to be empowered, not embarrassed, to go to the hospital with a possible stroke. The mindset of “I felt bad earlier, but I feel fine now. I’ll just waste their time.” is not the way to go, she says.

“I never knew that one of my radio shows might end up saving my life. Or end up saving me from something like paralysis,” Williams says. “I really feel like that conversation with Leslie saved my life and made a difference in my outcome.”

Says Ingold: “I’m very thankful Laura had us on her show. I’m so thankful she listened. I’m so thankful that when we have an audience, they listen. It might not affect them today, tomorrow or even next year. But the fact that they’ve heard it and remember it makes all the difference in the world.

“If I can be a part of that, that makes my heart warm,” she says.

Learn more

Read more about how health care providers prevent and treat strokes on the OSF HealthCare website.

Photos

Interview clips - Laura Williams

Related stories

Read more stories on stroke awareness with Leslie Ingold here.

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year.

Strokes can have life-altering consequences like vision, walking and swallowing difficulties. They also rank in the top five killers of Americans. For each minute a stroke goes untreated, the brain loses around 2 million cells it cannot recover.

“Getting to the hospital quickly – within four and a half hours of your onset of symptoms – is important,” says Leslie Ingold, a registered nurse and stroke coordinator with OSF HealthCare.

A cutting-edge stroke drug rolled out at OSF HealthCare is already turning the tide for people.

Tenecteplase (TNKase ®) can be used in people experiencing a stroke and who meet certain criteria, such as a specific blood pressure, history of brain bleeds, medications taken at home and how quickly they arrived at the emergency department. TNKase is a clot-busting agent that stands to become the gold standard of this type of care, Ingold says.

“It has a lower cost. It’s something providers can mix much, much quicker,” Ingold says. “And it’s given quickly in an IV push over five to 10 seconds, and we’re done.”

TNKase also does a better job than its predecessor at finding and breaking up clots, and there’s a lower risk of bleeding.

“The quicker we can get oxygen flowing back into that brain tissue, the better recovery the person is going to have,” Ingold says.

Why it’s important

The most common type of stroke, an ischemic stroke (also sometimes called an embolic stroke), is when a clot forms and travels to the brain. When watching for one, remember the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.

• B is for balance: Watch for sudden loss of balance.
• E is for eyes: Check for vision loss or eyes looking askew.
• F is for face: Look for droopiness or an uneven smile.
• A is for arm: Is one arm weak or numb?
• S is for speech: Watch for slurred, slow speech or no speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
• T is for time. It’s the conclusion to the checklist. Time to call 9-1-1 if someone has these symptoms, even if they go away.

Another type of stroke, a hemorrhagic stroke, is when a blood vessel breaks and blood seeps into brain tissue. Ingold says hemorrhagic strokes are typically caused by a traumatic injury, like falling and hitting your head. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is also a cause.

For either type, when you arrive at the hospital, a provider will take some pictures of your brain and decide the best treatment option.

Prevention

Up to 80% of strokes are preventable, Ingold says. Prevention goes back to what any doctor will tell you is key for a healthy life: control your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes through diet and exercise. Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs. If you have an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, see your cardiologist regularly and follow their instructions. And get established with a primary care provider, too.

Ingold says a stroke takes 3.75 years off a person’s life, on average. And if you have a stroke, you have a 25% chance of having another one.

“We always tell people they really need to be on top of their treatment,” Ingold says. “The signs and symptoms of a possible second stroke may not be the same as the first. In fact, they could be completely different. It just depends on what part of the brain the stroke affects.”

Learn more

Read about stroke care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Previous coverage

OSF HealthCare Newsroom stroke stories
OSF HealthCare stroke blogs