KelBel

Hi David, I am glad you hung up on that stupid nurse who thinks it is okay to generalise about everyone by saying we could all die in a month. Yes, it is true that we could, but right now you have a 'patient' on the phone, asking a civilised question for an entirely appropriate reason - simply asking if he can just get an earlier appointment because he is scared about his health. It is shocking that you can speak to one person, who was clearly having a bad day and gets you so mad you hang up, then you speak to another (supervisor/senior/manager) and it all gets sorted out there and then! Thank goodness you got the result you deserved in the end! I assume you meant your new appointment is 2nd Sept, not Oct? Good luck Kel x

I can only offer prayers for your dad. Sorry I cannot help any further. Kel x

Hi Kris, sorry I am late, but happy 1st anniversary to you! You have done so well. x

Hi Sue So sorry to hear your sister has had to endure so many medical issues. It is really sad that her husband is not willing to listen to reason, and accept your help, and let you see your sister. I can imagine that must be heartbreaking for you (((hugs))) x It does sound as though he is not willing to accept the reality of the situation, but I do hope in time that you manage to get through to him and are able to spend some time with your sister. You are not being pushy. It is your sister and you desperately want to spend time with her and help out where you can. Don't give up.x Take care Kel x

Hi Mark I had my SAH 11/12/2009 and flew in Nov 2010. The current platinum coils do not make the airport scanners go off and I can't recall reading that you have to wait any length of time to be able to fly. My flight was okay and did not affect my head at all, and like Liz - just the hustle and bustle of the airport tired me out! I would either call your wifes Neuro-consultant, or email the Patient Liaison Service for the hospital to find out. Or call the Brain & Spine Foundation helpline, or you could even call Headway to see if they have any info. Take care Kel x

Hiya Nikopie I have these 'brain farts' too! It has got better over time (I'm now 2.5yrs post-SAH) although I do still get them some days a week, usually if I am really tired... I usually just say I can't find the word I am looking for, my brain isn't working right now... Kel x

I was getting ready for my works Christmas do... I had been feeling very stressed for a few weeks, for no apparent reason and I was feeling unwell and slightly breathless the weekend before. I had a popping sensation in my head, and it then felt like my head was full of cotton wool. I felt quite hot and my scalp was suddenly sweating and my neck must have hurt as I initially thought I had pulled a muscle in my neck... I still went along for my Christmas do but I then spent the night in a friends hotel room feeling ill and being voilently sick whilst everyone else was partying on... a LOT of pain and 4 days later I went to hospital! x

My saccular aneursym is on my Right Posterior Communicating Artery and measured 13mm x 8mm x 8mm and is filled with a micromesh and 3 coils apparently, and was 100% occluded (filled in!).x

Hi Nic Re. Travel Insurance - you will pay slightly more for your travel insurance following SAH/Stroke. I have used Columbus Direct in the past and they have been quite reasonable Re. Car Insurance - there should not be a change in your insurance payment once you have the all-clear from the DVLA to be able to drive again. Rgds Kelley

Happy 4th Annie-versary Michelle! Having to recover yourself is difficult enough, but you have also had to go through Dylan's recovery too, which must be extremely hard and emotional to deal with. I do hope you get that letter from the DVLA very soon, to get out and about whenever you fancy it, and get to the beach to blow the cobwebs away... take care Kel x

Hi Nic Welcome to the BTG family. As others have said, ask any questiosn when you are ready to. We are all here for each other, offering assistance on this journey of recovery. We all have slightly different journeys to take, but we seem to share a number of the same or similar symptoms along the way; to a greater or lesser degree. The majority of us are united in the fact that there is little or no aftercare once we are discharged. Whilst our care in hospital may have been good/great/fantastic, we are then left to our own devices with no idea what to expect once home. Like others have said; rest, drink lots of water and have some more rest. Hope to hear more from you soon Kel x

Brilliant Dawn! I am going to put a reminder in my phone, put it on my calendar, email myself at work to add it to work calendar... and ask a few family or friends if they can record it too! Just to be sure I get to watch it! x

Hi Teechur I think this is a great thread. It will certainly help all those new to the site, to understand why they are feeling what they are feeling. Most of the time I am glad I survived and I feel like I have got through it all okay (2.5yrs on) but I have my down days or moments too. I get really angry and am still flabbergasted by some people, like your facebook friend, who just 'don't get it'! The brain controls everything for the whole body; movement, emotions, everything, and just because they cannot see the damage they assume we are okay when we look okay on the outside... my brain didn't bleed on the outside, my vasospasm didn't affect my looks, but it did affect the internal workings... I am lucky to have survived, and I am very lucky to have recovered as well as I have done, but there are still little things that annoy me. I am not 'over it' just yet, despite others thinking I should be by now... Six months of daily pain is debilitating for anyone. I hope you are able to go and see another doctor who can help find the right pain relief for you. take care Kel x

Great post Carl! I'd like to think there is a purpose for us escaping the grim one himself... I am just waiting to find out what my purpose is... but like you say, at least we have all got together on this site and are able to share our experiences to help one another. Maybe that is the purpose... We are all learning together how to get through this and are able to pick up others up when they are down and vice-versa. x

I can so relate to this 'startle reflex', although it has got slightly better over time. Early days/weeks/months post-sah I would startle so easily... And I definitely have heightened senses. I still suffer light and noise sensitivity, and strong smells can be overwhelming and can cause headache/nausea... esp. perfumes, although I have had that for years. I did suffer light sensitivity for many years prior to my sah, but my neuro-consultant did say that my annie had probably been growing for at least 8 years (the length of time I suffered migraines...) and it could have been even longer than that. I had an annie SAH but we all seem to suffer similar symptoms/after-effects etc whether non-annie or annie! quote kpaggett "Not sure if anyone else has noticed any increased emotions. It seems if I want to do something, I really want to do it even if it's not the best idea and I can think through it later. Or if I'm startled, I'm really startled. Emotions seem so overwhelming sometimes...even the good ones" I find it very difficult to make my mind up on some things; where to go out to eat, what to eat, what to buy... and then I really want one thing and buy it/get it/do it, and then that usually turns out to be a bad decision and I wished I'd gone with the alternative!... hmmpff quote DawnS " I don't get angry, I get furious. I don't get upset, I get devastated" I get insanely furious about some things... where I could get a little annoyed, and then a few days later I realise that I shouldn't have got so mad about it all... it can be frustrating... In the main though, things have got better since the early days post-sah. I can sit in a busy bar or restaurant and 'cope' now, whereas it used to drive me almost insane, and would tire me out to the point of wanting to cry and then sleep! Things can get better.. and hopefully will for all of you who are still early days/weeks/months post-SAH Take care all Kel x

Hi Stephanie It is so unfair that we get treated as though we are 'all fixed' once we have had a check-up and some of us have had ops (if aneursym-SAH). It is just not true that we are 'fixed', there is internal damage that needs to repair itself, and that can take months or indeed years, depending on the severity of our SAH. I also suffered from some of my family, friends and work colleagues who thought I would be 'back to normal' straight-away. It has taken a few years for them to realise otherwise, although I am a lot nearer to the 'old me' now (2.5yrs on). Quoting your earlier post "Some days I think it was a mistake that I survived at all, that they would all be better off if I hadn't. I know that isn't true (most of the time) but I can't help but dwelling on it other times" I can relate to this as I felt like this for months post-SAH. Things have got so much better over the past few years though and I don't feel this way now. It will get better. Good luck for your husbands operation. It is unfortunate you are having to go through so much as a family this year, and it is sad that others are not supporting your recovery whilst you are worrying about your husband too. Perhaps your family should have a read of some of the information and stories on this site... Take care and stay strong Kel x

This is a great thread! And Mary you are so right... we do not always know what others are going through, and we ourselves know that our pain can be hidden away because we look okay on the outside! I am 2.5 yrs post-sah and I am starting the acceptance stage now. I have certainly gone through the anger and frustration stage! on and off for many years now I think!! But I do believe I am turning a corner now... Dawn - that is awful about your mum, such a cruel way to die.x

Hi Claire, I am not surprised you don't know which way to turn It is crazy that the Dr in A&E just shooed (spelling?) you away after they realised you were being dealt with by another consultant... it's madness. I sincerely hope you get some help and answers soon. I feel for you having to go back to work because your sick pay was ending - that is exactly what happened to me I think I went back too early but everyone kept telling me 'I looked okay'! Clearly you are not okay and need some further investigation done. If they thought it was an aneurysm initially and you are displaying neurological symptoms that would indicate something is wrong then it seems logical that there is something that needs to be sorted. Good luck Kel x

Hi Ron Sorry, I missed this thread originally, but what fab news now! You can carry on recovering and getting stronger week on week, and like Macca has said, IF you do need further coils you will be stronger and in a better place to deal with it. Take care Kel x

Hi Sally I am so mad for you! How are you supposed to understand what is going on if they send out so many conflicting letters?! that is just crazy Good luck if you do go for a job at the sewing company, and when you do get full-time work you will need to advise your family that they will have to adopt a new routine to help out around the house. No ifs, no buts, they will have to help you. I am feeling mighty grateful that I was indeed able to come back to full-time work so soon after my sah. Even though it was absolute hell initially, I have made it through and am now in a much better place. Good luck and big hugs for you Kel x

Hi Paul Welcome to BTG! As others have said, keep up the water intake to keep you hydrated and help reduce the headaches. You girlfriend was very brave that night and got you to the hospital in good time. We are glad you are here to tell the tale. Ensure you have lots of rest and learn not to overdo it. We all still overdo it now and again...you get a day where you are on top of the world and think you can do everything like your pre-sah self, and then the next day you are brought back down to earth... It takes time to learn to listen to your body and notice the signals that you are over-doing it. My signals are tiredness, noise-sensitivity, extreme light-sensitivity and struggling to recall words. I know I have really overdone it then! I have to have a rest/sleep and recharge my brain. Things do get better with time though, but I would suggest looking back each month and seeing how far you have come as you may not notice changes week on week. This recovery process can be a long winding road, with ups and downs along the way. I think Skippy has said in the past 'you can take as many pit-stops as you want or need on your recovery journey' Take care Kel x

Claire Good luck for Tuesday. Make lots of notes when you are there, so that you don't have to try to remember what was said afterwards. If you do have someone going with you, ask them to note everything down for you. Hope you get some more answers Take care kel x

Penny - thanks for sharing that link, I have shared on Facebook too. Win - you do make me laugh! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Gill, I saw that book 're-booting your brain' mentioned on the Brain & Spine Foundation email earlier. It sounds interesting. Penny - let us know what you think of it when you've had a chance to read the sample x

Hi Claire A brief summary of events for me; My SAH happened Fri 18.20pm 11/12/09 Phoned NHS Direct Sun 5am 13/12/09 Got call back from NHS Direct 9am 13/12/09 Went to walk-in-clinic Sunday midday 13/12/09 - was told I had a virus, go home, rest and take paracetamol; argued with the Dr who then made and appointment with emergency Dr 7pm 13/12/09 - was told I had a virus, go home, rest and take paracetamol; argued with him to no avail Went to own Dr Tues 11am 15/12/09 saw nurse practitioner who wanted to rule out a bleed. Sent to local hospital. 1pm 15/12/09 admitted to A&E - CT scan done, CT scan with dye done, Aneurysm located but no bleed. 8pm lumbar puncture performed (took an hour) no bleed found. Weds 16/12/09 - Another hospital located bleed on CT scan, (Local hospital had detailed my SAH as 15/12/09 rather than 11/12/09) coiling op arranged for Friday 18/12/09 Thurs 17/12/09 - blue-lighted to other hospital Fri 18/12/09 - op due at 8am but more urgent case admitted. Op at midday till 3pm. Discharged with nothing more than a 4week sick note Thurs 24/12/09. My story is a fairly long one... if you're up for a read please see this link I hope you get some answers very soon! Take care Kel x