Family shares update after influencer suffers brain aneurysm at 9 months pregnant
The family of social media influencer Jackie Miller James said she will remain in the hospital for "the foreseeable future" after an aneurysm in her brain ruptured a week before her due date and she had to undergo an emergency C-section.
James' family shared an update on the new mother's health on Tuesday, writing in an Instagram post that she is still in a medically-induced coma.
"While her baby girl is now healthy and home from the NICU, Jackie will remain in the hospital for the foreseeable future," James' two sisters wrote. "The immense outpouring of love, support and generosity from family, friends, followers and strangers has been wildly touching and meaningful for our family."
James' sisters said their family is "dedicated to securing optimal care for the highest quality of life for Jackie following this tragic event."
A GoFundMe page created by James' sisters has raised more than $300,000, which is intended to cover health care costs outside of insurance, including for speech therapy, physical therapy and home modifications. Any unused funds will be donated to similar charities, according to the GoFundMe.
James underwent at least five separate brain procedures and an emergency C-section after her husband found her and rushed her to the hospital, her sisters wrote on her GoFundMe page.
"If Jackie and the baby arrived a few minutes later at the hospital, we likely would have lost both of them," her sisters said.
Her baby girl was hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for 12 days due to the "traumatic" nature of her birth, per the GoFundMe. James' family members shared a photo of the first time she met her daughter while in a coma.
James is expected to remain in the intensive care unit for weeks and in the hospital for months as she recovers from the aneurysm rupture, her sisters said.
An aneurysm is a bulging, weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel, according to Johns Hopkins. An aneurysm can occur in any blood vessel in the body, including the brain or heart.
An aneurysm in the brain that ruptures is known as a hemorrhagic stroke, per the Mayo Clinic. The pregnant population has an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, a March 2023 study stated.
The symptoms of hemorrhagic stroke can appear suddenly and can include a sudden and severe headache, vomiting, neck pain, difficulty moving or feeling, losing consciousness, seizure and vision problems, according to Mount Sinai.
James' family remains optimistic about her recovery.
"Once Jackie is awake, we know this community will be a source of strength for our sister," James' sisters wrote in the caption of an Instagram post. "Jackie is the kindest, funniest, most caring and special soul…she deserves to be a mom. Her daughter needs to know her. Her husband needs to hold her. Jackie was so excited to be a mom and start a family, and we are determined to help her fulfill that dream."
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
