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Gill C

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Everything posted by Gill C

  1. I'm so sorry to hear this. Win was a real character and will be greatly missed
  2. I too felt weak and anxious being home. Its perfectly normal especially if you are pushing too hard to get back to your old life. Lots of rest and plenty of water are essential to your recovery, rest in a quiet, dark and peaceful. Don't assume sitting watching TV or chatting is rest because it really isn't!! If you broke your leg youd stay off it for 6 weeks, your brain is never still even when you're sleeping x
  3. Nathan seems OK today but I know tears are close. He went to bed exhausted at 8pm and fell asleep quickly but by 9.30 he was up and upset. He spent an hour with Ian talking about his teacher and Minecraft and Pokémon. Today we're taking flowers to the front of the reception door, I know it'll be covered in flowers by then, there were already flowers there at 8.30am I've told him its OK to be sad, most of the pupils were in tears last night. I've said if he's worried about anything to speak to pastoral care. I'm not sure how much of what he's feeling is about my surgery as he's not talking about it and I don't want to push him. I'm so grateful the school have dealt with things so we'll so far. Thanks for your support, I really needed it x
  4. Nathan is upset (tears as he came out) and has linked it to my op, but I've reassured him I am fixed and it won't happen again. He's had some chocolate (the cure for most ills) and asked to take flowers in tomorrow as school said they can. To be frank, I think the school has handled it very well and said if anyone has any questions or needs to talk to someone they can. I've stressed to him that if he's worried or upset not to keep it to himself as school will understand. Honestly, it's hit me more than him, as it brings back those awful memories of what he and Ian went through while I was ill. There's also those thoughts of why did I survive and not her. I'm so grateful to see another Christmas I promise not to moan!
  5. I've had an email from Nathans school today telling me that his teacher (29) passed away yesterday following surgery for a bleed on the brain. She passed away at Wessex neuro where I and quite a few of you were treated. School are telling the pupils this afternoon and they've been adviused to say it was a bleed in the brain. I've spoken to pastoral care and they're going to keep an eye out for Nathans reactions. They have counselling etc in place. I'm hoping he won't link this to my op which was 6 years ago and on an unruptured anni. Desperate to pick him up and reassure him I'm ok. Please hug your family a little bit closer tonight, we truly are the lucky ones xx
  6. Hi Maya. I also had an unruptured aneurysm. Mine was unstable though and had grown to 5mm. Given that it had grown and might possibly grow again I was offered surgery. I was given the choice of coiling or clipping. Given that clipping usually meant no further action would ever be needed I chose to be clipped. My son was just turned 4 at the time and like you i was terrified. For me there wasn't an option not to have surgery so it was a done deal when I went in. 6 years on apart from double vision my only major issue is fatigue. I do most things I did before although I was lucky that I didn't have to work, I did do some voluntary work but the office moved and I wasn't needed. If your anni is small and monitored for any changes regularly and if your neuro does not think you need surgery then I'd go with it. If there are changes then the surgeon will inform you of your options and advise you accordingly. Its tough but you need to trust the experts x
  7. I agree with Karen on this one. Trying to cope on your own really doesn't help. I was scared for a long time after my op. I had a lot of help from headway in the early days but I had refused their help initially as I thought I could manage. I was 6 months post op before I could accept help. From there I had some cbt which wasn't wholly helpful and was offered anti depressants but again I refused them several times. It was only when I was still tearful and anxious I decided to give them a go (about 18months post op) and yes it works slowly but I remembered how to laugh and be happy again.I lost my temper less and began to realise how low I'd actually become over time. Like Karen I wish I'd tried them sooner. Sharing on here really helps and going to a support group if you have one near you is also great. There are times though you have to accept any help that's offered by your gp or Neuro x
  8. Suzi I chose to be clipped, was offered the choice of coiling (with yearly angiograms) or clipping because it was a line drawn under the treatment I chose clipping. It was my first surgery of any kind and I was terrified but I was more scared of repeating the angio (they struggled to stop the entry site bleeding) on a yearly basis. The lady in the next bed to was coiled after rupture, her recovery was nowhere near as good as mine. I didn't rupture but had complications with vasospasms and the pressure of the anni on my brain for 6 weeks so there are people who have recovered better than me. There's just no way of second guessing what the outcome will be. Ill be crossing everything for you (if others anything I can help with just pm me) x
  9. I had an unruptured anni clipped 6 years ago. The clipping went well but unusually I suffered vasospasms after the op (I'm told this usually only happens when there's been a bleed) and was on gelofusin (sp?) For about 10 days post op. I was in HDU for about a week during that time. I don't think I was given anti consultant drugs but the name namipodene rings a bell. I was discharged with no additional media and was told the risk of seizures is greatest during the first 3 months. By the time of my review I was well enough to be discharged without further treatment. Just really saying this because I've been there and I was scared of brain issues too but you have to put your faith in the experts, if you need the drugs they'll be prescribed, if not then try not to worry x
  10. I was awake for my.angiogram, don't recall having a sedative other than the numbing injection in my groin. I felt no pain at all, there were flashing lights as they injected the dye into both arteries in the brain but it didn't hurt. Unlike a ct with contrast you don't get that warm feeling as they inject the dye. The only problem I had was the bleeding from the entry site, they had to push hard for about 20 mins and I had a huge bruise but that soon faded. For me the worst bit was having to lie flat for a couple of hours even if you needed a wee!
  11. First was the huge pulsing pain behind my right eye followed by the headache I then had migraine in hospital before they sent me home. Blurred vision,really bad head and neck pain followed. Then complete double vision and my right pupil dilated, eventually my right eye closed completely. The head pain was constant and migraines came and went throughout the 6 weeks until the anni was found
  12. I'm 6 years post clipping and still get headaches. Mostly due to not drinking enough or not sleeping too well. I suffer with sleep apnea too so my sleep us very hit and miss! Agree with.others, drink plenty and quiet time are essential
  13. I too wasn't told not to drink but then I didn't really drink before the op.I do have a Bailey's or pimms occasionally but the headache the next day isn't worth it, mostly due to my meds rather than anything to do with the sah. I don't miss it but never really drank before anyway. I think you need to check with your Dr before indulging x
  14. I'm 5 years post clipping and still get odd feelings. My head has been.itching lots recently but the creeping/ trickling water over my brain has gone.
  15. Sammy welcome to btg. Lots of rest and drink lots of water will help with the headaches. You'll need quiet times just to recoup your energy and allow yourself to heal. I went on holiday in the August after my clipping in the June. I didn't do any driving but it was exhausting. I managed an hour or so on the beach before the noise and movement became too much. If you can factor in rest time during the drive and ferry crossing that would most definitely help. rest really means time somewhere quiet and with the lights dimmed. I didn't have a haemorrhage but did suffer with vasospasms after the op. Was advised to drink lots of water and that really helped. I slept lots and needed quiet time often. That's greatly improved over the last 5 years so now I recognise the overload feeling approaching and can head it off. Good luck if you make your trip next weekend, maybe delay it for another week or so until you feel more confident with the driving etc?
  16. Hi and welcome to btg Issy Most of us in here have had an sah but I had an anni without the haemorrhage which is more unusual. Hope you like staying with us and that you get help and support when you need it x
  17. I had a clipping and craniotomy five years ago. I only remember going down with pain in.my head and then waking up in recovery asking if I'd been done. After that all I.knew was the pain had gone for the first time in 6 weeks so although I felt like I'd been trampled it was great to be pain free. Hope that helps in some way x
  18. Ian has been my rock and although he's 'forgotten' my anni and all it entailed he's still as good as ever. I think he just doesn't want to remember how it was and how it could so easily have been much worse. He's put up with my moods and my temper (which is def worse). Thankfully he is my opposite in temperament otherwise murder may have been committed!
  19. Hi and welcome to btg janey. It's great on here because there is always someone to offer advice or a shoulder and chances are we've all felt like you do at some stage. I remember being afraid to sleep once I came out of hospital and that lasted quite a long time. The lackof info is frightening and I honestly thought I was going mad when I wasn't better in 3 months! Slow and steady that's the way x
  20. Hi clare, another wessex lady. Margaret is the only.other local nasah survivor I know but she's rarely on here. I know she is working again and although it's a new normal she's enjoying life much the same as she did before. I think for most of us fatigue is an issue. It improved greatly for me in the first couple of years but it will still hit if I push too hard. We're going up north in September to see friends and I know I have to plan in quiet time and breaks from all the noise and movement (I'm 5 years post clipping on an unruptured anni). You will learn to recognise the signs and head them off by having a rest. Hopefully we will see you at the next Wessex meet,very useful to meet other survivors.
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