What Happened?

Emilia Clarke, best known for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in game of Thrones, publicly revealed in March 2019 that she suffered two life-threatening brain aneurysms during her time working on the HBO series. The first occurred in 2011, shortly after filming the first season, and the second in 2013. Clarke detailed her experiences in a personal essay published by The new Yorker.

The first aneurysm caused immediate, excruciating pain, which Clarke described as “unbearable.” Following immediate surgery to seal the rupture, she experienced a period of aphasia, struggling to articulate thoughts and even muttering incoherently.Fortunately, the aphasia resolved within a week, and she was discharged from the hospital a month later.

However, a brain scan in 2013 revealed that the initial growth had doubled in size, necessitating a second, more complex surgery. This procedure initially failed, resulting in a massive bleed. Doctors informed Clarke that her survival was uncertain without further intervention. The subsequent surgery required accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Understanding Brain Aneurysms

A brain aneurysm is a bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain. These can occur due to weakened blood vessel walls. If an aneurysm ruptures, it causes a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of stroke, which can lead to notable brain damage or death. According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, approximately 3% of the population has an unruptured brain aneurysm.

Symptoms of an unruptured aneurysm can include localized headache, pain above and behind the eye, changes in vision, and dilated pupils. A ruptured aneurysm typically presents with a sudden, severe headache – often described as “the worst headache of my life” – along with a stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and loss of consciousness.

Clarke’s Recovery and Lasting Effects

Clarke has stated that she is now “at a hundred per cent,” but she also revealed that the aneurysms resulted in the loss of parts of her brain. In her essay, she explained that she doesn’t have the full capacity to process information as she once did. She described feeling constantly anxious about potentially losing her abilities and the impact this could have on her career.

“the parts of my brain that allow me to have a proper personality are gone,” Clarke wrote. “I struggle to find the words, to remember things, to even think.”