New member Tara

[Tara2194]

Hi everyone ,

 

I'm new to the site- I have been reading posts and today registered to be a member . My mum (aged 49) had a SAH whilst abroad in turkey - she is now 4 weeks post clip and we have her home but she is struggling massively with fatigue - it takes 40 mins plus to try talk her round to getting up but once she's up she is ok- has anyone else experienced this?

 

She is also still confused and short term memory problems , she tells us stories that hasn't happened and asks where random people are. I know 4 weeks is very early days but other than a diary is there anything anyone found useful?

 

Thank you 

[ClareM]

In your own words yes 4 weeks is very early days. The fatigue can go on indefinitely though it should improve with time. I remember it taking me a long time to come to in the mornings, I took an age to get up and about. Pre bleed I used to run with my dog most mornings getting up at 6am and off and out. No more, I take a good 30 minutes to get going in the mornings! 

 

The memory and confusion sound very normal too and a diary is a good idea.

Give her lots of time, rest and water. Things should get better but don't worry too much at present just take things slowly. Remember the brain has had a huge insult and will take it's own time to recover!

 

Take care of yourself too while caring for your mum and try not to stress her out to much. Good luck.

 

Clare xx

[Tara2194]

Thank you for your advice - it's finding the happy balance of resting / sleep and getting her up and build her strength. This website is very helpful. Definitely won't stress her out

thanks again xx

[Louise]

 

Hi Tara

 

Warm welcome to the site.

 

Fatigue is a big issue with most of us but it does lesson with time.  your Mum is in early recovery - yes I told stories and asked where family members where (who had long gone) its the brain's way of processing things its scary and your trying to make sense of things.

 

Diary is good, keeping hydrated too (especially in this hot weather a must) and try to be in a routine of sleeping and waken..

 

look after 'yourself' because without our carers we wouldn't recover... ?

[Kay]

Finding that balance between rest and building your strength back up is very trial and error. Maybe you could try and take a note of how long she can do activities before getting tired and setting that as her maximum limit for now and then have a rest period. 

 

I'm pretty sure that I really didn't do much for at least the first 3 weeks after getting out of hospital, after enforced bed rest it can take some time just to get used to being able to get up and move about again. After that I think I did things in 15-30 minute bursts with rest periods (which usually included naps) of half an hour to an hour. Obviously everyone is different though that was just my best way to go about it,  again there was a lot of trail and error to get to that point.

 

A diary is a great idea, really helped me out. I also got my fiance to help me write down everything that happened when I was in the hospital, because my memory of it all was so poor and I found it really frustrating not being able to remember and to have to keep asking him all the time about it, it was great for me to have something to refer to instead.

 

Also as the others have said before me please make sure to look after yourself as well, these situations are just as hard on our loved ones and none of us would want them to run themselves into the ground.