Glad I found this group

[Packcuz]

I had a NASAH 4/29/20.  I was in my basement lifting weights and felt a twinge in the back of my neck. I figured that I pulled a muscle in my neck because at 49 years old things like that tend to happen pretty frequently. I tried to stretch it out but after about 15 minutes I got really nauseous and knew something was wrong. Called 911 and the ambulance took me to the hospital. 
 

Luckily for me, 2 of my good friends were on call and they figured out what was going on pretty quickly. The fentanyl wouldn’t touch the headache. They immediately airlifted me to Vanderbilt where I was in ICU for 10 days.   Of course this is during Covid so no visitors or family could visit. Honestly with how I felt it didn’t really bother me but I can’t imagine what my wife went thru on the outside. 

 

After the 10 days they sent me home only to have to drive the 2 hours back the next morning after a night of vasospasms. I spent another 3 days in ICU before being discharged. 
 

I’m now almost 3 months out and have been back to work since week 3 (only partial days for a couple of weeks).  Started back in the gym a couple of weeks ago after getting the all clear from my dr.  

 

The headaches are getting better but the dizziness is still very much there. I also feel like I can’t relax. Hopefully this feeling along with the dizziness goes away sooner than later.  Not being able to relax is starting to make me feel like I’m in a slight state of depression.  Instead of feeling greatly for surviving such a traumatic event I seem to lean toward the side of being sad and depressed. Guess it’s just hard grasping what I went thru and that things like that can happen in a heartbeat.  
 

Add to that... almost 2 years ago to the day I had 90% blockage in my LAD and got a stent.  That seems to compound my emotions.  I’ve always been a confident person and my drs told me that everything in my head looks great and all of my arteries around my heart are in pristine condition.  The only thing that I can be sure of is that God must have a plan in all of this. Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right!!?!?
 

 

 

[Tina]

Hi Packcuz 

 

A very warm welcome to BTG  Glad you found  us.

 

You have really been through it, also your family. Not surprising you are feeling a little sad and depressed, it is very early days in your recovery. Things will get better, it just takes time. Sometimes one step forward, two steps back if you push too hard. Be kind to yourself, listen to your body, rest up as much as possible and drink lots of water, it really helps.

 

The dizziness will improve, but even now if i over do things i get a little dizzy. Your body has a way of telling you when to slow down.

 

4 hours ago, Packcuz said:

Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right!!?!?
 

 

I totally agree whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger  

 

Well done on getting back to work so early. You should be feeling very proud after going through such a huge traumatic trauma. 

Wishing you well with your recovery and we look forward to hearing more from you.

Feel free to join in the daily banter in the Green room.

 

Take care

Tina 

[subzero]

Hello Packcuz and also a warm welcome to BTG.

 

You will find so much support and helpful information within this site as you browse the forums relating to your condition.

The personal experiences from our members offer great insight into how they have individually dealt with their recovery challenges.

You will read often that each person has a unique journey ahead depending on the extent of their brain damage, their own family circumstances, and often the need to to make serious employment decisions for the future.

 

You certainly are not new to healths challenges. To recover from your massive LAD blockage two years ago must have been quite an emotional time too. (Am I right that it can be known as the `widow maker` !!) 

 

You indicate that you have always exercised well. Again you will find that many of our members have been fit and healthy and have also been faced with NASAH/ SAH while working out.

 

Brain trauma leaves the survivor with varied issues to face depending on the nature and site of the bleed. These only become apparent in the early months of your `recovery` and many can be so debilitating.

 

It is not unusual to have feelings of depression following your bleed. Please monitor your feelings closely and do not hesitate to get additional medical advice if it persists. You are not alone here.

 

Keeping well hydrated and not allowing too much physical or mental stress can help greatly.

 

Often the return to work is best considered following a three month recovery and even then a slow phased return can prevent the disappointment of having to take time off again because you are finding it difficult to cope  

 

Please also feel free to tell us more about yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum. Our members will be happy to try and answer any questions you may have.

 

Meantime I also wish you well in your `journey`. It is a challenging time for you and your close family and friends.

 

Take care

 

 

Subs

[Louise]

Hello there

 

warm welcome to the site, glad that you found us.

Keep yourself well hydrated helps with dizzy and headaches..

 

take it easy...

take care, stay-safe.

 

[Patc]

Hi and welcome to BTG!

 

Like everyone before me has commented, this is a great place to be for support, asking questions and in general feeling connected to people who “get it”.  

 

I had my bleed 3.5 yrs ago, and even though I had a good recovery physically, my mental well-being went through a battle of it own.  I was in the hospital for one month mainly because I was having  Vasospasms.  Honestly at the time I had no idea what this all meant and it wasn’t until I was home recovering that I did my own research and fell into the “google” rabbit hole.

 

I have always suffered from mild form of depression and anxiety - and had therapy to deal with it, so I recognized the signs.  What helped me, was talking it out with my friends, my physician and finally coming to the realization that I had gone through a major trauma and was dealing with PTSD.  One massive help in recovery was finding this site.  It was telling me that I wasn’t going nuts for feeling the way I did.  That was a major turn around in my mental well being.

 

I gave myself permission to feel down some days.  It was ok for me to feel tired and wanting to have naps.  It wasn’t a cop-out to say “No” to events because the thought of being around noise, lights, and people was just too much at the time.  

The next day is always there to conquer one thing you couldn’t do the day before!

 

As time passes, these moods are less and less, but I still get them. I recognize them for what they are, acknowledge that I might not accomplish all the goals I had for that day and say to myself, Tomorrow is another day!  I believe that the mental health aspect of surviving something like this isn’t fully addressed by our physicians.  I live in Canada and although my care did not cost me anything, I wish along with the physical care I received, there would have been some mental health follow up.

 

Hang in there, you are so early in your recovery and it sounds like you are doing well.  You have found yourself a very caring, and knowledgeable community.  We have all been where you are right now, and everyone here will support you in your recovery.

 

Take care, stay safe, stay healthy!

Pat

 

 

 

 

[Swishy]

Hi Pat,

 

Your post was very interesting to me as I also sought out mental health care feeling like I had PTSD...In rehab I was interviewed by a psychologist at length...I was so far from understanding my mental stress about what had happened, as I was overwhelmed about my physical problems.

 

I guess I passed, as I never heard another word about any sort of mental health therapy.  It was literally probably a year or so before I began to understand that it is not normal to lie in bed at night and feel like I was back in the ICU...but anyway I did get therapy and it helped, and so has time 3 years 3 months for me...

 

Tomorrow is another day  we just have to patient and allow it to be ok...

 

This is a great community and I, too, am so glad to have found them. Keeping hydrated does help me also..

 

xx Jean

[Packcuz]

Doing all of this during the whole Covid thing has made things more difficult too. It’s hard for anyone to find a sense of normalcy let alone trying to find my way back after a traumatic event.  I’ll be ok. Just glad to hear that I’m not the only one that has dealt with the emotional side of recovery too.