Donna Cooper's Story

It was 9th April 2008; I had just put my son Jack to bed and was on my computer.

Antony came to say hi from our pub downstairs. All of a sudden, I felt fuzzy so I went outside for some fresh air but needed to lie down. All of a sudden it was if someone had hit me over the head with a hammer, my neck was hurting and I was being constantly sick. I screamed for an ambulance which Antony called. He said I had a seizure at this point, but I can’t remember that. The paramedics came and I remember them sitting me up and putting my slippers on and asking if I could walk, which I did, to the bottom of our fire escape.

I thought I had blacked out - Antony said they sedated me in the ambulance - so the rest is from Antony.

I was rushed to hospital and no one had any idea of what was wrong with me. They thought it was meningitis. Luckily a neuro doctor walked passed and recognised the signs and I was then taken for scan where they found my aneurysm. I was coiled the day after.

I was intensive care for 5-7 days and in a light coma.

I remember seeing loads of family photos around me, LOADS ... and hearing the odd voice. Apparently my dad sat with me a lot because Antony couldn’t bear seeing me OK one minute then tubes everywhere the next. The first thing I remember is having a wet small sponge in my mouth testing my gag reflexes. Oh! It was lovely wetting my mouth.

I went on to HDU were I was really calm and couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about, and then I realized what had happened.

I had a collapsed lung during my surgery and an irregular heart beat, which I found out about 2 months later, and that I had to be shocked to get the rhythm back. I also caught MRSA but for some reason that didn’t worry me. Nothing did. I was so glad to be alive.

I was eventually transferred to a neuro ward where I had my first shower, which was bliss but I needed a wheelchair.

I had a drain in my head, which really annoyed me and when the doctor decided to clip it I was relieved, but all of a sudden a weird sensation came over my body and I couldn’t feel my legs. They all rushed back in and un-clipped the drain and I was fine, but I had to breath into a paper bag to calm me down as I got myself all worked up.

Eventually I was allowed off the ward to café where I saw my 2 year old son Jack. I’d not seen him for 3 weeks … God I held him so tight, and he even looked like he'd grown. I wanted to hold him and never let him go, but I had to. I am crying as I write this as I remember that moment so well.

On 27th April I was sent home and that is where I found it really hard and I still do. My emotions go up and down and I am on medication. I am also going to see a councillor for post traumatic stress.

From all this I have made so many life-long friends who have been FANTASTIC to me.

YES all you guys!

Now, 5 months on, I am thinking of returning to work in another month and have an unbreakable bond with my 2 year old son, Jack. Yes, I have bad days; head, neck, ears and eyes and twinges all over, but I am here.

THANK YOU to all my new friends.