A woman from Scotland says she feels like 'a prisoner' while suffering from multiple brain aneurysms which could rupture at any time.
Amber Ford considered herself to be a 'healthy' individual before she received an unexpected diagnosis in 2018.
The 31-year-old based in South Lanarkshire woke up one morning to find that her face was 'all twisted'. She was subsequently diagnosed with mumps and Bell’s palsy.
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Then in 2020, the former customer service worker started to experience extreme fatigue, bad headaches, disturbances to her vision, as well as waking up 'choking' on her own vomit.
“I was falling asleep at work, I was falling asleep standing up,” she told PA Real Life.
“I started having bad headaches to the point I couldn’t lift my head and the light in the room was too much.
“I was being sick in my sleep and I was waking up choking, I couldn’t breathe.”
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After initially thinking she had throat cancer, an MRI scan in April 2024 revealed up to three aneurysms in Amber’s brain.
What is a brain aneurysm?
An aneurysm 'is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, usually where it branches,' according to the NHS.
"As blood passes through the weakened blood vessel, the blood pressure causes a small area to bulge outwards like a balloon," the health service states
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"Most brain aneurysms only cause noticeable symptoms if they burst (rupture).
"This leads to an extremely serious condition known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage, where bleeding caused by the ruptured aneurysm can cause extensive brain damage and symptoms."
Amber is now faced with a risky surgery
Amber may have to undergo a risky surgery to cut off the blood supply to the aneurysms, which itself could cause a haemorrhage. This could leave her permanently disabled or dead, as they can rupture at any time.
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“I’m basically living in unbearable anxiety every day thinking ‘are they going to rupture today?’ and ‘am I going to die today?’,” Amber said.
“If I get the surgery, there’s a chance I could have a stroke, a haemorrhage, I could be left permanently disabled or dead.
“If they did rupture and I survived, it could mean I might never walk again, I might be blind, I might never speak.
“I feel like I’m a prisoner in this situation and it seems no matter what option I choose, the outcome just isn’t good.”
She is now in touch with an American doctor who specialises in complex aneurysm cases such as hers. Amber has made a GoFundMe page with the hope of raising enough money to travel for treatment.
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“I genuinely just want my life back, I want to have a family and enjoy my life,” she said.
“This has completely taken over my whole life … I don’t even leave the house because I start having panic attacks.”
To find out more, visit Amber’s GoFundMe page.
Anish Vij