Simon Shrouder

Just a note to say thanks for all the messages of welcome and for being so positive. Been flagging this weekend - literally, laying flags at the side of the house. Didn't rush it though and it certainly gives you a very real feeling of tiredness - much purer than I used to get before the SAH. Seeing the Chief Exec of Southport Hospital on Tuesday to discuss better triaging processes. Fingers crossed they can improve their act for the next poor soul who passed through their doors with an explosive headache and a stiff neck! Sorry been a while replying to the thread - forgot the log-in details already! Night night everyone - and do sleep well. I dream a lot more now - quite enjoy some of it!

Thank you Liz

Thanks Louise! You can only do your best - and with redundancies at work in the current climate I needed to be part of the picture!! Looking at all the threads what I can really empathise with is the difficulty in assessing complicated environments - like supermarkets - or busy meetings - you just feel you want to run somewhere quiet - I knew I should have got the remote Scottish croft a little earlier!! I hope you are doing ok?

Before I start, can I just say what a wonderful bunch of positive people you are - truly inspirational. I guess we all know just how lucky we are to be still seeing the sunshine - or the rain! Here's my potted story for your perusal. I was doing an experiment involving concentration at work on Friday 28th January. Mid-way through I felt a light popping sensation in the back of my head. I stopped doing the experiment instinctively, but thought nothing more about it. Four hours later, while at home, I rushed downstairs to answer the phone, had a normal phone conversation, put the phone down - and my head exploded. Instant pressure and pain, instant stiff neck - no idea what was causing it. I did check my blood pressure which had shot up. I then got my daughter to run me to A&E. Didn't want to worry the family so walked in alone. The pain got worse and I thought I wasn't going to be speaking to anyone again. They put me in a cubicle and I stayed there from 5pmjust before 11pm. They then said, did I want to stay in or go home and come back if it got worse. I chose to go home. 0545 the next Monday after a terrible night, I went back to A&E. This time they kept me in till 0945 and then offering me painkillers - sent me home. No choice this time! Struggled through Sunday, but despite feeling bad on Monday, drove to work. Nearly fell over walking to the photocopier. Went to Occupational Health. They said go to A&E or go to your GP. Not surprisingly chose GP. She was brilliant. Spotted the problem immediately and referred me back to the hospital. They then kept me in a waiting room from 5pm Monday till 0045hrs Tuesday - putting me on a ward bed twice and asking me to give it up for someone who needed it more. I finally got on a ward bed in the early hours and had a CT scan mid morning. As soon as the Walton Neurological Centre checked the results the attitude of my local hospital changed dramatically. I was told to lie flat, not move and taken by ambulance to Walton that afternoon. The Walton Centre was absolutley brilliant from beginning to end - everyone in there was a star. I cannot thank them enough. I had the coiling op on the Thursday and all went well. I then had a gradual recovey with two and a half months off work and I am now in the middle of a phased return to full time. I am a very lucky boy indeed. I still get very tired, and emotional, and still get site-specific pain in the head when I do too much - but without the coiling I would probably not be here. Also I have just found out that I have Critical Illness Cover and am wondering if I can claim against. My problem is I am not sure what constitutes 'permanent neurological damage'...all thoughts welcome and keep smiling everyone!! Love to you all!