Emilia Clarke Suffered Two Brain Aneurysms

Emilia Clarke has spoken about her experience with two life-threatening brain aneurysms. 

The Game of Thrones actress wrote an essay published in the New Yorker on Thursday, where she explained the first aneurysm happened in 2011 during a workout.

She said, “My trainer had me get into the plank position and I immediately felt as though an elastic band were squeezing my brain … Somehow, almost crawling, I made it to the locker room. I reached the toilet, sank to my knees and proceeded to be violently, voluminously ill. Meanwhile, the pain —shooting, stabbing, constricting pain — was getting worse. At some level, I knew what was happening — my brain was damaged.”

Fortunately, someone in the changing room heard Emilia and assisted in placing her in the recovery position. At this point, she isn’t aware of her surroundings, only that a siren is making its way towards her.

She recalls going into a “blind panic” when she was unable to recite her name to the nurse, “My full name is Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke, but now I couldn’t remember it. Instead, nonsense words tumbled out of my mouth and I went into a blind panic,” — she continues to explain, “I’d never experienced fear like that — a sense of doom closing in. I could see my life ahead, and it wasn’t worth living. I am an actor; I need to remember my lines. Now I couldn’t recall my name.”

All of this was taking place after the first season of Game of Thrones had just finished shooting, and now her fear was due to her sudden condition, they may discontinue using her as an actress in the series.

Shockingly, a second aneurysm was discovered, but this time medical professions agreed it was that small, carrying out surgery to remove it posed a higher risk. However, two years later, doctors decided to “take care” of the second aneurysm. Emilia explains the second bout of surgery was “even more painful than it had been after the first surgery” furthering, “I looked as though I had been through a war more gruesome than any that Daenerys experienced.”

Thankfully, she has made a full recovery.