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Girl's 'Food Poisoning' Revealed as Stroke Nightmare
18 Mar
Summary
- Mysterious screaming led to discovery of a brain bleed in an 11-year-old.
- Initial hospital visit dismissed symptoms as food poisoning.
- A second diagnosis revealed an arteriovenous malformation requiring surgery.
An 11-year-old girl named Aubrey experienced sudden, terrifying screams, leading her mother, Stephanie Smith, to believe she had food poisoning. However, her condition rapidly worsened, with vomiting and loss of consciousness prompting a hospital visit.
Initial medical assessments found nothing wrong, attributing the symptoms to food poisoning. A subsequent CT scan revealed a white spot on Aubrey's brain, later identified as a clotted bleed. She underwent emergency surgery the following morning.
Three years after this ordeal in 2019, a routine scan detected an arteriovenous malformation, an abnormal tangle of blood vessels, in the same location. This condition posed a risk of hemorrhage or another stroke if left untreated.
Despite her mother's fears, Aubrey bravely consented to another surgery. After an 11-hour procedure, the entire tangle was successfully removed, and she is now thriving, with her family expressing immense gratitude.
