Hello fellow sufferers,
Amazingly, I found this site really quickly after my SAH - so here is my introduction and the background to my "event".
I live on the south coast in the UK at a place called Hayling Island. I'm a keen road cyclist and like to try and keep myself reasonably fit, at an age when too many give up. I work full time in the IT industry and have certainly struggled to balance the demands of my job, on my time, with the need to keep myself reasonably fit - which I know I need to function properly. I'm married to husband Neil, who 6 years ago contracted Meningitis, so I have a partner who understands (possibly better than I do at the moment !) what its like to go through a "head problem" and has been a great support. He also probably knows me better than I do myself !
I had a NASAH on 14th August 2011. I was out on my road bicycle, and I remember thinking just before it happened, how well I was going that afternoon, when - WHAM !! Suddenly I had the most intense headache, I'd ever had. My first thought was de-hydration. It was a warm day and I'd been active all morning in the sunshine. I stopped, drank some water, poured some over my head, but it made absolutely no difference. In fact I was feeling worse - this was not dehydration. I got back on my bike and started cycling back home. After 10 minutes or so, I thought, "I really can't do this", got off and sat by the side of the road. I phoned my hubby who came and picked me up and took me home.
It was pretty clear that something was very wrong, my head hurt like heck and my neck was so painful. That was enough for the old man. After having meningitus himself he was ultra sensitive to the symptoms - some of you will know meningitis is often characterised by a painful and stiff neck. With some effort, I got changed out of the lycra (in hind sight that was quite some blessing, if not for me, then certainly for the medical staff !) into a t shirt and shorts and almost before I was aware, I was being driven by my hubby to our local A&E Department. The care at A&E was great, and within a couple of hours I was having my first ride in an ambulance to the Wessex Neurological Centre at Southampton General Hospital. The same place my hubby was six years earlier with meningitus. They looked after him so well, that I knew I was in safe hands.
Throughout the whole episode I never lost consciousness, and was always aware of my surroundings. It was just my head and neck were so painful and lying flat was the only thing I felt capable of doing.
(I'm sure some of you also have bed pan stories but am I the only one who finds it virtually impossible to "go" lying down ?)
Another CT scan plus an angiogram scan followed, and finally the Doctor pronounced there to be no abnormality or aneurysm, and that what ever had caused the bleed had destroyed itself at the same time. So down to pain killers and time as treatment.
On 19th August 2011 they discharged me from Wessex to go home and continue my recovery ....... which is where I am now. And no need for a follow up, they said. Whilst that's really good news, I do have that slight sense of having been "cut adrift" despite having access to Wessex Neurological's Support group.
So as I post this, its now 2.5 weeks since and I can't believe that I am doing so well so soon BUT I do know that I need to take things much more slowly than my natural tendancies normally dictate. I can say that this site has helped me to realise that, as well as come to terms with taking things more slowly.
Best wishes to fellow sufferers.
Mags
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