At 35 years old, Kim Justice was at the height of her career.
She had spent years working as a successful financial consultant, owned her home, enjoyed an active social life, and had recently secured the largest client account of her career. A physical examination just two weeks earlier had found her to be in excellent health.
Then, on , everything changed.
Kim joined legal nurse consultant Kiley Como on Mind Matters: Navigating Head Injuries and Concussions to share how a ruptured brain aneurysm nearly took her life and forced her to rebuild her identity.
A Sudden Medical Emergency
Kim had planned to leave work early to deliver a document to a new client. Her father unexpectedly offered to drive her and suggested they stop for coffee afterward.
A few blocks after leaving the client’s office, Kim suddenly felt what she described as an ax being buried through her head. Her arms and legs involuntarily pulled inward, and she immediately told her father she needed to go to a hospital.
Because her father was driving, the car remained under control. Had Kim been alone behind the wheel, the outcome could have been very different.
The pain was not a typical headache. It was sudden, severe, relentless head pain that did not improve.
Kiley, a former neurosurgical intensive care nurse, explained that this type of pain is often associated with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which occurs when bleeding develops around the brain.
A Dangerous Misdiagnosis
At the emergency room, a longtime family doctor asked Kim basic orientation questions, including whether she knew her name and where she was.
Although she was confused and in severe pain, she managed to answer most of them.
The doctor diagnosed a muscle spasm in her neck, prescribed pain medication, and sent her home.
Kim knew something was seriously wrong, but she could no longer clearly communicate what she was experiencing.
Her father suggested she stay at her parents’ house until the medication began working. That decision may have saved her life because Kim lived alone.
Throughout the night, she experienced violent vomiting and worsening head pain. By the following morning, she could no longer speak properly or understand what her mother was saying.
Kim had suffered a stroke.
Her family returned to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed bleeding from a ruptured brain aneurysm.
Nearly 24 hours had passed since her symptoms began.
A Life-Saving Surgery
Doctors placed Kim into a medically induced coma, but severe swelling made surgery extremely dangerous.
Her parents had to decide whether doctors should operate immediately or wait several days for the swelling to decrease. Waiting could improve the chances of a successful surgery, but it also created the risk of another fatal bleed.
They chose to wait.
On Friday, January 13, highly skilled neurosurgeon Dr. John Fox performed an aneurysm clipping procedure to stop the bleeding. A gallery of young surgeons observed because the surgery was still considered an advanced procedure at the time.
The operation saved Kim’s life, but she did not wake up for three days.
When she regained consciousness, she had little understanding of what had happened or how much her life had changed.
Survival Was Only the Beginning
Kim’s head had been shaved, and she had a large surgical scar. She first saw her appearance when a visitor placed a mirror in front of her.
She did not recognize the person looking back.
That moment reflected a much larger struggle. Kim had survived the aneurysm, but she now had to recover physically, cognitively, and emotionally.
Her recovery lasted much of the following year. She journaled throughout the process, documenting her challenges and the small moments she considered miracles or “God winks.”
Years later, Kim realized she would not be able to return to her former career. She eventually transformed her journals into a book titled In a Flash: Miracles Here and Beyond.
Today, she is an author, radio host, and advocate for brain injury survivors and caregivers.
Why Kim’s Story Matters
Kim’s experience shows that a life-threatening neurological emergency can happen without warning, even to someone who appears young and healthy.
It also demonstrates why basic orientation questions should not be the only tool used to rule out a serious brain injury. Kim could answer several questions while actively bleeding in her brain.
Sudden and extreme head pain, especially when accompanied by vomiting, speech problems, confusion, weakness, or difficulty understanding language, requires immediate medical attention.
Kim’s life changed in a single moment, but her story did not end with the injury. She found a new purpose through writing, advocacy, and helping other survivors realize they are not alone.
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