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Leon

Guest Pompeyfaith

By Guest Pompeyfaith
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Guest Pompeyfaith

Guest Pompeyfaith

Posted
Posted

Greetings All,

My name is Leon I am 47 years old and have been a stroke survivor for 20 yrs now.

I had an aneurysm of the left middle cerebral artery that caused a subarachnoid haemorrhage

I was very lucky indeed as my wife told me that I was driving the works van moments before I passed out in the local diy store.

This was April 1990 at the tender age of just 27 I had only been married for 1 year and had no children at the time.

I was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth where they thought I had meningitis but a lumber puncture ruled this out so I was sent home.

24 hours later I passed out again so my wife called the locom doctor out he called an ambulance and sent me too the neurology unit at Southampton general Hospital.

There they did CT Scans and MRI scan where the aneurysm showed up.

I was operated on the next day and put in an induced coma for 6 weeks 2 weeks after coming too I started the physiotherapy as I had right sided paralysis and was unable to communicate.

4 weeks later I was transferred back to St Mary's Hospital for more recovery and physiotherapy.

6 weeks later I was allowed home and it was a further 3 months before I returned to work.

I am now retired from work as I got made redundant in September 2008 and was unable to get another job due to my foot drop and claw hand.

To be honest I am now enjoying life with no pressure and being able to do things at my own slow pace.

We now have two sons Ryan aged 19 and Joe aged 15 and my beautiful border collie Ella who is 5 yrs old she is my companion and soul mate very social and very close to me.

Great site I found through google while searching for stroke and DLA hope I can be useful here being an old timer stroke survivor lol

Regards

Leon

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kempse

kempse

Posted
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Hi Leon,

I'm glad you have found this site and a warm welcome to you. It sounds like you have done remarkably well - getting back to work so soon was a great achievement. It is nice to hear that you are now enjoying your retirement - a well earned retirement by all accounts. I am sure your story will inspire others, particularly those who are beginning on their road of recovery. Any input you wish to make, would no doubt be invaluable on here.

Best wishes,

Sarah

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Guest Pompeyfaith

Guest Pompeyfaith

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Thank you both and yes there is a long and joyful life after an sah over the coming weeks i hope to chat with many of you here and share my experiences with you all and i hope that will bring you all some comfort

Leon

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johntaras

johntaras

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Hi Leon, welcome to the site.

It was reassuring to read of someone like you from twenty years ago. People keep telling me that after six months it is still early days yet. I am still learning about what actually happened as I have a seven week blank of the SAH and following treatment in hospital.

Great to meet you look forward to reading your stories.

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Diduck

Diduck

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Hi Leon

lovely to hear from you

Google is wonderful how it directs us to sites like this

I think all neuro wards should recommend this site in their pamphlets they hand out to patients

That way we would be able to get support as soon as possible

Hope you enjoy reading all the stuff on here like I do

I am off to see consultant friday to get result from my first MRA scan and hope i will be told there is nothing to be found and to just "crack on" with my life.

Hope he will then Ok me to drive again so I can reclaim my shopping trips instead of draggng hubby round with me

Take care

Di

xx

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Guest Pompeyfaith

Guest Pompeyfaith

Posted
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Greetings All,

WOW what a fantastic welcome I'm so humble now lol.

Post stroke care has come on leeps and bounds in the last 20 yrs and indeed 20 yrs ago I found it very hard to gain the information I needed computers back then were still in very early stages and the info on them was virtually non existent.

I can say that I have learnt more in the last 10 yrs than in the first 10.

There is now (FES) functional electro stimulation available the nearest centre to me is Salisbury.

http://www.salisburyfes.com/

This is a very good for people with Foot Drop and now there is also devices that work the arm muscles.

It has for me been a hard slog getting to where I am now and I also have great confidence that you all will do well and live full and happy lives.

Ok it takes you back a number of years and the things we all found easy like tying up shoes laces, holding a cup steady, doing up buttons etc are now a major tasks but stick with it and keep going because eventually it will come back.

You will also find that things you cannot do and never will you will find another way to do it and/or a substitute.

I too thought I would never drive again this at the time I found quiet upsetting because bear in mind I was only 27 so a bit of a lad lol who enjoyed his cars.

I had my licence revoked by the DVLA but after 2 years I decided to try and get it back not sure what the procedure is now but back then I had to re take my driving test.

Well I had 6 lessons and the instuctor decided I was well enough with a good sense of danger to take the test.

This I passed and duly got my licence back :-) happy you bet I was as I had freedom and no more buses lol.

I now have a disability car supplied via motability this is a great help as it is replaced every 3 yrs with no maintenance, insurance or tax costs.

The uk is my oyster.

Well all what im saying is an SAH is a major event in our lives but the future is very bright I was very lucky due to my age at the time this had a profound affect on my recovery.

Well im off to read a few threads on here now to see what I can learn or indeed can help.

Regards

Leon

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sallym25

sallym25

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Hi Leon,

It's great to hear from someone who's had so many years pass since SAH. Glad everythings turned out so well for you. Mine was in the Right MCA. One of the hardest things I've found coping with was how depressed I became. Fortunately I'm past that now, but I'm ashamed to say I felt really sorry for myself for quite a while. Kept thinking 'why me?'. How awful that must've been at only 27 years old.

I'm in the process of trying to get my driving licence back. ( field of vision test on Thursday norning) My nerves are shattered just thinking about it!

Thank you for sharing your story, and welcome. I haven't been here very long myself, But everyone is really nice.

Sally x

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LUISA

LUISA

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Hi Leon

Wellcome to BTG 20 years, thats sure a long time¡¡ it`s been 8 months for me and struggling, specially with depresion. You seem to have got on very well specially going back to work 3 months after your sha and with paralysis. Your experience will surely be of help to all of us

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Skippy

Skippy

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Hi Leon

Welcome to the site and the family

You're certainly an inspiration and give us all that hope and faith that we can go on to live long and healthy lives.

Look forward to hearing more about your experience.

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Guest Pompeyfaith

Guest Pompeyfaith

Posted
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Greetings Skippy,

Well if I can help just one person then I will consider that a job well done.

It has been a long hard slog, but I looking back I would not have it any other way life does indeed try us all.

And yes the most amazing thing is as you get better and recover you get this great sense that the world is a wonderful place and that I am a very lucky person.

It does indeed give you a new outlook to life for the better.

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Skippy

Skippy

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Hey Leon

I know what you mean - I certainly appreciate the simpler things in life - I got all excited this morning because I saw a Thrush outside the nursery were I work, eating a chip and at the weekend we had a Bullfinch in the back garden. I sit for hours now on the swin seat in the back garden and just watch the birds.

And being on here also gives you that sense of giving back. My SAH was 4 years ago when I was 35 and to help Karen and Keith keep an eye on this sight so that people can get the help and support they need, gives me a great sense of pride.

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