goldfish.girl Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I have just got home after 10 days in hospital with my wee boy who is 10. He has been poorly with a headache since New Year which really scared me after my own SAH symptoms. After taking him to 4 (!!!) different doctors, he was finally scanned and they found a large Sub Arachnoid Cyst. We were sent to the childrens hospital in Aberdeen where he had an operation to have a shunt put in. I know some others on here have had similar operations to reduce pressure in the brain and wondered if you could give him any words of encouragement. He's very tired from the op and very tearful about everything that happened to him in hospital. He doesn't like his shaved patch or the look of the scars on his head and tummy. He can feel the valve behind his ear (which is now sticking out) and because he's so skinny you can see the tube going right down his body to his tummy. He really doesn't like this and I'm hoping maybe others who have had this done could reassure him that he will get used to this over time? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Hi...just wanted to send you and your wee boy a big hug. I dont have a stent but others on here do and i am sure will help with some reassurance. Take care both love Tina xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul99 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 hi sweetheart what a blow please tell him it wont notice once his hair grows back and tell him he has got to eat lots and lots of mac Donald's:lol: and burgers to put weight on and lots of chips i think you could shoot me now lin has a shunt in place and will have for a long time to come the sleepiness and the tears i think will be the after effects of the surgery and will pass as i think the shunt has gone into the ventricles of the brain please try not to worry i know its easier said than done just let him know he is in the most elite club in the world and he is very special the scars will fade very quickly and he will forget them in time i think he will improve over the next couple of months just wish him well for me and if he wants a chat you have my number take care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Hiya Aw! how terrible for the wee lad, hey Been there with the being tearful about it all shaved head huge scar on head well two scars one on top and one down the right hand side, it sticking out and making me look like something out of a horror movie, scar on my tummy which for me was ok cos that was the only thing that nobody saw. However Your hair grows and covers the scars which in turn do heal, and the biggest thing to remember is what’s inside is there to help you its not an enemy its your friend cos its SO special He is indeed a very lucky and special wee boy, hope that its no time at all till things improve, take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Hi there tell him not to worry it will get easier tell him I'm sorry he had it, however the tears and upset wil go in time. Tell him to enjoy his life have fun and be happy. Jess.xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin-lin Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Hi, I am so sorry to learn of your news. It seems very unfair for your household to be touched by something like this again. I found this website. It's basically a BTG for kids! http://www.cbituk.org/information-children-young-people I noticed it has some books aimed for children with brain injuries. There is one series about a little bear who has a shunt fitted. I realise that the age group for this book is lower than your son's age, but I am sure the message within it will strike a chord. Would you be willing to read the following message to your son?- Hey Wee Boy! I hear you have been through a tough time. I am sorry that you have been poorly, but I think you are very brave. It is healthy and normal to be upset after a big operation. It is normal to be feeling very tired. I know resting can be boring, but it is very important that you do this, so you are able to feel better. I have attached a link to a website. It is a bit like Behind The Gray, but for children. Maybe you will make new friends you have been through the same as you. You can ask them questions about their operations. When you feel better, you may be able to help other children who have had a shunt fitted. You can tell them how you felt after your operation and how, after time, you started to feel better. Being a special person takes a lot of courage. It is ok to feel upset about things. All special people feel upset from time to time. I am sending you lots of good luck and I look forward to hearing regular updates from your Mummy so that we all know how you are doing. Take care and rest lots in the next few weeks. (Get Mummy to buy you some new DVD's as a treat!) Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Lass Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Oh what a shame! Tell him I bet he looks like an action hero whose just seen off the bad guys! If it's Aberdeen, Scotland you are then I think we're really lucky having a first class Neurology and Neurosurgery department. They took good care of me when I had a NASAH! Hugs Carla x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldfish.girl Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thank you all for your replies - they have made me laugh out loud (Pauls burgers & chips comment!) and cry because I was so touched at the lovely comments from you all. I got told off by Dylan for crying AGAIN!! I've read all the replies to him and he was really chuffed with all the good wishes and the thought of looking like an action hero! I showed him the photo of your scar Tina which has helped him to see that his own is very small in comparison. Many thanks Lynne for the link, Dylan has applied to join the site & we are waiting for the confirmation e-mail. It seems I am back on the roller coaster of emotions after all that has happened and it is far worse because it happened to my beautiful boy. Your replies have helped enormously - thank you xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I hope that things ease for you...... Hey Dylan, hope you feel much better soon wee action man.XX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandi K Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hugs to your brave little guy!! It takes a strong person to put up with hospitals and operations so please tell him that I think he is brave and strong! And my heart goes out to you both as you go through your recovery. I hope you get lots of couch and cuddle time together, you must need it so much right now. Sending positive thoughts and good wishes to both of you! Sandi K. xoxoxox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnamarie Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hugs to your wee boy and family i hope all goes well for him take care donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempse Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hi Mel, sorry I have only just got round to replying. Having a ten year old boy myself, I ought to have had the perfect solution, but can only reiterate what those before me have said. It is an big ordeal what he has been through, but I am sure as time passes things will become easier for him (and you). I remember when my own son fell out of a toy car, onto a broken plant pot, at the age of two he had a big cut above his eye and I was devastated for him because I knew he would always have this scar above his eye, but when he was older and I asked him how he felt about it, he said it was ok because Action Man had a scar like that! So it does appear to be quite cool to have scars8). Dylan - I think you are doing gr8:thumbsup: I know not everyone likes hospitals, but they are great places for making you better. I have just counted up the number of times my 10 year old son has been to hospital and I have counted 14 times - he's only actually stayed in hospital for 2 nights though, so not quite as brave as you - oh and he has an appointment at hospital next week so that will make 15 in total. He doesn't mind too much now because he usually gets a bit of time off school;-). He's not had the same operation as you, but he does remember having a lot of after his operations. At first he was a bit:sad1: but after a while he would be like this:lol1: Anyway, I hope you feel better soon and look forward to you being a member on here:-D Mum, you're doing great too:smilewinkgrin: Best wishes to you both, Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelBel Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 hello there I thought I had replied to this thread already but can't see it.. your poor little soldier! What a double whammy with you still in recovery and then this! Dylan - you are amazingly brave and those scars will soon fade and you will gradually get better and better. Make sure you rest up lots, and drink lots of squash to help your brain keep on the mend. I love Sarah's comment about her little boys action man scar! That's a good one! I hope you are now a member of the support group Lynne found for you and are getting some advice and encouragement from other youngsters who have been in a similar situation, and I hope you start to feel better real soon Take care of yourselves Kel x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldfish.girl Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 Thank you again for the messages. Sarah how do you cope with so many hospital trips?? If I wasn't upset about Dylan, I was upset looking at the other poor wee toots in there, awful to see children unwell. Louise I think your comments about the tube etc not being his enemy but a friend there to help really got through to Dylan - I hadn't thought of putting it that way - thank you. He managed to go to beach and stay upright for a 20 minute walk today so (fingers crossed) there seems to be a huge improvement. I also found out that a friend of a friend has a slightly older boy who's had the same op so am waiting to hear if he would be willing to come and speak to Dylan about how things are for him. Am sure that would be very helpful. Thank you all again xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thats actually all thanks to my husband thats how he put it to me when I was going through the same thing & it kind of stuck and made it better for me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin-lin Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 How is Dylan today? Is he feeling any better after the weekend? Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rod123 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hi my wife Merrill had a shunt fittted 21 months ago and it really did bother me at the time but i had a phone conversation with Paul (who answered this post above me) and he said something similar to this you have a heart and lungs in inside and you dont think about them and thats how her shunt will become and to be honest mostly that has proved to be true, it is a bit of a worry at the start but you learn to live with it and you dont think about it every day. Best wishes Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayKay Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Gosh, poor you guys!! Lynne's reply made me well up, actually.... I hope Dylan has managed to go on that other website - it sounds just up his street. Can you tell him I look on my scar as my war wound and I wear it with pride. It reminds me how lucky I've been and how far I've come. I hope he comes to see his like that too. If he's not too squeamish, you can see the massive scar here, just after the stitches came out... It looks huge and messy but I swear, 10 months on you can't even tell it's there - it's amazing. Not quite like Harry Potter's scar, but close eh?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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