Guest kdenardo Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 I am new here, but wanted to share my story with you. July 21, 2007 my husband and I were sitting on the deck watching our children (14, 9, 7) play in our pool with some of their friends (this was at one time a favorite pasttime of mine) when suddenly it felt like my head had exploded from the inside. I have heard "thunderclap" here, that is a perfect analogy. I literally fell to my knees. My husband stood me up and asked if I was having a migraine, and I told him no, I have suffered migraines for 14 years, and this was no migraine. I however took my migraine medicine and tried to lie down, it wasn't working. My husband drove me to the emergency room. Three hour wait later, me agonizing in the waiting room they seen me. Dr. looked me over told me it was just a severe migraine. My husband asked if they would do a CAT scan, and was told it wasn't needed. I was just having a severe migraine, handed me a prescription for pain pills and told me to go home. My husband kept giving me the pain pills, sometimes earlier than what I should have had them, but he could see that I was in pain. The pills did not alieve the pain, they just knocked me out. The next morning my head is still pounding and my husband tried to get me an appointment with with my regular doctor. He was not in, told me to go to the ER. I did, but a different ER. Unfortunately, they also did not think a CAT scan was necessary and sent me home with a B12 shot. 24 more hours of agonizing pain, I begged my husband to just kill me. He was a wreck, but gave me enough pain medicine to put me to sleep. I finally got in to see my regular doctor who gave me a shot of morphine and ordered a CAT scan. We waited for the results, the doctor called said it looked fine, just a few "lesions". We again drove back home. Morphine was strong enough to knock me out pretty good at this point. My husband got out the phone book and began calling every neurologist listed. Dr. Rae - he seen me first thing the following morning. Are ya keepin track this is 4 days now. Dr. Rae looked at my CAT scan on the computer - still don't know exactly how that worked, just glad it did - came in to the examination room, looked me straight in the eye and said "Honey, you should be dead" He ordered an ambulance which took me to Saint Louis University immediately. I guess it is too late to say "to make a long story short", but my husband was told I had a SAH was given the task of deciding whether to open my skull to relieve the pressure or to insert tubes. My Neurosurgeon explained everything to him, and tubes were inserted into my skull. In addition to the tubes they coiled 3 additional aneurysms and sent me to ICU. I hope you forgive me, I do not remember ANY of this, after I fell to my knees, my memory is completely blank. I woke up in ICU with these things in my head, and screamed! I don't know why, but I hallucinated the first week after my surgery. My arms had to be tied down because I kept trying to pull the tubes out of my head. I was convinced the nursing staff was ridiculing me, I was sure a friend of mine had climbed out of the ceiling, I kept telling my nurse to get my kids out of the damn bathroom. It was an odd experience to say the least. But after a stint with basal spasms I was released from ICU (27 days later). I could finally see my children!! My youngest 6 at the time was convinced I had died and no one had told her. My son (mama's boy) was scared to touch me. I have been told I am "lucky to be alive". There are many days I wonder if those people were in my position if they would still say that. Oh, I guess I should get to the point, listen to your body, you know what is right and what is not. Without my husbands persistance I just wouldn't have woke up. I knew something was wrong, he knew something was wrong, we, rather he kept at it until finally someone would listen. Sorry for the long post, first time I ever wrote it out. kind of nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perrycornish Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 Welcome to the board, I'm so glad that you found us, we are a friendly bunch You did have a dreadful time, it is amazing how often people who are professionals simply do not recognize the signs of SAH! Congratulations to your husband for not giving up I hope that you come back to visit again, as you will find a lot of folk who can help with support, and fun and general backing if needed in a tussle with the authorities! Hope to 'see' you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUTTI Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 GLAD YOU MADE IT, YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. HOPE YOU RETURN. XXX EVELYN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogbrush Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to behindthegray. Regards Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Welcome to BTG hope to see you soon. Jess.xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennissmithy Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi Kelly, Thanks for telling us your story. MY SAH wasn't diagnosed either for over a week! Got there in the end though! Love and hugs Laura xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi Kelly A very warm welcome to you and thank you for sharing your story. Hope to hear from you again soon. Take care Love Tinaxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest yasmin Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Well you are very lucky to have such a wonderful Hubby, me too mine would'nt let up until they sorted me out! Hope that you are making a good recovery Yasmin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ElaineW Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 WOW what a story and gosh were you lucky - I understand an early diagnosis is essential. When my mum had hers in May 2008 I just found her covered in vomit in bed and pretty much unresponsive. The paramedics came; were totally baffled and said all her obs were fine but they would just get her to hosp just to get her checked over. 4 hours later she was in theatre after diagnosing a SAH. At 76 she is doing very well and I am so proud of her. Everyone has a different story which makes such interesting reading. Be happy Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasbo Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi there and welcome to BTG. Thanks for sharing your story; looking forward to chatting with you in the future. Sarah xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi and welcome to the BTG family. Like Laura my SAH wasn't diagnosed for nearly a week but I was fortunate that at least thet kept me in hospital whilst trying to decide what was wrong with me. Hope you find the site as useful as I always have. Look forward to hearing more from you. Janet x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hi there Welcome to the site and to the family. So sorry to hear that you had such a bad time of things, and at this stage you won't feel lucky. It's the one thing that used to annoy me "Oh, aren't you lucky!" when they realise what happened and that I'm still alive. I didn't feel lucky in the beginning - not until recently (over two years in), now with the fabulous friends I have met on here I do feel lucky - not to have had a SAH but to have these wonderful people in my life who know what I'm going through. Stay in touch hun, there's a wealth of experience, support and understanding here. Speak soon Love Sami xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shiree Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hiya Welcome to the site, and thanks for sharing your story. I know it takes a huge amount of courage to actually write it down, I still can't bring myself to do it.... The people on this this site are amazing....and the support is a god send hugs shiree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninja Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Hi Welcome to the site. I can relate to your story I was in and out of hospital for 3 weeks having been tested for meningitis and being told that the headache was due to my spondylosis. I was in fact discharged one day and actually drove when I later found out that the SAH was going on in my head. It was 3 weeks before they gave me a lumbar puncture and found blood in my spine. Like your husband my wife made so much fuss at the hospital to make them do something and we later received a verbal apology. My headache was constant for three weeks and I never want to go through that again so you have my deepest sympathy. One day I'll do a full account on this website but not yet my problems are still ongoing. Again welcome. Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 thought I'd answered oh well Hello and a warm welcome to the site...... I've been told sometimes its very hard to tell, Ronnie's cousin was a prime example of that.... take care Louise.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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