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New member. Jan. SAH June 2015


Jan

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Hi, my name is Jan, I had my SAH 7th June 2015

 

Thunderclap headache - ambulance - blue lighted to hospital I remember very little after that. An aneurysm had burst, this was clipped (craniotomy). I spent five days in critical care conscious but totally unaware of what had happened. I was then transferred to a neuro ward, having no idea why I was in hospital i asked a nurse, she said 'you've had an SAH' I'd never heard of one..helpful? Not!

 

Anyway very long story short I'm left with weakness and numbness in my left arm and leg, my short term memory is rubbish (can't remember where it went!) I also have an unruptured aneurysm found at first follow up scan. My neurosurgeon said it was too small to worry about and the wrong shape to coil..a ticking time bomb I am!!

 

I was very active prior to the SAH working full time in my own business. I now struggle with the fatigue and the frustrations of what I can't achieve yet. I no longer yearn for the 'old Jan' but haven't adjusted to the new one yet.

Thank you for reading

 

This wonderful site has helped me enormously reading advice and comments from others.

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Hi Jan and welcome!  :)

 

It does take a while to adjust to the "new" you .... You kind of have to compare yourself to the person that left hospital and not the person before.... it gives you a better perspective and something more achievable.

 

However, it does really get better and you will find, like most of us, that time is a great healer .... you will achieve more and more .... it's often baby steps, but you will get there.

 

My aneurysm isn't completely "fixed" .... I also have another abnormal artery on the other side of my brain, but I'm still here .... alive and kicking ..... 11 years on. 

 

Try not to think that you are a ticking time bomb .... a lot of people will have aneurysms and won't be or never be aware that they are present ... those smaller aneurysms, will probably never pose a risk in their life time.

 

I hope that you will give yourself time to heal .... from what I see on this site, it probably does take at least 2 years to adjust and to come to terms with what's happened to you.

 

Be kind to yourself and understand that what you've gone through and are still going through, is pretty major and it will take a period of adjustment. However, it doesn't mean to say that you can't have a good life, post SAH. 

 

Take care lovely and I'm glad that you've found this site helpful.

 

Hugs to you....K xx

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Hi Jan

Welcome to BTG the best place to come if you have suffered a SAH! Lots of  advice and friendly banter here which can be so helpful when you have experienced what I now think of as - a brain explosion. Mine was non-aneurysmal so I will never know what caused it, what I do know is that it takes time to recover.

 

Karen is right in saying you need to compare yourself to the person who came out of hospital not the person before, something I am still coming to terms with. Mine was in Feb 2015 so I am 15 month post bleed and cannot believe what in impact this event has had on my life, so many things that would just not have happened if it were not for my 'explosion'.

 

You don't say if you are back at work yet, though you do say it's with your own business. Do not push too much, the fatigue lasts for a long time - I still suffer now- so being kind to yourself is very important. The best advice I can give you is rest, water and avoid stress!

 

Hopefully the left side weakness will improve. My memory has improved though I still have problems, I am awaiting a Neuropsychology consult to see what my deficits are which will be interesting. 

Embrace the 'new normal' and be thankful you are still here to do just that!

 

Clare xx

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HI Jan and a warm welcome to BTG.  Sorry to hear you have had the misfortune to suffer a sah and all the ensuing problems that unfortunately seem to come as part of the package.  At least many of these continue to improve long after the event. Fatigue though can be bit stubborn to shift!   

 

Sah, aneurysm etc were not in my vocabulary either -  but they certainly are now!  A small second aneurysm was found in my head too - I had an MRI last August which showed it had not changed in the 7 years since it was discovered, so that was reassuring.

Patience and time are other words that are worth getting to know! 

 

With best wishes,

Sarah

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Hi Jan and welcome to BTG,

 

Good site for letting everything out that worries you, I had my SAH in 2009 I remember nothing until I had a shunt put in for hydrocephalus in 2010.  I was told I wouldn't walk again but 4 step then 6 step and so on.  I now walk 15/20  steps without pain and it can be longer but then the back pain kicks in.

 

I walked approx. 72 steps and getting better each day,  so get that side working little movements at first and so on.

 

You be well and remember be patient with yourself, your brain has been through a lot and trust me it will and does get better but it didn't happen overnight for me xx  Now remember we are the ones that made it so go get em lol xxx

Good luck in your recovery

 

WinB143 xx xx

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Hi Jan -

I'm so sorry that you're feeling so let down by your brain and what happened to it...the after effects.

My Sah was June 2014. I had 3 aneurysms. 1 coiled, 2 clipped. Lots of post-sah testing. One day my surgeon called me into his office to show me a new, small one.

I think they call those "snowmen"?? He said he wasn't worried about it but I would definitely keep up with your physician on it. My short term is also nuts . see if you now remember old things that you might have forgotten for a long time. That's kind of how balance out my memory issues.

Can you get someone reliable to help with your business for a while? Sleep, hydration, etc. Very important.

Don't beat yourself about any of this. I believe you will feel better and so should.

Good luck with everything and keep us posted.

Take good care

Carolyn

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Hi Jan,

 

Welcome to BTG.  You've already realised you are different to how you were before.  That is a major recognition and you are therefore over a big hurdle.

 

It's always best to look forwards.  Looking backwards is only useful to provide you with a yardstick on progress, not to look back on with yearning that brings heartache about what you think you've lost.

 

In most cases, you haven't lost anything, it's just in a different place and the challenge is to find it again by a different access point/route.

 

Good luck, I wish you the very best in meeting your challenges.  Sometimes it can be a slow road, but the scenery can be fantastic and forwards is the best way to view it.

 

In the words of the Oasis song - "Don't look back in anger."  Just be thankful you achieved in the first place and set about finding new paths, new goals, new achievements and set about plotting your course to fulfilment.  Life ain't a rehearsal, make the most of it as the guys at the Invictus games in the US are doing!

 

Macca

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Hi Jan :)

 

A very warm welcome to BTG !

So glad you found us and reading the posts have helped you.

 

Feel free to post any questions on the Forum and join in the daily banter in the Green Room. We are a friendly bunch :)

 

Look forward to hearing more from you.

Take care

 

Tina xx

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Good afternoon Jan

 

Also a warm welcome to BTG- you are in good company and glad that you have already found the site a great support.

 

Well done for taking a positive approach to your SAH, and as time passes you will continue to see progress. I am sure the past year has been such a challenge for you and your friends and relatives. Your story will also help others as you share on BTG.

 

Keep checking these BTG posts - (I see Winnie has guided you to the Green Room) :)

 

Subs

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Thank you for a great welcome to BTG I feel brighter already having read all of your encouraging replies and having found the green room (thank you again Win)

 

I hope my introduction wasn't too 'moany'. I used to be a 'wake up and smell the coffee'girl. (52yr old girl!, I'd never understood depression and still don't although I have it! I have a million questions so I'm afraid you'll be hearing from me again soon.

 

Jan

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Welcome Jan.

 

I am glad you found this site.  I have only been on here for a short time, but it is really helpful.  And the people on here are friendly and can really understand since most have experienced something similar.  I am one of the "lucky" ones who have a NA before my SAH.

 

Good wishes for continued recovery.

 

Chris

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Hi Jan
Pleased you have been able to share your story, I too had a thunderclap and bleed from aneurysm luckily mine did not burst. Was coiled in January 2015. Luckily they did not discover anymore. It is a slow journey with good days and bad but gradually things do improve.

 

My sister had thunderclap headache prior to me so kind of guessed what was happening, she does have aneurysms 4 small ones but none have burst or bled they believe she had vasospasm. She has been monitored for last two years and at last appointment they agreed not to monitor they said they are small and none had grown. Her specialist told her that she has the same odds as anyone of an aneurysm bursting, so hopefully your other one will just remain the same, they would I guess treat if they felt it was a risk.

 

I found after my SAH my emotions were all over the place and did get very down for a while my GP said it was post traumatic shock after such a scary thing, I'm so much better now though and can see it all more positively.

 

Some great people on this site who have been a tremendous support on my journey, so just shout if you need any help or just a shoulder or two to share things with. Everyone's journey different but there are many similarities.
Good luck in your recovery
Sharon x

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