A woman has revealed her harrowing battle after finding a “ticking time bomb” in her head that could rupture at any moment.
Megan Jackson, 27, spends each day worrying it’ll be her last.
The mum-of-two had been experiencing “paralysing” headaches on and off for years; but this particular one wouldn’t budge.
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Despite not feeling overly concerned, she visited her doctor for some reassurance.
But within moments, it was made clear that her life was on the line.
“Knowing I have something in my brain that could instantly kill me is terrifying,” the nurse, from Hetton-le-Hole, Sunderland, told Need To Know.
“I fear my children growing up without their mum.
“And also leaving behind my husband.
“It’s so scary; there’s a ticking time bomb in my head that could go off at any point.”
Megan had been dealing with headaches ever since she was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2020.
As she’s very outgoing, with anxiety never an issue, she never let them hold her back in life.
No amount of pain killers helped to ease the agonising pressure in March 2025, though, leaving her bedbound.
She simply assumed it was down to her former diagnosis coupled with daily stresses.
But this was far from the actual nightmare.
She said: “The doctor noticed my left pupil was bigger than my right.
“I was sent to hospital for an emergency same-day scan.
“It was confirmed I had a brain aneurysm.
“And it was inoperable due to its size.
“Me and my husband, Liam, burst out crying.
“I could see the pure sadness in his face.”
If the 5mm aneurysm, a blood-filled bulge within a weakened artery wall, ruptures, it’ll cause a subarachnoid haemorrhage; that will kill Megan instantly.
To help lower her risk, and eliminate stress, she’s taking various medications to help lower her blood pressure.
She’s currently on sick leave from her role as a nurse, which has followed her maternity leave after giving birth to little Albie, three months.
During this period, she’s taken up baking, which has brought her a sense of relaxation.
In a bid to try and change her lifestyle, and to potentially save her life, she’s opened a cake shed which sells out every weekend.
And hopes this will offer a new future for her, which will allow her to spend more time making memories with her family.
Megan, who is also mum to Georgie, two, added: “If things keep progressing like they are, I won’t be returning to nursing.
“I can’t believe the amount of people that turn up each week to buy things I have baked.
“Without their continued support, I probably wouldn’t be here today.
“Every time I open my eyes, I’m grateful I’m still alive.
“So I’m trying to live each day like it’s my last.”
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