An Unwelcome Ghost From The Past

Kieran was sent for an MRI scan first, then given a battery of tests—blood, ultrasound, V/Q scan. I waited outside the room and made sure he could see me. The head neurologist brought in his colleagues to consult. After almost an hour of heated discussion, they finally reached a consensus on the diagnosis—cerebral vein thrombosis. Kieran’s head was struck during the fall last year, likely on something sharp, maybe a jagged rock. The doctors discovered a blood clot, a thrombosis, inside his brain, which was pressing on his nerves—the cause of the amnesia. In addition, Kieran suffered from recurring headaches, slurred speech, and blurry eyesight. Luckily, there was no sign of him having a seizure so far. The head neurologist prescribed anticoagulant medications and thrombolytics to help thin the blood clot. If Kieran’s situation did not improve after four weeks, the doctor suggested burr whole drainage, a surgical procedure that involved making a small hole in the skull to drain the bloo