Chelle C

Hi Claudette & Patricia, Welcome to BTG you will find lots of valuable advice and support here, It`s very early days for you yet so take things nice and slowly, one day at a time. It`s lovely that you have your sister join with you and I am sure you will both benefit from this site. I know it has been a god send to us all, we are all here for the same reason and we all try to help each other through the tough times. Keep posting and I wish you good luck with your recovery Love Michelle x

Daffs, Although I don`t have a shunt fitted, I really do get what you are saying. I still have to take my time getting out of bed, I also have a fog in my head and that really frustrates me. When I get a headache it doesn't just affect my head, it affects the way I function, certain people in my life think I should be over this by now, I WISH. No one understands because they can`t physically see it. My memory is terrible and I forget a lot of things again this can be annoying to others I don`t do it on purpose, I really can`t help it. I don`t say anything about having a headache anymore because I can`t handle the eye rolls from certain people if I mention it, I still get so tired but I don`t mention that either, I just keep it all to my self, Here is where I unload I am able to come here and talk to people who understand, people who won`t and don`t judge me for being me. It`s lovely that you were able to come here and off load all that you were feeling Daffs I cried when I read your post, We all have the Wonderful Karen to thank for giving us all somewhere to turn and all the wonderful people who help us all get through the really difficult times. We are lucky to still be here and it`s learning to live with the hand we have all been dealt that can be the hardest part, but somehow we will do it. I hope you are feeling better Daffs Love Michelle x

Hi Sammy Anne, I have been to see nurse at Doctor`s this morning, we discussed the Smoking issue, I have decided when we close our caravan down for the winter I am going on their 12 week stop smoking plan. She advised against seeing a hypnotist. I really do want to stop although I don`t smoke many a day, I know I shouldn't be doing it. So I will let you know how it goes Love Michelle

Hi Sammy Anne, I like the others wasn't told not to drink, I only have a drink with my Christmas Dinner anyway as I stopped drinking alcohol in 1997, I didn't have a drink problem I just stopped enjoying it, Last Christmas I had two glasses of Asti with my lunch which is what I would normally have and I ended up with a bit of a headache, not sure if I will have a drink this Christmas because of that. I am still having a cigarette although I know I shouldn't, thought about going to hypnotist to stop but scared of the affect it might have on my brain. Like the others say, you speak to your doctor as everyone is different. Love Michelle Just to say I had a ruptured Aneurysm when I had my bleed.

Hi, You are certainly having a very difficult time, not only having to cope with your own health issues but with your husbands also and having five children to look after and protect from all of this has got to be so stressful for you. Like Daffodil said, maybe you should try talking to your GP, if you have one that is good at listening, he or she could arrange some help for you both. It has got to be very hard for you especially when you are trying to recover from serious illness yourself, try and take time out if you can, even if it`s just spending an hour lying down in a quiet room away from the rest of the family, it might help. Also keep posting on here, that's the brilliant thing about this support group it`s a place you can come and feel safe talking to people who will listen to you without judging you, people who understand what YOU have been through. Please try and stay strong, you will I`m sure get through this. Best wishes to you and your family, Love Michelle x

Hi Jerome, Welcome to BTG, you have been through it haven't you. Its still early days for you yet so take it easy, keep posting here and you will see that this is a brilliant place for help and support. I would just say make sure you get plenty of rest, make sure you drink plenty of water and take each day as it comes, you are a survivor as we all are, we have to embrace still being here GOOD LUCK with your recovery Love Michelle

Hi Sonia, Welcome to BTG, you will find a wealth of information and friendly advice here, You are still in early stages of recovery so take each day as it comes, you will get there, it just takes time. I`m 18 months into my recovery and I can tell you it does get better, you can`t compare your recovery to anyone else because we are all different, the people you will meet here are fantastic, I joined in March and it has been the best thing I did, I have learned so much from everyone and I`m sure you will do the same. The advice I would give you is this, make sure you have plenty of rest, I was told to make sure I drank plenty of water and make sure you listen to your body, most of all give yourself time, there are no quick fixes to what has happened, Your body and brain have suffered a huge trauma and they need time to heal, you also have to come to terms with what has happened, it`s a shock to the system and your loved ones will also be trying to come to terms with it also. Be kind to yourself and don`t try to do to much to soon. Keep posting on here and let us know how things are going, you are not alone. Good luck on your recovery journey Love Michelle x

Happy Anniversary Sami, Sorry I`m a day late, hope you had a wonderful day. Thanks so much for all the support you have given me, This site is such a god send to us all, you all do a fantastic job. Love to you and your family, Love Michelle xx

Hi SB, I have just been reading your posts and I find it amazing that your husband is doing all the things that he is so early in his recovery. I was exhausted just reading it, maybe the others are right though, he could be over doing things and his body is reacting badly to it, I was told when I had my SAH that recovery is a long process, it doesn't happen over night, it can take years, some of us never recover fully, we do improve with time and things do get better but it all takes time. I had my SAH 14 months ago and I am still not great, admittedly I have more good days than bad, but if I push myself to hard then I pay for it with nasty headaches, dizziness and irritability, I still can`t stand and cue in a shop because standing still for to long makes me dizzy, I still am very noise sensitive, and don't like crowds of people, I think your husband is suffering from doing far to much to soon, his body is telling him to slow things down a little. It must be really hard not having family close by, you have to take all of the stress on yourself which does come through in your posts, I do feel for you. As others have said keep coming here we are all here to help, listen and comfort you when you need it, I have found this site a godsend since I joined and I am sure you will too, Hope all goes well with husbands scans, keep us posted. Love and hugs to you both Michelle x

Karen, Congratulations 10 years, You are as Tina said one hell of a woman and a huge inspiration, Thank you so much for bringing BTG into our lives, I applaud you and your team for the hard work that you and them put into this site. You have created somewhere for people who are feeling quite vulnerable at times to come and that is priceless. I know how much I have benefited from this site, it has helped me so much with my recovery. Thank You Karen, Lots of love to you and your family Michelle xx

Hi Mandie, I had exactly the same fear as you are having early on in my recovery, we found other ways of being intimate and it worked, I did ask for some advice from BTG members and I put that advice to good use. It`s 14 months since my SAH and we are getting there, it takes time to rebuild that confidence back up, as time goes on you will do that, We just enjoyed each other in other ways until I felt more comfortable. When it does happen it`s like finding each other all over again Just take your time, it will happen. Good Luck Love Michelle xx

Hi Annie, Welcome to BTG, you will find lots of information and support here, I had a lot of pain at the base of my skull after SAH, I like Tina was told this was normal but we are all different, I hope you get some help when you see your GP. I was told to make sure that I was drinking lots of water and having plenty of rest, As Macca said it sounds like your body is telling you to slow down, As I have said to many newbies you brain and body have suffered a massive trauma they need time to recover and heal, this takes time and unless you listen to your body you will suffer for it, you are doing great but maybe you are doing to much to soon, maybe slowing things down a bit may help. I did find drinking lots of water did help though, it`s worth trying. Good luck with your recovery Take care Michelle xx

Hi, I am so sorry for your loss, I think what Clare has put in her post may be the way forward for you, they may be able to point you in the right direction for the help you need, they might put your mind at rest where the children are concerned. I can`t begin to imagine what you are going through right now, This site is a great comfort to many people and i`m sure we will all do our best to help you through this very difficult time. You should as Clare said speak to your Doctor about your fears for your children. It`s only 11 days since you lost your husband, It`s all still very raw for you and your children, You will find the strength to cope I`m sure. My thoughts are with you and your children. Michelle xx

Hi Issy, Big welcome to BTG sorry to hear about your SAH, we have all been there I had mine June 2014, I still have the odd wobbly day but I now have more good days than bad, You have come to the right place for help and advice, this site has been a god send to me, it`s just nice to know you have other people who really understand what you are feeling and what you are going through it is sometimes difficult to get that across to family and friends, the people on BTG are a fantastic support, everyone has a lot valuable information which will go a long way to helping you as you recover. Sounds like you have a wonderful family and with there love and support you will get there, just make sure you have plenty of rest, I found drinking plenty of water helped with some of the fuzzy head symptoms. Good luck on your recovery journey Love Michelle xx

Hi Mandie, Both Karen and Win are right, you need to speak to your doctor, they will explain exactly what IPH means. I looked my diagnosis up on line and frightened the life out of myself, don't do it because it will mess with your head, causing you stress that you don't need. Take care Michelle xx

Hi Mandie,, I know exactly how you feel, I had similar fears after my SAH, it is normal to feel like this when you go through a life changing event at least that`s what my therapist told me. Like you I found it difficult to go to sleep without having thoughts that I would not wake up, lots of deep breathing was my way of dealing with it, it really helped me to relax and clear my head, I had some talking therapy which was invaluable in the early days, and when I joined BTG I found knowing that others had gone through the same feelings also was a big help. Macca is right about keeping the mind occupied helps, I still have days where I take a step back but I find something to do and it passes, Your body and brain have suffered a huge trauma and it takes time to recover both mentally and physically, give yourself time, drink lots of water and lots of rest, its early days for you. Stay strong and you will get there I wish you well on your recovery journey Love Michelle xx

Hi Mandie, Welcome to BTG so glad you have found this site, you will get lots of support and good information here, I had my SAH one year ago, like you I was scared that it would happen again, I asked my doctor for help and I had some therapy, this helped a lot. It`s natural to be scared you have suffered a huge trauma, you have to take things slowly listen to your body and your brain the healing process takes time, plenty of rest, when you feel tired make sure you can take time out to rest. Drinking plenty of water is a great help, I`ve never drank so much water but it does work. As for you having pushy parents who think you should be doing more, In February this year someone very close to me said a very similar thing to me I was devastated by this, I basically said they should try walking in my shoes just for one day as I thought that would give them an idea of what it`s like. They`ve said nothing like it since. Time is what it takes, you are a survivor and you will get there take each day as it comes. Good luck to you and your family as you take this recovery journey together Love Michelle x

Rachel I forgot to say if you have a bad day the person who will cheer you up most is Win, She really is a wonderful person. She loves to sing, she will always bring a smile to a sad face, We all love her very much, her songs are brilliant. Take care Michelle x

Hi Rachel, So glad you have found this site you have come to the right place for info and support. It was 1 year on the 8th June since I had my SAH I also had a stroke in December thankfully there were no lasting effects from that, I also have short term memory problems and words also get stuck. Give yourself time,your brain has suffered a trauma and that takes time to heal, lots of rest and plenty of water is what I`ve been doing, I find the water helps a lot. Congratulations on your impending wedding, when something like this happens it does make you value what you have got, I have been with my partner for 15 years he has been my rock would not be able to cope without him. As for the poetry you go for it Rachel, I loved writing poems before my bleed unfortunately I can no longer do it, my brain just doesn't want to know and I end up with a headache. Subzero is a wonderful poet, he often writes about the crowd on here. This site is brilliant, friendly and everyone is very welcoming, I wish you well on your recovery journey both you and your partner Love Michelle x

Hi all, Thank you all so much, what wonderful people you all are, I cannot put into words how your posts have made me feel, they have really touched my heart Subs thank you so much for the lovely poem, you brought tears to my eyes, you are a wonderful person a very kind and considerate person. Bless you. Lots of love to you all, Michelle Verdun and molly xx

Thank you all so much for your lovely words, they are very much appreciated, Win, sorry I decided not to make my cake I have been lazy and bought one instead. Hope you all have a really good day as I intend to. Love to you all, Michelle xx

Hi all at BTG, Well it`s arrived my 1st anni-versay, I`ve been awake since 4.45, lots going on in my head stopped me going back to sleep, so here I am. It`s so hard to believe that a year has passed since my brain decided to explode, what a year it has been. I still remember it as if it happened yesterday, those memories still scare me. I was standing outside on the decking of our caravan at 5.45 this morning with my coffee just looking at the scenery and the tears were running down my face, why? because I just feel so glad to be alive. When I think back to when it happened, if they had discharged me with a migraine, I wouldn't be here. My partner Verdun has been my ROCK, I would not have been able to cope if it was not for him, I LOVE HIM DEARLY, he has been at my side through all of this and I will be forever glad that he was. When I think how far I have come since leaving hospital I am amazed, I`ve gone from being in a wheelchair, then on to a pair of crutches and now I only need them when I am having a dizzy day, I still have problems with my short term memory, that really frustrates me, I still sometimes get stuck for words and that also frustrates me but the way I look at it is this there are a lot more people who have a lot more problems than I have been left with after suffering a SAH, I believe I have been very lucky. The hospital I was in R.V.I. Newcastle were fantastic, I believe the care I received was brilliant, I have to thank the lord that we have such a brilliant hospital in our area. Now comes my BIGGEST THANK YOU, Karen I would like to say a huge thank you to you and all of the team at BTG, I would also like to thank all of the MEMBERS who have made me feel so welcome since I joined this wonderful site in March, it is like having an extended family,(without the arguments) I am so grateful for all the help and advice that I have had since joining, the other thing that has helped is knowing that if I am having a bad day I can come to BTG and talk to people who understand, for that I will be forever grateful, so thanks Karen for giving me and thousands of others a place to feel safe. My plans for today are to go shopping first thing, make a CHOCOLATE cake when I come back then chill for the rest of the day, Finally to anyone looking at this site and wondering if they should join in, my advice would be this GO AHEAD it could be the best thing you ever do, it was for me. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT BTG, I wish you all well. Lots of love Michelle xx

Hi Sharalu, Well done on getting the go ahead to return to work, hope it all goes well for you As Clare said just make sure they completely understand what you`ve been through, and make sure you rest and as Win said plenty of water it does help a lot. Anyway good luck and I wish you well Michelle xx

Hi all, This is such a very sad and tragic waste of a young life, hospitals always say they have learned from a mistake but it still keeps happening. If someone goes to hospital after suffering severe headaches I believe they should be scanned. When I had my SAH they were going to discharge me with migraine, I`ve never suffered migraine, I was found unconscious at home, if they had discharged me I would have died, I was told that by the professor who operated on me. I had a stroke in December and the first thing they mentioned was migraine and my partner blew his top, he told them he wanted my head scanned to make sure everything was ok with the coiling that I`d had in the June. I know a lot of this comes down to cost but what price can you put on a persons life, this young lady deserved better and her parents deserved to be listened to, parents know their children and doctors should listen to them. In fact I think anyone who presents with an out of the ordinary headache should be scanned, especially a severe one. It annoys me to think how many people could be saved by just doing the right thing. Michelle

Hi Tony, Before my SAH I was the carer, looking after my partner who has a serious heart condition. He found me unconscious at home when I suffered my bleed. I have found it really hard to come to terms with him having to look after me, He has been fantastic and I don't know what I would have done without him, I have always been the strong one in our relationship, Now though I have to accept that I am no longer able to do what I was doing. I do what I can when I can, I have also learned to say "NO" where before this it would always be "YES" We are adapting our lives to suit the situation we find ourselves in but its been a hard 12 months for us both. I have found that I have gained so much support from the people on BTG Its just nice having people who can connect with how you are feeling, Your post has certainly given me hope for the future, I wish you and your wonderful wife and family well. Keep smiling Michelle