With my gynaecological, gastrointestinal problems and 5 major operations I thought I was over some of the medical problems and now with more time to myself I can go back to full time work.
In February 2008 I was offered a job, I signed the contract of employment and I was going to start work in the beginning of April 2008. I was looking forward to start work and start of a new beginning.
The night of the 13th March 2008 changed that.
I started to experience a real bad headache I was a bit annoyed as I really wanted to carry on sleeping, I thought I should get up and take some paracetomol and maybe it will go away but as I made my way to get the tablets I felt really weird everything was fuzzy around me, I knew something was not right. I took the 2 tablets but started to feel really sick, I went to my son’s room and woke him up, I had to tell him that something is not right about me and that I need help but then I just collapsed on the sofa and suddenly my left arm started going hard and my hand started to shape like a claw, although I could not talk I thought with my very high blood pressure I am having a stroke.
My son quickly called for an ambulance. I cannot remember when the paramedics came; the rest of what is being written is what my son’s told me. I was told that I was talking about things that I had planned for that day and I cannot possibly go into hospital I just did not have the time. My son Asim, bless him sat me down and said that I need to go into hospital to get better first. He was really angry at the paramedics as they thought I was acting but my son said there is no way she would want to go into a hospital and for her to tell me to call for an ambulance there must be something really wrong. The paramedics acted very quickly after that.
I was taken to the Royal Free Hospital about 3.00am. I do remember being sick every 5 minutes or so, the doctor on call decided to do a CT scan and it is then that they discovered that I had a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
The doctors did tell my son that I might not make it because I was weak and that it was a large bleed.
I was then coiled later that afternoon.
I was in the HDU for 4 weeks I got hydrocephalus, and I remember having a drain. My sister told me that I almost did not make it again. Most of my time was in and out of consciousness even when my family were there. Some things I did were totally out of character for me and thank God I do not remember them.
I did have hallucinations and seizures. I started to notice that the left side of my leg was weak, the physiotherapist were wonderful at that stage. As I am so independent I decided that I wanted to go to the bathroom myself and being stubborn too I fell when I was in the bathroom, it took a staff nurse and two physiotherapists to help me up and into bed.
After 5 weeks I was finally be able to come home I was dependent with a zimmer frame and now a crutch.
I feel that my life has changed since SAH and I often miss the person I once was I often imagine her standing and looking lost. I have come to terms with this although I do get frustrated because I do depend on others I have developed speech problems and this has also frustrated me more. I still get tired and get pains in the head, I wonder if I will ever get the conventional headache ever again! and when I do get those pains in the head it quickly makes me alert and the fear sets in.
I am six months post SAH and it has been a slow but steady recovery, I do not think I will be the same ever again but I take each day as it comes.
I intend on doing the things I said I always wanted to do and I often stop and look at beautiful things that surround me. I don’t have any intentions of doing bungee jumping or something like that but maybe travel or learn something new.
I have been given a second chance and I am going to live it to the full.
Myra xx
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