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My name is Julie cranfiield.I am 42 years old I live in a place called green- mount in bury lancs. I had a subarachnoid haemorrhage in November after blacking out at the wheel of my car my daughters friends mum took me back home I had flashing at the back of my eyes and the worse headache I can't even explain how bad the pain was it was horrendous. My mum in law rang the nhs direct cause by this time I was extremely hot and I was severely vomiting and they said it was a bad migraine,so to switch off the lights take some pain killers and go to sleep this I did but when I eventually woke in the morning I felt bad really bad my left hand side felt useless and my speech was not right. My husband works in London and was due home that day late so I rang him and he told me to call ambulance I did this and I was taken to my local A&E dept where they gave me a ct scan and said they where keeping me in over night. That's all I really remember apart from my husband and daughter at my bedside crying they told me what had happened but I was so I'll I didn't take it all in. The hospital then said they where transferring me to hope hospital in Manchester that day I waited for a ambulance and finally got transferred at 10 o'clock that evening my husband had sat and wait for me all that day. I remember the ambulance drivers being very dishy and I asked if I was going by blue lights and was told no because my bleed was severe so I was police escorted. I remember getting sorted on the ward and then that's it I had my op the next day but during surgery while fixing the bleed I had another one and so became very I'll I was on ICU for a long time in a coma and even had my last rights read by priest my husband was there holding my hand all day long I'm a bliss to all this happening the only part I remember is the last couple of weeks on the ward. I feel quite angry that I can't remember some of it,but I do remember that one night I was in the lift in my bed and my daughter was at the bottom pushing me up and my dad (died 21 years ago) was pushing me down saying I was not going anywhere. This is very scary to think about my recovery in hospital went well and in total I was there for 7weeks. I had to push my self really hard but I did it. This will not beat me everyday is a struggle and sometimes I just want to curl up in a corner with a bottle of vodka and a packet of tablets but I just think of the lift episode and that keeps me going. I made it home 2 days before Xmas I was scared leaving hospital but I was fine once I got home I felt a burden on everybody. The care I received from hope hospital was remarkable and the nursing staff were amazing caring and supportive even though I did play up sometimes,not purposely but there patience was suberb. I have gone from wearing nappys to using a zimmer frame to today returning back to work for 2 hours. Once the emotional stuff was out of the way I enjoyed it it was nice to be in a normal environment with normal people and I hardly thought about my illness. I'm doing another 2 hours next week I couldn't believe how tired I was cause I didn't do anything physical that's the one thing in the whole of this that's hard it's the fatigue. I'm glad I found this sight I was not given any information on support groups I found the site through a book I was given to read called the dented image I urge everyone to read it it's fab, a friend gave me the book to read as she had a SAH 3 years ago which I didn't know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and all I can do is think positive I have my 6 month check up soon so hopefully all will be well and I will be able to drive again.. Keep smiling and move forward it's difficult but it's worth it. GOOD LUCK to you all.

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Hi Julie & welcome to BTG, what an awful experince you've had & done so amazingly well in such a short space of time. Recovery for your brain from all the invasions it's had is long & sometimes fraught with many ups & downs.

It doesn't suprise me how tired you are after 2 hours at work, I am 10 months post op & haven't managed to go back to work & still don't feel ready. You really do need to listen to your body when its had enough & rest for as long as you need to.

I would recc contacting Headway for help with getting back into the 'normal' world & accepting the new you after a brain injury.

Do come on here & share your up days & the down ones too, we're all here to help hold your hand while you recover.

Take care & take it slowly xxx

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Hi Julie and welcome.

I was also operated on in Hope Hospital. I will always be grateful to the staff there too!

Your doing so well returning back to work and able to cope! keep drinking the water and resting when you can!

Look forward to reading about your progress!

Take care x

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Hi Julie

Welcome to the site!

Congratulations on your recovery so far, you have come a long way in quite a short space of time considering the severity of your bleed and that additional complications during surgery. You are very lucky and it sounds like you are doing amazingly well.

Ditto what the others have said; rest when you feel your body telling you to (and you will feel it and begin to recognise the signs). Keep up the fluid intake to keep the headaches at bay, and be good to yourself and try not to over-do things...(I do need to take my own advice really... :roll: as I tend to pack too much into my weeks...and then on Saturdays I end up like a zombie! :shock: )

Take care, and hope to hear more from you soon

Kel x

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Hi Julie, welcome to BTG!

I'm amazed at what you have been through and how quickly you've gone from coma to 2 hours at work. You are one determined lady. Your near death experience is also incredible. Your dad wants you here with your children and says it's not your time yet!

To go from SAH, to surgery, coma, and then working in such a short space of time truly is amazing. How are you feeling?

I had a non aneurysm SAH in November 2010. I didn't need surgery and the bleed stopped on it's own. I only spent 3 days in hospital and had no coma. I went back to work on January 5th and the lovely people here were concerned for me and advised it might be too soon. I pushed on thinking I was different because I didn't get coiled or clipped or have invasive surgery. Over the next 3 weeks my symptoms became intensified. My blurry vision became double vision. My heavy arms and legs became cemented down. I felt huge anxiety and cried at the tiniest things when I'm not a cryer and do not normal cry in front of others. I sobbed like a baby almost every day. I couldn't think and began making bad decisions. I couldn't calculate or follow complex conversations.

Finally mid February Occupational Health sent me home. I've been home since. I will try again but not until May and it will be a very gradual return like yours. My symptoms are much better now and I'm not as emotional or tired.

Julie, we are all different and our recovery is different. Im telling you my story because if you recognize any of this in yourself you need to give yourself a break and take more time to recover. I needed 'permission' to feel sick. Supporters here told me its ok to acknowledge that I'm sick and need time to heal. I also had counseling to help me with that. I had huge guilt and anxiety about not being at work.

Take care of yourself, you are a survivor!

Sandi K. Xoxo xox

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Welcome, Julie! You have certainly been through a tremendous ordeal!!! It sounds as though you are recovering quite well, considering what you've been through. Your positive attitude will keep you going :biggrin:

Ditto what the others have said. Do take care and get the rest you need!

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

With love and healing energy,

Carolyn

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Hello Julie,

So nice to have you with us on this site, but sorry for the reasons you are. Your story is, like so many on here, quite amazing and I too think you have done remarkably well in such a short space of time - I think you should be very proud of yourself.

I don't think you mentioned what type of work you do, but do take it steady, two hours might not sound much, but working is a different environment and all jobs do involve the brain which can make it exhausting. I took 5 months off and I didn't have to deal with half of what you have, I appreciate our recoveries are all different but do take it easy.

Good luck with your continued recovery,

Sarah

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Hi

Welcome to the site. I just joined following my SAH in 21 Feb and surgery on the 22nd and have already found the site and the lovely people a great source of support and information and advice.

Good look with your recovery :-D

Fiona

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Hello and WELCOME! Gosh, you've been through it. And the lift episode is amazing...

I don't want to be a party pooper, but I also wonder if you're not pushing yourself too hard too soon. This comes from experience, believe me! My SAH was 13 months ago and I was sure I'd be back at work by the summer at the very very latest. Ha ha ha. :roll: I've continually pushed myself and continually had setbacks and ended up in bed for several days at a time... Like Sandi, I'm not trying to scare you but you must promise you'll listen to your body and if you ever recognise any of those symptoms you must remember what we told you :D

I know what you mean about, how can I be so tired, I've just sat here for 2 hours. Well, your brain needs energy to mend and it's draining it from you. It's just your body's way of telling you to slow down.

You sound amazingly positive, so I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but, keep smiling :)

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