Annabelle's story: A teen survives an aneurysm and regains her identity

Anabelle is sassy, outgoing and bubbly. The 13-year-old has a quick wit, a knack for cracking jokes and can strike up a conversation with nearly anyone.

After school, her mom often finds her drawing on the kitchen table with her little brother. She loves being a big sister, playing the harp and cuddling with her dog, Beans, or her cat, Luna.

But about two years ago, Anabelle temporarily lost her personality, talents and memory with what started as a mere headache. Then, in a split second, her entire family’s lives changed.

"Who she is now is not who she was," Anabelle's mom, Kylee, said. "We lost somebody that had so many dreams and aspirations, and now those dreams are different and she's different … But also, we get to celebrate who she is now."

A plea to prove them wrong

Anabelle had been complaining about a headache for a while, but it was the first day of school and she was excited to go back.

Later that evening, while having dinner, Anabelle started kicking the table. Her dad asked her to stop twice, but his tone changed the second time.

Kylee looked over from playing with Anabelle’s little brother on the floor, hearing the panic in his voice.

Anabelle was experiencing a seizure.

Her mom immediately called 911 while her dad took her 1-year-old brother out of the room and ran to their neighbor’s house for help.

"That’s when her heart stopped," Kylee said.

Her neighbors, who know how to perform First Aid, hurried in to help. Her heart started beating again, only to stop a second time right as the paramedics rushed in.

Anabelle's family suddenly found themselves at a nearby hospital in their hometown. Kylee noticed she wasn't wearing shoes. They had no idea what was going on.

Physicians told the family that Anabelle had a brain bleed and she needed to be care flighted to Children’s Health℠.

"The wait for that helicopter felt like it was years," Kylee said. "Anabelle was cold, she was pale."

After arriving at the hospital, Anabelle’s family learned that she had experienced a ruptured, three-millimeter brain aneurysm that caused five strokes.

Doctors said Anabelle, who had been put into a medically induced coma, might not be able to walk again or see out of her right eye. And it was uncertain what her cognitive function would look like once she woke up.

Relearning everything from scratch

The challenging journey to recovery started as soon as Anabelle came out of sedation, but her family and Children’s Health care team supported her through each obstacle.

At first, Anabelle struggled to control her body, speak and remember anyone in her family, including her mom. And she couldn’t play her harp.

With the help and encouragement of her physical therapists, Anabelle learned how to walk again. Her aunt made her a book full of pictures of everyone in her family, including her pets, to help jog her memory. She eventually began speaking.

"They all treated her like that was their baby, that was their child," Kylee said. "They took care of her as if that was their own blood in that bed."

Her family also felt embraced by the community at Children’s Health, especially those who comforted Annabelle through music, art or pet therapy.

"It made it less clinical … made it a little more warm," Kylee said. "It's because of the community."

After 86 days at the hospital, Anabelle walked out.

She has since picked up reading, drawing and playing her beloved harp again. Despite falling behind in school and starting at a kindergarten reading level last year, she has also caught up and is even taking advanced classes.

"I wouldn’t be here if I didn't come [to Children’s Health]," Anabelle said.

Her journey has taught her a lot about the way the brain works, so she’s interested in one day becoming a neuropsychologist. She finds brainwaves particularly "cool," she said.

"Children’s Health saved her," Kylee said. "They saved her whole family … our lives are going to be different, but she came home."

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The only program of its kind in Texas, the Center for Cerebrovascular Disorders in Children offers the expertise of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team including pediatric neurosurgeons, neurologists, interventional radiologists and neuro-radiologists. Learn more about our programs and services.