Educator Gives Back After Recovering From Two Brain Aneurysms
December 18, 2024
Aretha Watson, Ph.D., had no idea her life would change so dramatically on August 11, 2022. That day she suffered two brain aneurysms, weak spots on an artery that bulge with blood and can burst, as hers did. One ruptured at home, while a CT scan in the emergency room revealed a second, unruptured aneurysm.
She underwent 12 surgeries, 11 in the hospital and a 12th after discharge. The 47-year-old from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, began a long and challenging road to recovery that took place at both Riverview Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
She credits her police officer husband, Gary, whom she lovingly calls “the drill sergeant,” with keeping her motivated and focused. She lauds Jorge F. Corzo, M.D., her physical medicine and rehabilitation provider at Riverview’s Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, and his caring staff for guiding her.
Holistic Healing for the Body and Mind
“Unlike surgeons, we don’t get to save a life every day, but we work every day at giving people back their lives and reintegrating them into daily life and their communities,” Dr. Corzo says. “What they want may be to return to work, or to hold their grandchildren, and we help them do what is important to them.”
Aretha’s complicated case is similar to the trauma of a severe motor vehicle accident, Dr. Corzo says. This type of aneurysm can affect a person’s ability to speak, eat and move, making the path to recovery long and difficult.
Patients may need physical, occupational and speech therapies, and if the brain is involved, neuropsychology, “a kind of mental calisthenics,” he says. This was key for Aretha, an experienced and successful higher education professional in research and special projects at a major New Jersey university.
“From first responders to doctors and nurses, patient care technicians and various therapists, everyone involved in my care helped put me on that path to recovery,” Aretha says. “They bathed, dressed and fed me. They listened as I talked for hours and tried to make sense of what had happened to me. At my lowest moments, they dried my tears and prayed with me when I needed it.”
One of the nurses who cared for her at Jersey Shore Medical Center, Carter Kurtas, RN, graduated from the university where Aretha works. She appreciates that many others went “above and beyond,” including her mother, father, sister, brother and daughter.
“My 20-year-old daughter is studying cell biology and neuroscience in college, partially because of what happened to me,” Aretha says proudly.
Giving Back to Other Survivors
Aretha has learned to walk again, retrained her left arm, which was immobilized, and continues to regain more movement in her fingers. As part of her recovery journey, she started practicing yoga through the LoveYourBrain Foundation, a leading source of resources and education for those with brain injuries. She also participated in a Brain Aneurysm Foundation Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C.
Last year, she asked Dr. Corzo if she could volunteer in the rehab unit at Riverview, and she now offers weekly support as a mentor for those returning home after rehab.
“This part has been very fulfilling for me and has helped me channel what happened to me into helping others by sharing my story,” Aretha says.
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our source: Jorge F. Corzo, M.D.
- To make an appointment with a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
- Learn more about physical medicine and rehabilitation at Hackensack Meridian Health.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
