Karen

Remember, listen to your body and not what other people tell you to listen to....... whatever you feel, is the right thing to listen to... you can't please all of the people, all of the time ..... do it for for you....be happy!! K xx

Hi, It would be really good to hear the stories / accounts of SAH of any new members that have joined the site. I really think, that the more that we share, the more that we can learn. If you have 5 minutes to spare, then please do share your story.....it really does help others that may be going through a similar experience. If there are any relatives of SAH survivors......please let us know your thoughts. Many thanks, Karen.

Hi Therese, It's great to hear from you! I haven't heard of your procedure......I will have to look it up. Rest up and take it easy....it's lovely to have you back with us. Will look forward to hearing from you, once you're feeling better. Take care, Love K x

Hi Annie, Cell phones are a nice idea for Xmas pressies.....Chris, my son bought me a new one for my birthday this year.......it's a very basic model, but I didn't want too many gizmo's etc.....my brain doesn't handle over complicated stuff now. I'm waiting to take my tabs before bed tonight.....I had to have another rest at lunchtime today......they also seem to affect my sight, they make it even more blurry.....but I do feel better in myself, which is the main thing. Glad that you're cold is slightly better Annie, hope that you've been resting up... Look after yourself and take care, Lots of love K xx

Hi Scott, Join the club with the dizziness....mine is also worse with tiredness and stress!! It's one of my major issues as well...I didn't realise quite how debilitating dizziness could be. Think that's the thing with a brain injury....you can look perfectly normal to people about you, even though you aren't. Hope your weekend has been a good one, Love K x

Hi Annie, Glad that the guy's are able to help you out! Placebo would be a good name! Think I'm going to have to take my tabs before I go to bed, as I'm needing a nap in the afternoon!! But, yep, I'm feeling better, apart from them making me feel tired! Still, we can't have it all!! Have a good weekend, Love K xx

Hi Scott, I did e-mail Different Strokes asking them if they would kindly link us.....it was back in August I think, but as far as I'm aware they haven't. I suppose that I could have just posted a message on the board, but I thought that it was a bit rude! If you fancy mentioning us if you post on their site, please feel free to do so. Different Strokes is a great site, but I wanted to set up a site that was specific to SAH, as apart from the Southampton online site, which has since been shut down, I couldn't find a support site just dealing with SAH. Well, today is my 2nd day on anti-deps......feeling a bit brighter this morning....but that could be the placebo effect or may be just a better day! I've learned not to take too much for granted since the bleed as every day can still be very different. It's nice that you've made friends at the support group, think that it's vital to have communication with others in the same boat. I will have a look at my calendar to see if I'm free for the next meeting......all depending if my Husband is around, as he works away quite a bit and I still can't drive very far. Otherwise, I will try for the next one! You sound as though you've had a very tough time.....are you left with any physical disabilities? I know that you mentioned having the shunt and that you've picked up other complications on the way. For me personally, I'm left with some balance problems and I've been plagued with dizziness, which seems to be caused by the nerve palsy to my eye, so some days it's not easy to get out and about. Anyway, must go and do some work! Hope that your weekend is a good one. Love K xx

Hi Scott, It's great to hear from you and glad that you stumbled across this site. I run it, with a great deal of help from my son.....Southampton Neuro were linking us with their site....but NHS policy now doesn't allow them to do so, as we're a "private" site and not charity funded. I was treated at Southampton and find it a bit sad about the red tape etc......but that's life and we get plenty of visitors......so something is obviously lacking with support etc. Well, I'm still facing my own demons at 16 months down the line....but it's so great to have contact with others who have experienced the same and it keeps me going! I've never been to the Southampton Support Group, always felt too tired at night ...... being nosey, whereabouts do you live? Don't feel that you have to answer though! I'm in Wimborne, Dorset.....I might think about going to the next Southampton meeting.....will have to dig out the sheet that they sent me. Anyway, good to have you on board and take care, Love K xx

Hi Guys, Many thanks for your good wishes....makes me feel heaps better....Annie, do get broadband.....dial up is awful, you really are missing out, can't believe that this is what I used to use many moons ago!! Let me know if you eventually want me to send the "Brain Hospital" video to you...will probably tape the next couple of weeks worth as well. I've really missed speaking to you guy's.....but, your support is so lovely to have and I love you all!! Sending love and hugs back to each one of you....thanks again for your kind wishes. Love K x

Hiya, Just picked up my prescription from the GP for anti-depressants after having a chat with him on the phone this morning. He's put me on Prozac and I've just swallowed my first one, after sitting and looking at the packet for about 10 mins. I'm still wary about taking pills, as taking the anti seizure med, Phenytoin has left its mark indelibly printed on my brain after suffering side effects. Anyway, watch this space and hopefully in a couple of weeks I shall start to feel some benefit. Really miss talking to you guys ...... I'm having internet withdrawal along with the rest of the family! Love to you all, K x

Hi Therese, I've been thinking of you today.............really hope that all has gone well...sending you love and hugs.....Love K xxx

Hi Therese, Sending love and hugs to you for Wednesday.....I will be thinking of you... Let's hope that this is third time lucky for you and that you'll never have to go through all of this again. The very best of luck to you and let us know how you get on. Take care, Love K x

Hi Guys, I'm afraid that I have extremely limited internet access this week. Had problems with our ISP and instead of passing on a release code to us, in order that we can go to a new provider....they have just cut us off and it's going to be another 7 - 10 days before we will be back online properly plus a hefty re-connection fee. I'm spitting chips about it all!! I'm using dial-up at the moment, but it takes ages, so I will only be looking in from time to time to check that all is okay. Hope that you Guy's will keep the site ticking over for me...will catch up with you soon.....take care and lots of love, Karen xxxxxx

Hi Keith, You've definetly got too much time on your hands!!.....I used to love watching Tony Hart......I love art in all of its forms. I can remember watching a programme on Aardman Animations and Morph was featured............I love Morph! Is Tony Hart still going? Hope all is well with you, Love K xx

Hiya Keith, Well, dinner ladies have my complete and utter admiration!.. I used to help out in the local first/primary school with "Arts and Craft" each week......boy, after a couple of hours working with some of them, I was ready to drop....what some kids can do with paint or charcoal is beyond belief.....most of them ended up looking as though they were wearing it!! But, I loved it.....as I enjoy children and I love their art work!! Glad to hear that you've behaved yourself with the web site!! Yep, you did cheer me up ...... such a nutter!! Love K x

Aah Keith, you are so funny! .........Morph! ......aah love him! Haven't seen him for years.....have you got too much time on your hands??!!! Hope that you haven't been messing too much with your Company's website......goodness only knows what mischief you are getting up to with that one... Love K xx PS: Do you realise that every time you change the photo that these postings are going to look a bit insane??? Well, you gave me a good laugh....you mad person......does your wife work or does she have to put up with you throughout the day???

Hi Guys, Yep, I think that Keith has definetly "morphed" his headache to me today.....so back on the tabs again..............must have" morphed" the cold to you when I sent you that hug!!!.............please don't "morph" anything back though!!! Not unless it's something lovely!! Love K xx

Hi Keith, It's great to have one whole day where you don't need to take any painkillers ...... I was probably at the same stage as you are, when the headaches started to trail off a bit, about 3 months post SAH. I still have more headaches than I used to do, but I also get some eye nerve pain which can turn into a headache.....so, I'm probably not a good example! Talking of headaches, I have woken up with a head splitter this morning ... Have you morphed your headache over to me!! Hope your day is a good one! Love K x

Hi Jen, Think that you can tell from the "vibes" of somebody's e-mail whether they are feeling fed up or not. Just look after yourself, as it's not an easy road to travel. I try to take each day as it comes......but easier for me as my kids aren't young any more.....but harder for you. How bad is your sight or have I read your posting wrong? Well, the weather might be bad here, but at least we don't have a tornado warning.... so at least we can be grateful for small mercies! Look after yourself, write anytime, good or bad stuff, just get it off your chest!! Lots of love, K xx

Hi Sami and Jen, Sami - v.good! Re: kettle + fish perhaps that's where I'm going wrong! where do these daft sayings come from??? Jen, you sound as fed up as me!! Thanks for telling me about your own experiences on anti deps...it's really helpful. Yes, the cold bugs aren't good when you're already feeling down in the dumps. Mine has improved greatly today, but when I get ill, my dizziness also gets worse.......we are also passing the cold around the family...I think that I'm going to start taking a vitamin c supplement or start wearing a mask around my kids!! Sorry to hear that you have fibromyalgia ... I don't know too much about it, but I know from what I've read, that it's painful. Well, you've really been through it, at least the anti deps are making you feel less anxious, even though they're not helping with the pain. I know what you mean about wishing that you could feel normal for five minutes......I think that I've sort of forgotten how "normal" feels, especially when I hit these low spots. Hope that you're taking it as easy as possible, especially having small kids, which is draining in itself. Hugs right back to you from England! Hope the weather is better where you are.....it's horrid here, very grey and bleak.....not good for the spirit. Lots of love, Karen xxx

Hi Jeanette, Thanks for your best wishes. I'm feeling a little better today....my cold bug seems to be on its way out now, so I feel a bit brighter in myself. Sorry to hear about your chaos.....cure one problem and then discover another one.....not so bad if it's something easy to fix and doesn't cost the earth as well....so I can understand why you're feeling stressed. We've just gone through a phase where lots of our appliances have needed to be replaced and it felt like one thing after another. Not so bad when I was working, but now it's a different kettle of fish, it definetly stressed me out! I suppose that we all hit rough patches and mine is here and now.....but still got a couple of weeks left before my GP appontment. Thanks for telling me about your daughter's experience on anti deps....it must have been a hard time for her with Uni and her Mum being so ill. I know that it hit my daughter very hard when I was ill, let alone if she'd been away from home as well....I don't think that she would have coped either. I know what you mean about paid work.... I don't think many employers would be sympathetic to our needs! Your voluntary work sounds an ideal arrangement and lets you maintain your independence, which is great! I think that it also gives you something to talk about at home......that's what I miss not working......the conversation and a good laugh!! Hope that you get the decorating sorted out.....rather you than me!! Lots of love, K x

Hi Annie, Thanks for the love and hugs! It's nice to hear the positives about the anti deps .... the dizziness thing does worry me though, as I'm so damned dizzy at the minute anyway.....but perhaps it won't make much difference! I have heard that it takes quite a while for the anti deps to get into the system and to feel some benefit from them. My periods are heavier rathen than getting lighter and these last couple of days have been pretty hellish, especially being topped off with a cold bug! Therefore, my dizziness is at it's peak at the minute. I will look forward to reading your migraine posting ..... I still think that there's a link somewhere, but may be I'm wrong! Off to physio in a minute .... hope the weather is better where you are! Love and hugs back, Kxxx

Hi Girls, Thanks for your thoughts ...... I'm sure that in the next couple of weeks before my appt. I will be able to come to a firm decision ..... If it wasn't for the side effects of some of these drugs I think that at this stage I would just go for it. The trouble is with me, I "think" too much and don't give my brain a rest ..... too ****** practical I suppose, which doesn't do me much good sometimes ... I wish somebody could give me a "taster" of how I would feel on anti-deps and whether it was going to be worth the risk....but life isn't like that is it? Just don't want to end up with even more stuff to deal with at the end of it. Oh well, watch this space! Sami, loved the PMT joke! Ladies are allowed to joke about PMT.....the men aren't!!! Lots of love, K xxxxx

Hi Louise, Thanks for your kind words. I too was on anti-seiz meds after the SAH....but I found the side effects horrendous......I was on Phenytoin. Once I came off them, after reducng the dosage over a long period of time, I was also worried about getting the seizures back. My anxiety really started to kick off, so it's nice to know that it wasn't just me that worried about having the seizures return! I also can't remember how it felt having a seizure, so lots of times when I didn't feel quite "all there" I worried if it was the start of one. I know that some anti-seiz medication is also used to treat anxiety/depression, so if the side effects from anti deps are similar, then I don't know what I shall do. There are lots of "ifs" and "buts" with this scenario and that's why I've held off from taking anything previously. :? Anyway, I have a couple of weeks grace before I see the Doc, so I will just have to wait and see how I feel at that stage. Catch you later, Love K xx

Hi Jeanette, Thanks for your reply and I hope that you are keeping well yourself. I think that you and me are pretty similar with the way that we think and also the problems that we've encountered. I also tend to dip in and out of depression and on the whole I've been able to fight it off and bounce back. Although, in the last couple of months, I seem to be dipping in a little too regularly for my liking and I'm definetly finding it harder and harder to bounce back. It all feels never ending and trying to think positively is becoming a real struggle. I think that you could be right.....that my hormones are all over the place. It's only happened since the SAH though, as when I first came out of hospital, my periods stopped completely for a few months. I was told that they stopped through the shock. My GP is testing me for anaemia ....but I also get quite bad PMT now, which doesn't help matters......so there's at least one week out of the month where I feel rubbish without the SAH problems piled on top. I'm due at the hospital for some physio this afternoon.....but, you're right, it is a definite stark reminder of your limitations.....I hate walking through the doors and it still makes me feel anxious......even though I'm not having anything horrendous done! I accepted my limitations quite a while back, as I would have definetly lost my marbles before now, but I find that some people around me think that I'm "giving in" to it. This site has been great therapy for me, it keeps me busy and it's helped no end, not sure what I would have done without the support of others in the same boat. It's a good idea doing some voluntary work in a charity shop.....how many hours do you do? Anyway, must go and thanks for your kind words, Lots of Love, K x