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Hi Stuart If your neurosurgeon thinks you are making good progress then I think that deserves a big:thumbsup: Well done and good luck with the angio - hoping the results will be good. Take care, Sarah

Hi Karen, I think there is some brilliant advice being given by other members on this thread. I certainly think you have to be wary of returning to work too soon. I was fortunate that I only worked part-time before sah so going back on a phased return wasn't too bad, but now that my hubby has lost his job, the thought of me going full time fills me with horror even two years on - mainly because there are not many days that go by without me having a day-time sleep. One thing to bear in mind which appears quite common following sah, is the tolerance of crowds and noise which judging by your job is unavoidable! I wasn't aware how this affected me until I went to a football match and boy was that a scary experience - the whole place appeared to be moving and swaying about and I felt most odd and uncomfortable. I am ok with this now but even at the 18 month mark it would have been difficult. I certainly wouldn't want to put you off going back to work, but just be prepared that it might not be quite be the same as before, so you may need a very gradual return and some very understanding colleagues. I wish you well. Sarah

Hi Pete - nice to meet you:-D I think the others before me have summed it up quite nicely - we're here to support if needs be. Recovery is unique to us all and is not always as quick or as easy as we'd hope for. Now that you have found this site, make use of it, you are amongst some very friendly people who are more than willing to give help and advice where those non-existent leaflets failed! Sarah

Brenda - so sorry this has got to you so much that you feel you can't go through with it. I know how real the fear can be - I remember being in floods of tears in hosptial before my second coiling and was actually comforted by another patient! Then before my op, I explained to one of the doctors how worried I was, so he offered me some tablets to help relax me. I hope you can talk to someone face to face who can help allay your anxiety because I do believe it is important to find out if the coils are properly in place. It's possibly too late to suggest you still go along - at least if you have it done now you will not have to put yourself through this anguish at a later stage. I doubt that you will be their first patient who has got worked up about it and they will be there to help you. It really isn't too bad - I promise. Please don't upset yourself though - we're all here to support you. Sarah

Hi Ash - It's lovely that you have posted to let us know how things are. Sorry that Mum's progress has slowed down a bit, but I am hoping the next chapter will bring some more improvements for you all. Happy New Year to you, your Mum and family. Take care, Sarah

Great to hear that Kel - such a relief for you. All the best for the new year. Sarah

Hi Karen, Welcome to BTG. I'm sure you will read stories on here which will inspire you and reassure you that there is life after sah. I am 48 too (albeit for only another few days:frown:) and I think we are far too young to let it stop us from carrying with life. I don't know anything about wrapping but it sounds like the annie has been well looked after. It is only a relatively short time since your operation so your concerns are understandable - but I would certainly recommend coming on this site to air any anxieties etc - the majority of us have suffered a sah (to varying degrees) so have an idea of the recovery process. Wishing you all the best for your continued recovery. Sarah

Hi Brenda, I remember feeling exactly as you do before my angio. I think I am one of the world's biggest worriers, but having had two angios, two lots of coiling, 2 ct scans, 1 MRI and 1 ultrasound, I feel I am quite qualified now when I say that the apprehension beforehand is possibly the worst part. I wish I could hold your hand, but as we have rather a large ocean in the way, I will offer you cyber hugs, flowers and a big reasurance that it will be over before long and you can then tell us how brave you were. All the best, will be thinking of you, Sarah

I am pleased to hear the news that your Dad is doing well - long may it continue. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Christmas and a happier New Year. Sarah

Hi Zoe, Sorry to hear that Richard's coiling has moved and that he has to have more surgery to treat that and the other aneurysms. You have both had to endure such a lot this year, but I am glad that he will be home over Christmas and I hope you have an enjoyable few days together with the kids. Sarah

Congratulations on your engagement Jo! I hope your return to work is not as bad as you expect - whilst I didn't have a craniotomy I can relate to the twitching in the head when anxious! All the best, Sarah

So pleased for you. Certainly a better Christmas present than anything money could buy! Wishing you all the best for the New Year. Sarah

Hello Brenda and a warm welcome to the site. I'm sorry you have had the misfortune to suffer a sah. I am also 48 (sah at 46) and have lost count of the times I have broken down in tears since then, whereas I rarely, if ever, did so before I had the sah. I am still not sure of the reason behind it, but certainly try not to worry as it is quite a common after effect and should become less over time. Sarah

Firstly welcome to this site. I am so sorry to hear that you are going through all this at the moment - your Mum sounds like she must be a strong person to have defied the doctors in this way and hopefully she will continue to improve over time. You have an awful lot on at the moment and being an only child you are taking all this upset on your own without being able to share it - there is little wonder you are feeling as you do. Your Mum is in the best place at the moment and probably wouldn't want to see you struggling and making yourself feel ill. I don't think there is any easy solution but I would encourage you to come on here when you can as there is a lot of support around. Take care, Sarah

So pleased to hear from you Stuart. Sorry to hear you had the problems you did, but very glad to hear they are improving. I think we can all relate to the fatigue. It sounds like you are doing remarkably well and I hope this continues, particularly your vision problems as I imagine that is not nice. Wishing you all the best, Sarah

It is about this time last year that I discovered this site which made my second year of recovery so much 'less lonely' than the first. So a big thank you to all those who make the site run smoothly and also to those who participate on the forum - a very Merry Christmas to you all. Sarah

Glad it's over for you Kel and I hope the results are good. I always shudder at the thought of an angio, probably coz mine revealed I needed more coiling:roll:. I know you are getting towards your first annie-versary, so I wish you all the best for that and hope you continue to do well in the coming year. Sarah

Hi painter, Sorry to read that you have this fear - it can sometimes help a little just by sharing your concerns with others. I have an unruptured, untreated aneursym so I know how scary it is, but I do manage to carry on without constant fear. How I do this I am not quite sure, other than being constantly busy which occupies my mind. Of course the worrying only starts when we learn we have these aneursyms, and although I have had one rupture, I try to reasure myself that at least they are keeping an eye on the unruptured one, whereas there will be many people walking around who have cerebral aneursyms, but have no idea and I think we are actually in a better position than those people. I don't really know what advice to give, but I hope in time the fear will lessen for you. Take Care, Sarah

Hi Donna, I think the amount of scans etc, depends on the individuals circumstances and it can only be reasurring to know they are checking you regularly. Hopefully when you see your consultant in January, you will be given a clear indication of how everything is. I had my second anniversary last Monday and during that time I have had 1 angio, 1 CT scan, 1 MRI scan and an ultra sound scan on my stomach! These were in addition to the 1 CT and 1 angio that I had initially. I think my next MRI is due August next year, a year from the last one. Whilst I don't like any of them, at least the angio revealed I needed more coiling and they are also monitoring another aneursym that I have, so I guess in my case I need them all! I wouldn't have thought they would be keeping anything from you so try not to worry. Sarah

I am very saddened to learn that Rab passed away. It was such a difficult situation that they were faced with earlier this year. I hope you and Sandra's family and friends can support her through this difficult time. Thinking of you all, Sarah

Well done John for doing so well and for being so positive during the past year. I'm sure your post will give inspiration and hope to many readers. Best wishes for the coming 12 months and beyond. Sarah

Hi Pat, A warm welcome to you. I'm glad you have found this site - better late than never - it certainly helps to be amongst other fellow survivors. I think many of us are just told "carry on as you did before" and it is often later that you realise it is not always that straight forward. At least on here you can speak to others with a similar experience and realise you are not alone. It's good that you are forseeing your migraine attacks and can be better prepared for them. I suffer frequent Aura of migraine since my sah but am fortunate as I don't get the headache afterwards, which I consider a blessing. I hope to hear from you again soon, best wishes, Sarah.

Hi Rhiann, (hope I've spelt your name right) Welcome to BTG where you are amongst friends who understand what you have been through. How on earth you manage recovery on top of having 4 children to tend to, I do not know. I hope you are coping with everything - my three were a little bit older when I had my heam... 8,13,16 and I found that pretty hard. So any frustrations, worries, good times, bad times, this is the place to be!! It sounds like you had a pretty rotten time of it initially and it was not that long ago, so I hope you get the chance to come here regularly and get any support you may need. Sarah

Grace, I do feel for you, it is quite daunting returning to work, but it is not nice wondering if you will be able to keep up the pace as before. They surely would not expect you to be able to work quite the same as before and I would just say that any good employer would take account of your illness/recovery and make any necessary allowances for you, like giving you plenty of breaks etc. I hope it works out for you, but try not to get too anxious about it - you can only do your best. Sarah

Hi Ash, Great to have an update from you. So pleased you have your Mum somewhere that you know she will be happy. She has done really well so far and I hope she continues to make even more progress over the coming weeks. Take care and I hope your Dad gets some well earned rest too. Sarah