perrycornish

Sorry to come in on this discussion so late, I have not logged in,until yesterday, for ages for various reasons and I won't bore you with those! As I understand it an SAH is indeed a type of stroke, indeed a haemhorragic one. My own feelings are that people tend to expect you to conform to the 'person who has had a stroke pattern' and if you don't then they think that it was only a mild stroke, if there is such a thing I'm not sure that stroke and mild go together at all! For any of us who have had a 'mild stroke' it's a darned significant thing! I tend to tell folk that I had a brain haemmorhage which produces shock, horror but not much understanding;-) I asked Alison ( my partner) what she was told and she said that when I was admitted to the local A&E they told her it was a type of stroke, as they did not have adequate technology to be sure of a proper diagnosis. I was transferred that same day to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital where she was told I had an SAH, she then Googled it when she got home:) Where would we be without the net! I didn't have vasospasm but did have seizures whilst in hospital, several I believe but I don't remember, for which I am grateful. I have, since I had the SAH had two TIA's the docs think because of the original SAH and the subsequent mini bleeds when I came uncoiled:oops: Since my re-coil I have had no more neuro symptoms although there is still a sign or three! All my knowledge about this is from being told or doing research as I'm one of the one's with only fleeting memories of random bits of the eight weeks I was in hospital, but I do, like Karen, like to know what is going on and what caused things etc etc. My brain, my body, explain you medics;-) Agree with the statements that ignorance in the community and in many cases the medical world is rife.

Hello Lynz, me too with the symptoms you describe, I'm two years on but still things ain't wot they used to be;-) My GP decided yesterday that he thought my neuro team should do more and he has rattled their cage, we'll see if anything happens! Sorry not to have reacted before but I haven't been on the board as much as usual for one reson or another but as always I see plenty of folk have said it's OK you are as normal as the rest of us! It's great not to be alone isn't it? All the best

Here you go John, I'm another one who can't remember, I have asked questions of those who knew me, especially my partner. I felt guilty as she obviously had to face the whole thing without my support as I was 'absent to say the least' I still don't actually remember much, just tiny realisations. In many ways I feel lucky, I only heard of the horrors and have no memory of them. It is I think quite common, especially in those of us who had a sort of sudden onset.....Bang! just like that, one minute fine next time for me anyway ( two weeks later and in a high dependency bed. Very puzzling. I have not as yet written my story (two years later) as I feel I am still gathering information. So don't fret, you are not alone and if you think about it, maybe it's a really good thing not to remember, it doesn't sound much like fun does it? The aftermath is enough for me I reckon:-D

Well this shows me that is has been ages since I logged in to BTG:oops: I love Marmite and will eat it at any time:-D For thirty years, Alison my partner had Marmite sandwiches for her packed lunches at work, so I reckon she likes it too;-) What a bonus to find it's good for me too! Sorry about my abscence, life has been a tad chaotic and may well be still, but I'll pop in when I can! love to all:-D

Hello Zoe, I'm so glad that you found us. Of course you are worried, anyone who cares would be, it sounds as though your husband is in the best hands. As others have said, these are very early days and his poor injured brain needs a rest which it is getting now, I'm sure that you will be amazed at the progress he will make and with your support I bet he does well. It's a long and tough road but the support here will help you both. Just ask if you want to know anything at all, no matter how trivial it may seem. If it's worrying then it isn't trivial. We will all be thinking of you both and looking forward to hearing about the progress:-D

Sorry not to say Hello before now, but I have for various reasons not been on site for about a week. Welcome though and do just let yourself be spoilt ( if it's on offer) and try to give in but not give up:)

Saffy , hi and I agree with the others! Let yourself be pampered and i bet it was all of those things including the lowering of your BP. That certainly was the case for me and still is sometimes even two years down the line. Let yourself be pampered

Oops, I have been absent without leave for a week but now that I'm back I am so pleased that your time with your mum went well and that the book arrived in good time ( I keep referring to my copy) so pleased for you and I do hope that things continue to progress

Momo, I can't find a silver bullet anywhere, but this site and sharing comes very close to being the greatest help there is, your referrals will help too, and don't worry about making others feel down, you probably won't and it may help you. I do hope that the NHS soon comes up with your support network. Don't bottle it up, let rip and keep cuddling the cat, mine are nearly all cuddled flat and so is my dog:) The best I can offer right now is hope and the promise that it will improve. I'm two years down the road now and even getting to quite like the new me

Just a quick message for you and your Mum, miss griff! You sound as though you are pretty special, and obviously so is your Mum, Have a wonderful time together for your first proper Mother's day with your 'New Mum'

Hello! There is no doubt at all, the smoker has to want to stop. I had been smoking for fifty years when I had my SAH and knew it would be a good idea to stop but never quite made it. I was in hospital, and confined to bed for seven weeks, so when I came out I was over the worst of the cravings and it seemed daft to start again, so here I am wealthier, healthier and two years on. But I was obviously ready to stop! That I am sure is the only way, don't push, it used to make me more determined not to stop:crazy:

Hi Saffy and a big apology from me, I had not seen this thread ( I think that I must have been coming online in my sleep! I'm sure that you have done the right thing, I am another of those who did have an SAH and later was told that I needed a recoil, as mine had misbehaved. It is a tough decison to make and you have obviously got courage and made the decision to go ahead. A wise one, we will all be thinking of you when you go in, and I promise that the coiling is no problem at all, an SAH is quite another matter. I have a second anuerysm which is being monitored but believe me when the experts say to me 'time to coil, Perry......I will be there like a shot:) My thoughts are with you

Hi again, I'm so sorry that you are another victim of today's work full time and without expectation of co-operation and understanding from us school of employment:shocked: Sorry but I think there is steam coming out of my ears and it is clouding my normal equanimity! You have already been given some excellent advice, go to your professional association or to your union whichever is appropriate and also I think someone said your GP. I would go back to him and say that you need some support over this. He should be able to help, I would also suggest that you revisit your HR Dept armed with some literature about SAH, or at the very least a request that they look at this site or put SAH into Google and chew on that, oops I think that steam is coming out again. You do so much need all the support you can get, all I can do is say yep the advice you have been given so far is good and tell you I will think of you, do let us know how it all goes. I'm off to take a pop at something I can't hurt:roll: Good Luck

Welcome Aakki, I'm sure that you will find much info and support on this site:) I am one of the luckier ones at least I had an anuerysm and so did know the reason for the headache and passing out! There are others on here who will I'm sure be able to answer your questions. I can at least think about you and hope that your recovery goes well:)

Hi Kel, Sounds to me as though you 'have it sussed' Good Luck, I do hope that it proves not too hard and that you go from strength to strength:)

Luisa, it is tough, very tough but as others have said, yes we have felt like you but the good thing is that it does improve. Just remember that we are here for you and for one another:-D

Hi Mike, You are doing a grand job, be careful though and listen to your body, it probably knows best ( dammit!) so glad your work colleagues are supportive, I can't imagine what it is like to have an SAH in your twenties but others do! I can't because I thought I was young and was not amused and I was 67 or 8:lol: I'm sure you will get lots of support from Jess, Laura and Co:-D So glad you found us

Another one here Debra, my difficulty with speech, finding the correct word and my understanding of grammar seem to have deserted me. It is the single most difficult thing for me as it was probably my strongest ability before the SAH. It is frustrating to say the very least but I am determined to get back as nearly as I can to the way I was before. friends tell me that I am improving very much (they can probably see what I cannot, if you see what I mean. The one thing I really hang on to for support is the fact that our brains have what the medics call plasticity. What that means to us is that if one part is damaged beyond repair a different part of our brain will learn the task, so I reckon that it took me a long time to learn to talk, to read and to write etc when I was a little one, that my 'new' bit of brain will take just as long;-) It is hard to live with but we all will get there in the end, that isn't exactly what I mean but I bet you understand:-D

Hi Neil and hi to Tammy too:-D It's behind you now so the emotions will be different. You did a pretty good job of the first year so you should go on in strength for this next one. You definitely don't need to apologise to us, just get some decent writing done elsewhere;-) Thinking of you both and expecting everything to go well

Welcome Momo, glad that you found us, take your time and relax lots of folk here who will be more than happy to answer queries etc, we are all on a learning curve:-D

I would agree with Rod and Paul here Paris. I have a shunt and did feel discomfort and aches in the early days. It is much more comfortable now, and I can lie on it, but only if the pillow is soft, on a much harder surface 'tis still rather tender, but then I have ,like most people, got soft rather than hard pillows;-) I did have renewed problems a little while ago, but we then found that the shunt was misbehaving anyway ( this was about 18 months post SAH) the malfunction was fixed and the tenderness has gone again. I do find though that it is better if I wear a hat in winter, so for the first time in my life I've joined the hat wearers:-D I would also rather not be poked in the area of the shunt;-)

I am pleased about this thread! I too have problems with processing distances etc etc, at least now I know it's my SAH not my age;-)

So pleased that all went well Anne:-D I too had no problems but it is not the same when it's someone else is it? Hope your phased return to work goes well:-D

I just want to say to those of you who are having such a horrible time at work, just how sorry I am and how thankful that due to my advanced age;-) I'm not in that position, I'm honestly not sure how I would cope.Liz I'm so pleased at you latest news, sad that it took so long but that is indeed the way it should be........the whole issue is back isn't it? Society does not understand illness that has not got a plaster cast on:devil:

:-DWelcome Norma. You have certainly done very well indeed to be using your computer etc so soon after leaving hospital, well done! Threre will be advances and reverses in the days and weeks to come and they will vary but you've got the recipe right;-) ask on here and it will be revealed!