Super Mario

Stay positive and keep trying. You may not notice any improvement but others may. I have a friend who after several years is still improving. Unfortunately it is a long slow proccess, so patience is needed, to reach your full potential. Never give up hope.

Zoe, why not ask the OT for ideas?

Does Richard show any interest in gardening? It can bring great satisfaction. Before you think it would be out of the question I will tell you about an old school friend of mine. After several strokes he has no use of his legs, a full time wheelchair user, and only the use of one arm. He manages to do his gardening and it is a showpiece of colour, so much so that holiday visitors (he lives at the coast) visit just to view his garden year after year. It gives him a great sense of achievement. I must admit dedication and determination is needed.

I have a neck on my annie and when I queried it I was told that it was safe as mine burst at the top, so I don't worry about it any more. I do not even have check ups now.

I have never felt anything.

I go away regularly and have never had a problem with disorientation. Travelling does tire me out now though. Win you can fly after a SAH, your shunt is fine as well. If you are in any doubt seek medical advice. As I have said I fly regularly.

Fiona my sister and my daughter were both scanned at the RHH. They went to their GPs and told them about me. They were then referred to neuro and were scanned. It will not happen as a matter of course, it has to be requested.

A 4 wheeled scooter is much more stable than a 3 wheeled one and the larger the wheels the better but you may have difficulty finding one that breaks down easily to go into the car. They also have weight limits. Plus it is often difficult to negotiate round shops unless of course it is a supermarket. Personally I think a motorised chair would be the best option. Do not take into account what disability shops tell you, it is a rip off culture that will sell you anything that makes them the biggest profit, suitable or not. In fact Mobility suppliers are being investigated by the Office of Fair Trading. Your mum needs to be assessed by the professionals. Ask her GP to refer her to Wheel Chair Services, stating the problem and saying she wants to be independant, who will assess her and possibly also supply one at nil cost, a chair not a scooter. With her own transport it is possible that in time she will be able to get out and about on her own. Hope this helps.

Welcome to BTG Fiona, you will learn plenty of things from here.. Were you in the Royal Hallamshire and under Mr Patel? There are already 3 of us, as far as I know, on here who were, and each of us were given little or no information. You are very early on in your recovery, just take one step at a time and very slowly. Recovery can take a long time. Drink plenty of water, it actually does help with the headaches.

You are not alone, my sister laughed out loud at me and said that she was glad it hadn't happened to her. She thinks it is so funny that I am disabled. Needless to say I now have little or nothing to do with her, she hurt me so much.

Reading this thread I think I have been very lucky in spite of being left physically disabled. All my friends have accepted the new me and are very supportive. In fact I sometimes look on my SAH as a blessing in disguise, I have made even more friends and can pick and choose what and when I want to do. It also left me unable to work in my proffession which was also a blessing as big changes were afoot and hearing how things went I don't think I would have been happy and I was too near retiring age to have been able to get another job. Donna I'm sure thing will look up for you in the future.

I personally think there is a link. Think about a balloon and what happens when you put more air in it thus increasing the internal pressure. Liken that to an anni, a thin walled balloon formed on an artery, increase the pressure and pop it goes. I have always had a BP on the low side, never ever high, but my bleed was preceded by an event that would have raised the calmest person's BP.

There was a member on here who had these "absences" and I don't think she was diagnosed with epilepsy. In fact the medics didn't know what it was, if I remember rightly, and the saga still continues. I will get in touch with her and ask if she would mind taking a look at your post.

Welcome to BTG. All I can say that everybody's recovery is different, the tiredness does get better with time but may not go completely. As for the light headedness, only time will tell. Make sure that you drink plenty of water as this helps. The info you were given about driving is wrong, the condition is notifiable to DVLA and if you don't it will invalidate your insurance. As to the prognosis, only the medics can tell you that, so see your GP or hope that you see another doctor at your follow up appointment.

My short term memory is also very bad. Like others I have to write everything down and use a calender and post it notes. When cooking I use timers, that's if I remember to set them. I have found that to do things by routine helps, if I vary from the routine I forget. I have also found that repeating things over and over again helps, for example if I want to tell somebody something I repeat it over and over to myself until I have delivered the message.

Hi I am a SAH survivor of 7 years standing. The fears are normal and do diminish in time.

Try your local Stroke Support Group as they sometimes sponsor activities for stroke victims. Ours does a water aerobics group at a local swim school which is geared up for folk with stroke related disabilities.

Wonderful news for you all, so pleased for you.

My theory is that stress and exercise makes BP rise which in turn will cause an anni to pop. In my case I was hit on the head by a flying object sent by some child, I was so angry my BP must have gone sky high in spite of it always being on the low side. The rest is history. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS JUST MY OPINION NOT A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS.

Anna there is nothing more I can add to what others have said other than my thoughts are with you at this heartbreaking time.

That is a question you will have to ask your neuro or your GP. I don't think anyone on here is qualified to answer that one.

I think basically a SAH affects everybody differently even though there are many common denominaters. The only way to find out is to go and see if you can tolerate it.

I have a medical report that says it is very possible that the bang on the head was responsible for the anni to "change dynamics", the medical experts words, not mine. In spite of that I still personally think that it was raised blood pressure that caused it to pop because normally my blood pressure is on the low side. But who am I to argue with medical opinion, it is just a gut feeling on my part. As Karen, I am glad that I didn't know about it or I wouldn't have done many of the things that I did do.

After what Karen has stated, I had a head injury that caused my anni to burst (my opinion only) but this happened almost immediately not days down the line. Personally I think that it was the raising of my blood pressure after the injury, as I was so angry, that caused it to pop. This is just my belief, NOT medical opinion. I suppose really I just want to find answers as to why it happened. As most other people I didn't know what was lurking in my head.

I was told of no restrictions so I now go to the gym 3 times a week and do all of the equipment I can manage because of my lack of sense of balance. I also go to water aerobics twice a week and swimming once. If I had the time I would do much more.