zoe1zoe1zoe1

I would love to have him at home and know that I would care for him but having the 2 kids would make it very hard. I wouldn't be able to leave him alone and I know there would be carers coming in but with kids there are times when I have to go out (school runs, etc). In terms of the incontinence I don't think this is the problem as he is aware that he needs to go the loo - I think the problem is that he needs someone to put him on the commode and he won't ask for help so by the time someone comes to check on him he has already been. I have looked on the net but can;t find much about the haywood centre. I think it is part of the Haywood Hospital in Burslam but don't know much more. Yesterday when I saw him he was at the lowest I have seen him. Said he wished he hadn't survived and that he had had enough and that the kids were what was keeping him going. Just feel a bit deflated after yesterdays meeting as in 2 weeks he has made amazing progress (moving his left leg) but the physio was 'keeping it real' and was talking about what he couldn't do rather than what he could.

Had a meeting today with Richards physion, OT and nurse and not the most positive of meetings:frown5:. Richard is very neglectful of his left side and they have said that unless this changes they cant really do much to help him. However, he is now moving his left leg a bit so this must be an improvement. They have said today the 2 options for him are to either come home or go to rehab. They have said the best thing for him is rehab as he could still improve and won't get as much physio at home and I also don't think he is ready to come home (incontinent, can't dress himself, very very depressed, etc) so they are going to refer him to the Haywood Centre in Stoke. Has anyone on here been to this centre? I think you go here for about 6 weeks of intensive physio.

Thanks for that Rod. I found the following extract at a website which could explain the confusion: The patients that DeLuca works with confabulate because of a rupture in a tiny blood vessel in the brain called the anterior communicating artery (ACoA). The rupture of this tiny artery temporarily cuts off the normal flow of oxygenated blood to areas of the brain that are essential to the proper recall of memories. The damage caused by an ACoA rupture can vary from one person to another, both in the location and the degree of damage. And the symptoms are also diverse: the person can suffer memory impairment alone, or memory impairment accompanied by confabulation. When the ACoA balloons into an aneurysm and bursts, part of the frontal lobe–the region of the brain behind the forehead–is starved of oxygenated blood. This condition, known as hypoxia, can lead to the death of brain cells. An area at the bottom of the brain, the basal forebrain, can also suffer damage. For reasons not entirely clear, damage to the basal forebrain can impair the ability to form lasting memories from recent experiences, a condition known as anterograde amnesia.

Hi all . It is now 6 weeks since richards sah and 5 weeks since he came off sedation. He is still in a confused state in that he keeps talking about things that have happened that day (that haven't really happened). However, he is also very aware at the same oime but his mind just keeps wandering off. I am wondering if this is to do with the memory loss the docs mentioned. Did anyone else suffer like this and if so how long did it last. I know everyone is different but just wondered if this is usual after a sah. He is also very depressed and keeps crying. Not sure whether I should speak to the docs about this or not.

Hi again all. Well Richard has now moved to the Rehab ward so hopefully his recovery should really start now. Been to see him this afternoon and he just sat staring out of the window not talking - he is starting to get very low. I am finding this difficult to deal with as I suffer from depression anyway and it is now starting to make me feel worse. Hard seeing the most laid back person in the world feeling like this

Rich is still on observation but is having some physio which is great - we are waiting for consultants to see him to decide where to move him. Yesterday they had him standing and tey sat him in a chair but when they turned their backs he fell out (I think he thought it was his chance to escape). Took Xara ( 8 ) last week and she got very upset so took her agai last night and rich wore a hat and she was fine. Luke (3) has been a couple of times and has been great. John - I will send you a message but now kids back at school things are manic

Richard is still on Ward 8 waiting for a bed on ward 4 (Stroke). He seems to be settling in OK.

Went to see Rich last night and it is just so much nicer where he is. On an observation ward with 5 others but at least he can watch people. After the horrible incident at Stoke with the commode which should never have happened I spoke to the nurse last night who said that as Rich knows he needs the toilet they will try him with the bed pan (he is so humiliated wearing and using the pads) so that is good. His sister made he a cottage pie and took that for him and he wolfed it down. He was only about 9 and a half stone before becoming ill but now there is just nothing to him so we are going to try to fatten him up. I know a lot of the care depends on the nurse but the nurse last night was so lovely so I felt a lot more reassured when I left him last night. I am going again this afternoon so it will be nice to have him to myself for an hour. John - It would be great if at some point you could visit him. Once he is more "with it" I will explain to him how we have met (through this wonderful website) even though we only live a few houses away and have never met. I hink he would appreciate being able to talk to someone who has gone through the same.

Just had the call to say Richard will be back in Telford hospital in a couple of hours. i cannot begin to explain my relief after the last abysmal couple of days at Stoke where I don't feel the care was up to much. Now the real recovery can begin on rehab.

Well, Richards discharge paperwork is all complete so just waiting for Telford to ring and say there is a bed for him. Still very confused. Went for an MRI scan today and the nurse asked if he had any metal on him to which he replied he had metal in his eye so she refused to scan him. he is a builder and on occasions has come home from work with metal filings in his eye so I think this is where he got this from. He was also asked today if his tea was nice and he said he preferred dog food. When asked why, he said his mom used to abuse him as a kid by not feeding him so he had to fight the dog for the dog food. Richard has a fab sense of humour so I know he is probably saying it out of confusion but these are things which he could well say anyway to wind people up so it makes you feel like he is still in there somewhere. He has made such amazing progress over the last week - I am so proud of him for not giving in and he does tell me he loves me so that is just amazing.

Also meant to add that in the morning the surgeon said Richard would need to learn to swallow and when we got there in the evening he was eating some soup - yippee. Can't wait to see im tonight - I really miss him so much.

Well I've just sat and read through all the posts and you have all really cheered me up. It is quite funny reading something like this and you have all brightened my day. MARMITE - YUK PEANUT BUTTER - YUM

The meeting went fantastic. There is currently a viral outbreak on Ward 23 but as soon as this is cleared up they are going to bring Richard back to Telford for rehabilitation. They have said his recovery so far has been remarkable. Surgeon thinks that with physio some movemnet may come back to Richards leg but he holds less hope for his arm. He needs to learn to swallow again so he still has the nasal feeding tube. Said he is very confused which is why he is saying bizarre things and not to read too much into it. The other 2 aneurisms will be left for the time being as there is a risk of paralysis to the right side but doctor said they are OK to be left for now. On the whole now feeling really positive and if we can just get him closer to home that will be great.

Richard is now a week off his sedation and ventilation and is now off all drips and tubes (just the nasal feeding tube remains) as he can't swallow. Saw him last night and is is still in a very confused state - swearing constantly and keeps saying theatening comments about our children which I am finding it very difficult to deal with. I am meeting with his neurosurgeon tomorrow morning so hopefully should get some answers about when they will operate on the remaining aneurisms.

Thanx Paul - it is very hard seeing the person you love lying there isn't it. He moved to Ward 23 on Monday. I guess I am worried about the kids too. They are desperate to see their daddy and at only 3 and 8 they will find this very hard. I told Xara that as soon as he can acknowledge her I will take her but that now seems so far away. I'm not going to see him tonight as the ward has retricted visiting due to a virus so his parents are going but I will go tomorrow night - hopefuly by not going every day I will see more improvment. It will be hard not seeing him today but I've got to keep some sort of routine for the kids.

It is now 2 weeks since Richard suffered an SAH. He had it coiled and doctors performed a craniectomy to remove blood clot. He came off sedation on Saturday so nurse said there is no sedation in his body now. Been to see him tonight and got really upset. It looks like Rich lying there but it isn't Rich - almost like his mind is working but his body isn't. He is starting to talk in a very slurred fashion, his one eye is open but is staring vacantly and he is still not moving his left side. Just got really upset as I thought what if this is Richard for the rest of his life and there is no improvement. When do you think we would be able to start seeing improvement, eg. him recognising us as we walk in, etc. Thanx xx

Yesterday the docs were going to do a sedatoin hold on Rich. They were just about to do it and he coughed up his ventilation tube sp sedation was stopped. He was put on clonidine 2 days ago so this seems to have stabilised his BP. He was responding by putting his thumb up and he even had himself a game of invisible darts at one point. His eyes are opening a bit but the drug is still acting as a very mild sedative. Went to see him today and his hand has been bandaged as he keeps pulling at his tubes and last night he pulled out his nasal feeding tube so no hand squeezes today. They mentuoned perhaps moving him to Ward 23 (neuro high dependency) so that will be good to get him out of Intensive Care. Still very early days as he still has these other 2 time bombs (aneurysms) ticking away in his head but hopefully they may be able to operate soon to clip/coil. He was also have all 60 of his staples out of his head (yes - I counted them yesterday for something to do). I really do feel that things are on the up and after 10 days we are starting to see the improvement we were waiting for.

Richard has had a CT scan today - shows there is an area of his brain that has been starved of blood - whether or not it will recover is unknown but this is what is causing the paralysis. They said the brain is a very slow organ to recover from trauma so they tend to say a year after is when they know if things will improve any further. Still sedated and ventilated but tracheostomy not done today so maybe tomorrow. Chest infection is clearing - heard doctor mention pneumonia. Got really upset again today. Hard to see one of the most important people in your life in this position. His two passions in life ae his kids and football - he will fin it hard knowing he may not get to play football with his son.

JohnTaras - I too am in Wellington near Morrisions. Thank you everyone - it is nice to read other peoples stories and realise that there is lots of hope. Today his infection started clearing so hopefully we can start moving forward

Hi all. My 38 year old husband suffered an undiagnosed SAH (told it was migraine) 3 weeks ago and another on the 18th March when I found him collapsed. He is now in North Staffs Royal Infirmary on intensive Care. On the 19th he had surgery to coil the aneurism and then surgery to open the skull and remove the blood clot (skull has been left open). During surgery his pupils blew. He is currently sedated and on ventilator as he has a chest infection. So far he has paralysis to the left hand side but until he wakes we won't know what extent. He also has another 2 aneurisms which will require coiling. Just feel so helpless and scared.

3 weeks ago my husband suddenly developed a blinding headache. He saw 3 docs and they all said migraines. On 18th March I found he on the floor unwell in the toilet. he is now in North Staffs Royal Infirmary after suffering a subarachnoid haemorrhage. He underwent surgery on the 19th to coil the aneurism and surgery to remove the blood clot. They have left his skull open for now and he is currently sedated and on ventilator as he has a chest infection. He has paralysis on his left side so until he wakes we don;t know to what extent. Just so scared for the future.