Coping and Understanding

[Darcy]

My husband had a non anurism  SAH two weeks ago today.

 

He spent nine days in the hospital in ICU/accute care, and was released one week ago.

There is no apparent damage to his brain, other than the blood being on his brain still, and the constant pain he is still in.

 

He has all of his motor skills, and is coherent. He seems weak, and lethargic, does not want to eat a lot, or drink lots of water, but I am encouraging him to do so. Any one who has gone through this horrible event, can you tell me how long it took for the pain to go away, and what you did to regain your strength.

 

I also do not have a support system, no one to visit, or help. I am Caring for my husband alone.

Any tips from caregivers on what I should do to help myself as well.

 

Thank you in advance.

[Louise]

Hi there

 

warm welcome, we cant give medical advice really but from what I'm aware the constant pain maybe the disperse of the blood, a way to ease that is keeping well hydrated... again lethargic could be lack of food and de-hydration - Keep on encouraging him its the only way I know its a pain but keep at it.

 

Take time for yourself men (I think) are the worsts patents ever...

 

take care

[Winb143]

Hi Darcy 

 

My Hubby took me out for a coffee and a cuppa and although I was still in cuckoo land It made me feel good and I remember looking through windows.

 

I used to be fed coffee out of a teacher beaker xx 

Things will get better so try and get him out and do things you would have done.

 

Good luck and be well both, it is a long haul but we have been through it and so have our carers  xx Oh short term memory is so bad, but ask me what I did years ago and all okay there !! Keep trying xxxxxx

 

Win xxx

 

 

[Catwoman23]

Welcome to the site. I m sorry to hear about it. I cannot give medical advice. Not sure if you are in uk or the US. Sometimes your husband might be eligible for home health services such as nursing aides who can help you with chores. I order them especially for elderly and I know they have to be home bound that is they can’t drive etc.

It takes at least about 3 months for the blood to go away so take one day at a time. Lots of fluids, some sugary drinks such as hot chocolate. And read the forum. It will be very helpful.

 

If I m not too busy, I try to click on anyone who has a birthday that day and read their story. Some have not been back to the forum and I wish they would come back at least on their birthday to check in.

Also try to take care of yourself.

[Macca]

Hi Darcy,

 

Welcome to BTG. Firstly, two weeks is next to nothing in terms of recovery.  It can be a slow process and it may, as Louise says be the blood being re-absorbed into the body that causes headaches to persist.  Check with the medical staff that treated your husband.  As has been said already, we can't give medical advice because we are not doctors, so we can't be relied upon for that!

 

Write down the questions you want answering and ask when you go. If you don't write them down you will surely forget one!

 

However, we can tell you about our own experiences.  Recovery is different from person to person and how their SAH has been in terms of degree of severity, how soon they were treated and so forth.  It can also affected by their own feelings and determination to get back on their feet, but above all, especially in the early stages they need rest and the time to be allowed to go at their own pace, not necessarily the pace you want them to go at.

 

You have to remember that the brain is at the centre of everything they do, and it has come under attack, is very complicated and it needs time to re-wire itself.  It is a very tough thing to deal with, it isn't a case where you can just put a plaster on it and get on with life.  Just because you can see it doesn't mean there isn't an injury.  Look at a car with no engine in it - it still looks like a car from the outside doesn't it?

 

Fluids are a help - it doesn't need to be pure water al the time, but anything that contains it, juice, tea, coffee - although you might want to consider de-caffeinated types and I would avoid fizzy types of drink - they just don't sound right to me although I have no evidence to say they do any harm. Just use your common sense.

 

Give him love, give him patience, give him support and, above all, give him time.

 

Keep a diary of his progress, you will be amazed at his progress over a period of time.

 

I wish you well

[Darcy]

Thank you so much for your replies. 

[Colleen]

Hi Darcy,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your husband. As others have said, it takes time for the blood to break down as it has nowhere to go. The way it was explained to me is that it is like a bruise; the blood has to degrade, but while it is present it is an irritant to the brain tissue. And I know when I had the headaches, I often felt nauseous. My dr actually suggested if I normally drank coffee to go ahead and drink it since caffeine withdrawal could aggravate the headaches. That said, I drank a lot of water and herbal teas after I came home. It will take awhile but hopefully he'll feel better soon. 

 

Colleen

[Darcy]

An update: My husband had to be hospitalized because he developed a pulmonary embolism in his right lung, pneumonia, and protein malnutrition due to not wanting to eat because of the pain.

 

The blood clot was due to being hospitalized with the SAH. They could not treat him with blood thinners because of the SAH, and said they were afraid thinning his blood might cause another SAH since they could not find the source of the bleed. They had to put in a filter in his main artery to try to prevent another clot.

 

He is home now, and doing better. His color is coming back, and he is moving around. His head pain is down to a steady 1, and the pain in his lung is being controlled by pain meds. He is not coughing up as much blood as he was. He was hit with a double whammy! Im just thankful he is getting better. Just wanted to share. 

[Winb143]

Glad to hear hubby is on the up Darcy,

 

Must have been scary for both of you, now both keep chin up and remember you must rest also.

 

Without you hubby is lost, well I was without my Family xxxx

 

So both relax and rest when you can xxxxxx 

Love

Win xxxxx 

[paul99]

Darcy

 

Contact the neurological  discharge team at the hospital and ask for some support . They can ensure some support should be available for, I believe, up to six weeks. The old adage "if you don't ask you don't get".  Hope all goes well.

[Macca]

Keep your chin up Darcy.

 

Nobody ever said recovery would be easy.  It's a long road and it is still early for you on that road. 

 

Before you know it, one step at a time, you will be closer to the end than the beginning.  Keep talking to the doctors and medical staff.  Keep your spirits up and rest properly.  You help people best when you are strong not when you are weak. 

 

Thanks for letting us know and please keep in touch!

 

Macca

[Winb143]

I had carers who came in 3 times a day Darcy,  to wash me etc etc 

 

As I got better my hubby took me out,  the I walked a few steps and so on.  So could manage myself after a while and cut them down to twice a day then once.  

 

I had a man and woman and I said to the man as a joke " Avert your eyes" and he always held towel over his eyes lol xx After shunt was in as I never knew where I was before shunt ha ha.

 

Nice people and it did help my Hubby xxxx 

 

Good luck to Hubby and Yourself  xxx All the best for you both xxxx