Guest Portia del Carmen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I only dragged up the courage to join up today - have read the board for a while though. I had my first SAH in May 2003 - a burst aneurysm which was coiled. The doctors found 3 other aneurysms at the same time - none of which obviously met the size criteria for treatment but which were noted and reviewed. At the beginning of February I had "flu" - went to the GP who diagnosed an ear infection. 5 days later, I started talking "nonsense" according to my fiance (although it was about shoes, so it might have been total common sense!) and I was taken to hospital - who admitted me under a cardiologist (?) and then discharged me... until they got later test results and then called me back - and only then started to listen to me and talk to my consultant at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, to where they then thankfully transferred me. It's all a long story, which I hope I will soon have the nerve to set out in full, but in short I'd had a second SAH which had led to some vasospasm which had led to the nonsense talking... the second (and thankfully another one of the other) aneurysms were clipped and I'm now back at home, getting back to normality and hoping to return to work part time very shortly. More importantly, will still be getting married in May! I am told that I am not your average case - I'm young and thankfully have a good recovery rate. But there are times when it all feels really overwhelming and no-one who hasn't gone through can understand, despite their efforts. I hope to be able to empathise with all of you lot here over the upcoming months! Sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi Sarah, Welcome to behindthegray! So glad that you plucked up the courage to join us, we're a friendly bunch, honest! Your story is a common theme with a lot of us ie. mis-diagnosis! Hope that you will write your story for the homepage? How old are you? I'm nosey! Good luck with the wedding in May, you must be really excited! Take it easy and looking forward to hearing from you .... we all have a chat about day to day stuff in the Green Room, so hope to see you there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi Sarah Welcome to the family. I have two aneurysms very close to each other, one of which burst in August last year - they decided to coil them both at the same time as they were in a 'clover formation' which means they had the same stem. It is very scary and no matter how much loved ones try to sympathise its not possible if you've not suffered and survived an SAH. Where do you live? Karen's not the only nosey one but she is right in that we are all a friendly bunch and share our ups, downs and roundabout days - so feel free to celebrate, commiserate and most certainly moan!! This site and the guys on it have been a god send to me and I hope that we can be the same for you. Love Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Portia del Carmen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hello Karen, Thank you for your reply - am 33 and only just beginning to get my first grey hairs - ironically just over the most recent SAH site - someone needs to do some full investigation on that! I realise that everyone here is very friendly - and being able to correspond with others who have been through the same thing is so useful and otherwise not provided! My misdiagnosis story relates to both SAH's - I will put it all down in writing very soon. But most importantly the wedding is 25th May - on the beach in the Seychelles! I know that after my first SAH I was able to fly OK so this time has to be the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Portia del Carmen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi Sami, Thanks also for your reply - it obviously still takes me longer than really think to type myself! I live in St Albans - so was admitted to Hemel Hempsted initially this time. Ended up back in the National Hospital in Queen Square in London. Didn't I read somewhere that you're in or around Nottingham? Very close to my own early days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi Sarah Welcome to the site nice to hear from you think Karen & Sami have said it all glad you got the courage up to join in. Take care Louise.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hey there Yep I live in Nottingham. Originally in Clifton but now in Rise Park. Whereabouts did you live up here then? I'm 35, so you never know we might even know each other - now wouldn't that be freaky!! Love Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hi Sarah, Yes, everybody is very friendly here and the site has been pretty good therapy for me personally.....even though the odd technical hiccup has given me the odd headache also! As you can see from the site, some of us also meet up and I must say, that they're a good bunch with a great sense of humour! I got my first grey hairs after giving birth .... the rest of the grey hair has followed since my warning bleed when I was 38 and after my last SAH, aged 42, my hair has got even greyer and even thinner and I just thank god for L'oreal! Mis-diagnosis the first time, aged 38 ..... I basically Googled my symptoms and it came up with SAH .... but my aneurysm must have clotted and by the time I had A MRI scan 2 months later, it was inconclusive and I might have/might not have had a stroke.....when I had the SAH for the 2nd time, 4 years later, I knew immediately what I was having and I think that "Google" probably saved my life...but, this time around my recovery has been slow, but I'm grateful for still being around for my kids. How wonderful, getting married in the Seychelles! Well, if anybody deserves it, then you do.... hope that you'll e-mail me some photos of your wedding.....I would love to put them onto the homepage...how long have you known your Husband to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Portia del Carmen Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Yep I live in Nottingham. Originally in Clifton but now in Rise Park. Whereabouts did you live up here then? I'm 35, so you never know we might even know each other - now wouldn't that be freaky!! I thought I'd read that that was your place! I'm not a Nottingham girl as such but lived until I was 18 in North Nottinghamshire between Mansfield and Worksop - then moved South for Uni where I've remained ever since - although my parents still live up there so I do still visit sometimes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Hey Thats cool. My in-laws live in Newark and some of the lads from Paul's footie team live out Mansfield way. You'll have to let us know when you visit next cos some of us are trying to arrange meeting in the Midlands area. Sue and I gonna try and decide on a venue I think and then see how much response we get. Just need to know who'd be interested so that we can decide on somewhere sort of half way. Anyway away home for the night now. Catch you all tomorrow. Hope everyone has a good night. Weight Wacthers meal here I come TTFN Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Hi Sarah, Welcome to the site. How you getting on with the wedding planning? I will be married 2 years in Aug( I'm 31). 5months post SAH. At the time I was stressed but afterwards I really missed the whole wedding hype. Although friends have just got engaged and I'm getting a bit excitable again. I can't blame the SAH for my Grey hair it started in my early 20's But agree with you it def was a lot worse after the SAH. Keep up the good recovery and look forward to hearing about your plans. Aine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasbo Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Hi Sarah Welcome to the site from another Sarah! My partner, Fiona, is from St Albans - her parents live in Marshals Drive so I know the area a little bit. We're now living up in Cheshire so don't get there as often, particularly as I'm still recuperating post-SAH. Anyway, good to meet you and to have you join in this great forum - it's the only place I could find like it where you can find people who have undergone the same experiences and are fighting their way through. It's a tonic! Love Sarah xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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