SarahLou

Hi Debz, Well done on your first day back at work! Sounds like a very busy day. I'm sure your co-workers will be supportive and the kiddies will bring you many smiles to brighten up the tough times. Take care, SL Xx

Thank you guys for all your supportive words and advice. You are my strength. I only work 3 days a week but spend my days off running around busy with things. I don't seem to get any time for a rest! I was discharged from physiotherapist yesterday so that will free up some time for me to have some proper 'me' time and to be able to catch up with friends. I have no choice but to continue trying the extra hours as I've medical bills to pay but I will have to juggle a few other things around so I can try to find better coping strategies. I am so grateful that we all have each others support to get us through these challenges. Sandi, you're a star for starting this thread, when I read back over older posts its great to see how far we've all come. Thanks again everyone. Take care, SarahLou Xx

I have been back at work for nearly 2 years, the last year I've worked 3 days a week in a busy clinical environment. For the last 6 months or so I've found improvements, I seem to be coping much better, not quite such bad head pains and fatigue after a days work. I still have good days and bad but overall I'm starting to feel much more better with coping with work. However, last week was the first time in a year that I've done overtime. I did a 5 hour shift on Saturday with a half hour break. It was very busy but I thought the day went well. Saturday evening I was very tired but I'd expected that. Work on Monday was fine but yesterday I seemed to really struggle, got stressed easily, forgot how to do simple things that I do everyday. For the first time in many months I had to say I needed to step back and do tasks that were easier. When I got home from work my whole head hurt and my bones ached, I was in bed by 9pm. Then I woke in the early hours with mega bad head pains, really bad temple pressure, big pains across the back of my head, stiff neck and felt really sicky. I took paracetamol, drank a pint of water and had to sit up as to put my head on a pillow hurt. I thought to myself if this doesn't ease off soon I'd best call a doctor. Thankfully all the pains eased off and I fell back to sleep. Woke this morning feeling ok, a bit drained, and lil creepy head pains. What I'm trying to work out is have I pushed too hard and done too much or is it totally SAH unrelated. I think we're all too quick to jump to the conclusion of things being SAH related when we don't feel quite right. If that makes sense!! I guess I won't know if I am at my limit with work hours unless I try extra hours a few times and see how things go. I'm feeling frustrated and disappointed with myself. SL Xx

Hello Kathryn, A warm welcome to BTG. It's great that you're managing to get some answers from your specialists. It's such a roller coaster journey of recovery, for me it's often one step forward and two back. I've had to learn to have patience and understanding with myself and accept that my brain will give me a lil kick when I've done too much to remind me it has been injured and I need to rest. Be kind to yourself, take slow baby steps and you will get there. Drink plenty of water and rest when you need to. As for returning to work... You will know when you're feeling strong enough and able to give it another try. It took me 15 months to get back to work and I was very lucky to be able to do a really slow phased return. I think the best thing is to be honest with your employer about how your recovery is going. For your boss to say he doesn't want you back until you're completely healed is totally un realistic. I wish you well with your recovery. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hello Dear Win, How are you feeling now? I don't have a shunt but also have a real problem with too much noise or people rabbiting on with long conversations! My brain doesn't hold onto the info, in one ear and out the other, but spins my brain on the way through. A good pair of ear plugs really help. I agree with Daff, it's a good idea to see your gp for a check up. Take care lovely lady, hope you're feeling better soon. SarahLou Xx

Thank you all for your lovely kind words, it means a lot to me. I've had a great day. My dear co-worker and friend, Annie, who I've known for about 17 years gave me a lovely card and some very, very yummy choccies. I was a good girl and shared them with the Hub and Miss C! I cherished the beach walk, watched a stunning sunset. I shall always celebrate this date as life is all about making memories. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Today is 3 years since SAH rocked my world. I have such mixed emotions, I feel like I could fall to my knees and break my heart crying. I remember the fear so well, I knew that something was seriously wrong yet I didn't know what to do about it. I was alone and scared and that feeling haunts me. My beautiful daughter who gives me laughter, light and strength has just told me 'Mum, I'm so proud of you, you never give up' , bless her, her hugs heal all too. I am very blessed to have come this far in my recovery and I know that I wouldn't have been able to make it through without the love and support of my family, friends and all you lovely lot on BTG. Many times I've taken one step forward and two steps back. I've laughed, I've cried and I've thrown full blown paddys! Yes, my SAH changed me, for the better, I prefer who I am now. I have much more patience and understanding. I've learnt to not worry about the things I can not change. Some friendships and relationships have shifted and changed, I've sure learnt who my true friends are. I've lost some things but I've gained so much too. I've got back bits of 'normal' that I didn't think I would, it's been a fight but I've stuck at it. I'm still on a learning curve and that's ok, I'm fine with that. My lil re-arranged brain still always has the last word though, gives me a kick when I've done too much and I need to rest. I will celebrate on the 27th August which is the day I was 'fixed' , the day I was given a second chance. I have a long beach walk planned and I can't wait. I would like to say a huge big thank you to Karen, all the moderators and all the members on BTG, you have been my strength. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Dawn, I was told that I would have MRI every 5 years as I'd had SAH when I was under 40 years of age. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Julie, Welcome to BTG. Unfortunately it's all too common that SAH survivors leave hospital without hardly any recovery information. You and your family have been thrown into a whole new world, no doubt learning words you've never even heard from before. Were you given a contact number for a Neuro Nurse Specialist you can contact if you need to? I'd recommend you speak to your gp, have a home visit if you're not feeling well enough to go into the surgery. There is also great help out there from Headway and The Brain and Spine Foundation. It's very early days for you, you've done well to get online so soon! Try to rest as much as you can and drink plenty of water. BTG is a wealth of support and advice, it'll help you through the journey of recovery. Wishing you well, take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Daff, Gosh I think 6.5 hrs stuck in a car is enough to do anyone's head in! It's great that you had a lovely holiday and paced yourself so you could cope better. I'm sure you'll all have some very happy memories. I'm not part of the shunt club ( I had hydrocephalus but it was treated with lumber puncture ) but I do struggle with being in a car now. I can cope for about an hour and then I start getting bad temple pressure pains and general aching on the left side of my head which is my surgery side. The most I've managed in one hit is about 2.5hrs, I should have stopped for a break really but just wanted to push through and get home. I was in tears holding my head by the time we did get home. Learnt the hard way that we should have stopped for a break. Yes, it's a struggle for me but like most things post SAH it just takes a little more planning. Unexpected traffic problems is not something you can plan for really, although thinking ahead that these things could happen means you can be prepared. Karen... I'm sure your'll have an amazing time in France, you deserve a lovely relaxing break. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hey Davie Bud, I'm glad to hear that your BP meds are working and that your headaches are easing. As for our dear friend Mr. Fatigue, well, I'm ready to break friends with him too! Good to hear that you're managing Saturday nights out with Christine, see there is light at the end of the tunnel, no caves mate, just tunnels. I'm so happy to be off work for a while, really need the break. I am coping a lot better than I was but I do still get good days and bad days, all I can do is take each day as it comes. I push myself when I can and listen to my lil re arranged brain when it kicks out at me to rest. I am really lucky that a couple of co workers are really good, they can look at me and tell when I've been trying to cope with too much and I need a break. Well, I'm off to skip around for a bit, too much work and not enough play is no good for SAH'ers! You've got to do something that makes you laugh every day. Take care all, SarahLou Xx

Hi Iola, Well done for getting back to work, that's a massive achievement, you should be very proud of yourself. Just take things slowly, ease back in at your own pace if you can. I was very lucky, the company I work for allowed me to do my phased return over many months. I now work three days a week which for me at the moment is a good work/ life balance. At first being back at work totally exhausted me, couldn't do anything much after a work day, struggled to even hold a conversation with my daughter but it has got much better now. Yes, sometimes work does floor me but then I work in a crazy busy clinic! I can't put into words how good it feels for me to get that bit of 'normal' back. As for the worrying that SAH will happen again, I think that's very natural. In the early days I used to worry about it happening again but that worry didn't last for long. I'm a 'what will be, will be' kinda gal! I do wear a medic alert bracelet though which (amongst many other medical conditions!) states that I've had a SAH and that I have titanium clip in situ, it does give me the peace of mind that if I'm in a medical situation where I can't speak for myself all my medical information is available. Good luck with your return to work, perhaps look in on the 'back to work' thread, lots of tips and advice on there. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Wem, Well done for getting out and doing that little walk, you did it! It is ok to not be ok, it's alright to kick and scream, please don't be so tough on yourself. Perhaps read 'a letter from your brain', I find it really good to read when I'm feeling like I'm taking one step forward and two back. I've learnt the hard way to rest when my brain tells me to, it just goes into shut down mode. There really will be improvements years down the line. I love to walk and have pushed myself with this, managing around 6 miles, some times it leaves me exhausted , other times I feel fine. All you can do is what feels right for you at that moment. Big hugs to you. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Ahhh Wem big hugs to you honey, I'm there myself this week already and it's only Wednesday! It's nearly 3 years since my SAH. I go along, feeling quite good, almost like normal again (whatever normal is!) then it's crash bang into that wall of pain and fatigue. Head hurts, feels like its cracking, whole body hurts. Work this week has floored me, wouldn't mind but the clinic hasn't even been very busy. I am doing some training with a new staff member though, that's quite tough on my lil re arranged brain, but in a good way. Plus today I have been shopping with Miss C, so I'm now totally out of spoons! A long walk along the beach is what I need!! Stay strong dear Wem, you're doing fab, the good days will continue to out number the bad. Take care, SarahLou Xx

This evening I have danced around the living room to some very loud music! Not something I normally have the energy for after a day at work. Fantastic. SarahLou Xx

Hi Desy, I love the song, that's taken me back a few years! Glad you're enjoying your work out, maybe you felt as you did purely from the exercise. However, high blood pressure often does go undetected because of the lack of symptoms. The main symptoms are headaches (ummm, saying that to someone who has had an SAH! I for one still always have headaches!) and can cause blurry vision problems. Perhaps look into getting a BP machine to use at home. Obviously when you've had a stroke the last thing you want is high BP. Mine was fluctuating quite a bit about a year and half ago (SAH was neary 3yrs ago) I was put on a 24hr monitor. All is ok though, I just keep an eye on it. Take care and keep singing! SarahLou Xx

Ah... David.. David ... David Bud, I read this and wanted to launch my iPhone!! Sorry.. Here is my honesty, which I have always given to you... What right does someone else have to give to a time limitation on when you should be better/ totally healed, whatever words they want to call it. You have had a brain injury. It will always be with you and other people need to accept that. Have you actually accepted that yourself yet David?? 2 years really is still early days. As you know someone I went to school with is a Professor of NeuroScience and she has said the brain will continue to heal years and years down the line. David this is a long, slow tough journey of recovery but you will make it. With the right support around you. It's great that you're BP is now getting under control. As you say, you had other family members with stroke, so this should be monitored more closely. Take a big deep breath mate, we are all here for you. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Lesley, I agree, book an appointment with your GP and explain how you feel. Get a medication review and see if there's any changes needed. I was very lucky with my aftercare. In early recovery my GP made a couple of home visits when I wasn't well enough to go into the surgery. I did find it hard to get an appointment with the doctor when I called them, I put in a complaint and that was soon sorted out. I was given the phone number of the neuro ward and the number of a neuro nurse specialist who I called many times. Never once have I ever been made to feel I was wasting their time with my questions and queries. I saw my surgeon 3 months after my operation (clipping) for a check up. I had an MRI about a year after surgery and when I saw a consultant last December he said they would recommend MRI about every 3-5yrs, mainly because I was under 40 when I had my SAH. The aftercare is out there, we just have to push for it, which I know we shouldn't have to. I've not used Headway but I always hear positive stories of how they help so maybe this is an option for you. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Hi Anne, Although I don't have any untreated aneurisms I thought I'd let you know how I got on with having a general anaesthetic. I had my SAH nearly 3 yrs ago. Prior to it I had had many operations (9!) needing a general anaesthetic. I had never had any problems coming out of any of my operations before. I needed to have surgery this time last year. I was never told there would be any risks but they took a lot of information and asked many questions about my SAH and recovery. When I came round from surgery in the recovery room I could hardy see, my vision was very vey blurry. This sent me into panic and I could not speak properly or get my words out. This lasted for quite a few hours and sent all the doctors running and they did lots of neuro tests. Recovery after this op was very different to any of my ops prior to SAH so I know that anaesthetic now effects me very differently since SAH. At the time I said I would never have another operation ever again! Ive had my fair share anyway! Of course, if I am faced with something again I will deal with it then, at least I and the hospital will be prepared! You should talk your concerns through with your doctor, hopefully they can put your mind at rest and you can make your decision. As you say, your operation will benefit you, the docs always have to give us the risk factors. Take care, SarahLou Xx

Yes, an Optometrist will be able to do a full eye examination and prescribe prism if its needed. I also have problems with my vision, takes a while to settle in the morning and when I'm struggling with fatigue and have done too much I'll have blurry, kind of double vision too. Prisms didn't help me, my brain couldn't tolerate the prescription. Take care, SL Xx

Phew, our David is back. I'm so glad that BTG listened to you, I hope that others around you will now do the same. Now rest and relax bud. Take care, big hugs to you, SL Xx

Thank you for the update Mary, I'm glad that he is now in hospital getting the care that he needs. Take care, SL Xx

Hey Davie Boy, You 'may' go to hospital ??....... Please do. Or your BTG wives will keep nagging you until you do! Seriously bud, get yourself checked out properly. Take care, SL Xx

Hey Lovely Lady Win, It's great to hear that you're feeling much better. Big hugs to you. Take care, SL Xx

Hey my dear Davie Bud, Now... I think it's time you took a big step back and had an honest look at your work situation. I know all the struggles you've been through and what a tough, painful road it has been for you. I'm glad that you've not got to try and cope with the 10hr days, and that your company has realised this is not an option for you due to your health. If you decide to stay at work are there any other options you could look into? Dropping back to 4 days a week, or are split shifts a possibility? As dear Skippy has said, your health is more important than work. Please, please listen to what your body and brain are saying to you. How do you feel things have progressed since your return to work? Do you feel you cope better than you did 6 months ago? Or is every day more of a struggle? As you know I work 3 days a week but recently I have faced having to return to work full time due to a change of circumstances at home. The thought alone of how I would cope was such a concern. I truly think a 40hr week would likely bring me to my knees. You've survived your SAH David, don't let work rob you of the second chance you've been given. I hope that you can work out your work/ life balance and get things back on track. You always give 100%, time to put yourself first hun. Take care, Big hugs to you...