DebbieMcKenzie Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi every one First of all I would like to say that this site is a godsend. I have been lurking here for approx a week just reading people's stories and all of the advice threads, and I am finally starting to feel optimistic about my future and feeling less depressed about my condition. I suffered my SAH on Friday June 19th at 8.30 pm. I was just sitting quietly outside enjoying the evening air. It is winter down here in Australia but that night wasn't too cold and the air was refreshing. I had just had a particularly difficult week at work. All of a sudden I got a headache. It was unlike any headache that I had ever experienced and I was experiencing dreadful neckpain. I went inside to tell my husband, Paul, that I wasn't feeling too well. He asked me if I wanted him to take me to the hospital. I told him to get me a couple of paracetomol and went to bed. I asked him to sit with me and I went to sleep. I slept all night but when I got up in the morning I still had a headache and neck pain. So I started to do a google search on the internet of my symptoms as I was starting to get a bit concerned. After bring up a few results that suggested that I could have the symptoms for SAH I asked Paul to take me to the doctor. We went to the medical clinic that is attached to the local hospital. After waiting there for over an hour we finally saw the duty doctor. She checked me out, took my blood pressure and told me that I wasn't going home, that I was going straight down to the emergency dept at the hospital as she suspected that there was something serious going on. I was taken straight into emergency and had to wait for approx another 30 minutes for a doctor to see me. My blood pressure was extremely high and I was given treatment to bring that down and then sent for a CT scan. The results showed that I had had a bleed and arrangements were made to transfer me immediately by ambulance to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. By this time it was getting on to midnight. The next morning I had another CT scan which showed that I had an aneurism. The aneurism was coiled on Tuesday June 23rd and I was released from hospital on Friday June 26th. Even though I have been visiting my GP weekly to monitor my blood pressure I am finding it very difficult to find any sort of support groups (apart from Behind The Gray) either on the internet or in the Melbourne area. I have an appointment to go back to the Neurosurgery Clinic at the Alfred on Monday 10th August. I am looking forward to meeting and chatting with everyone Hugs to all Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myratas Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie, A warm welcome to BTG, we have a few people from Australia so welcome. Thank you for sharing your story with us, you are still very early in your recovery, it does get better but with time. Very little information is often given to us regarding the SAH and the aftercare even here so this site was also a godsend to me too. If you have any questions I am sure someone here will be here to answer. Hope to hear from you some more. Take care. Myra xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie A warm welcome to BTG so glad that you have found the information here of help to you. As Myra has already said the support groups in this country are few and far between as well. Thank you for sharing your story with us and I'm sure any questions you may have in the coming weeks there will always be someone who can set your mind at rest. Just remember to try to get as much rest as possible and plenty of fluids and start to make notes of any questions you may want to ask at your follow up appointment. Look forward to hearing more from you. Janet x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perrycornish Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hello Debbie, so glad you found us, I would have been pretty scared and lonely without the support here The main thing for you i reckon is to carry on reading threads, ask any questions, listen to your body and take your time. When the Drs tell you you are making a good recovery you probably are, they mean from a purely clinical angle, not that you are completely better, it can take quite a long time, just remember that is normal If anything worries you, someone here will be slightly ahead of you and will have had the same concerns but time and support has healed keep checking and keep asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie A very warm welcome to you.....so glad you found us.....BTG has been a God send to me and you will find lots of support and advice here and lots of great friends Its early days ...so listen to your body as Karen would say....take care and look forward to hearing more from you. Love Tina xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vivien Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hello Debbie and welcome to this very helpful site Vivien x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie A very warm welcome to the site..... Yes, its early days of your recovery so rest lots drink plenty. looking forward to hearding more from you...... take care Louise.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie Welcome to the site which will prove invaluable. Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Hi Debbie, My name is Maggie and am quite new to the site.I had an SAH in Jan of this year andan opeation to place coils in a ruptured anni. It does get better in time and don't exprct too much.Be kind to yourself! Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hi Debbie Let me add my welcome to the site, I'm new as well and like you "lurked unobtrusively" for quite some time before actually posting anything. You really are in the very early stages of recovery, you have probably only just been able to stop taking the nimpodipine every four hours, I remember my wife waking my every four hours and insisting I take them! At SAH plus four or five weeks, you really are doing very well to be even looking at support groups, at that stage I think I was still basically feeling very sorry for myself, something that I have thankfully been able to move on from. The one bit of advice that I would give you, is that whatever happens to you, however weird you feel or whatever strange symptoms you may have, talk about them, you will almost certainly find someone else here who has had the same sympoms. Whilst the medics are very non commital about recovery times and likely symptoms, I do believe that it is only the mix of ingredients and timings that change between different people, we all still "pick from the same pot of symptoms" Ok, I know that anology was a bit convoluted, but I hope I got my point across. For now, simply look after yourself, be grateful for your family and the support they offer you, and try not to be too independent..believe me I know that last bit can be the hardest. You have survived the bit the doctors can help you with, now it's upto us to help you help yourself to recover from the insult your body has just thrown at you. With time and patience you can recover, I am six months down the line, when I look back six months I'm amazed I have made such progress, it comes so slowly you don't recognise it at the time. When I hear from people who are even further down the line than I am, it gives me confidence that I can get there as well. Good luck, take care and let people help you. Best wishes Adam PS have a word with my boss for me will you, he lives in Melbourne and I need a good word in for when I start back at work! PPS, am happy to respond to any PM's if it will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna79 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hello Debbie Welcome to the family x x x Look forward to hearing from you in the future x x love donna xxxxxxxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennissmithy Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hi Debbie, Welcome to this wonderful family You will gain lots of support and advice on here We have just got back from a coach holiday with lots of people from Melbourne and Australia in general. Made some good friends. Listen to your body and take rest when you need- I often still 2 1/2 years on don't do it that well! Keep talking- it helps Love and hugs Laura xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hello Debbie, Welcome to this wonderful site I was lurking for about two years before I finally joined... I've never looked back! We're such a friendly bunch and if anyone has a problem we'll tr to help and if we can't ... we'll usually find a man or woman who can Look forward to learning more about you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebbieMcKenzie Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Hi everyone, Thank you all so much for your warm welcome. It really means a great deal to me to be able to chat to 'like' friends who understand what I am going through. I think that I have been extremely lucky in that my SAH has not been so severe, but nevertheless I am experiencing so many of the symptoms that you all mention. I feel 'weird' in the head, have ringing in the right ear and think that I may have suffered a slight hearing loss. Any little twinge or pain in my head starts me worrying. And I definitely feel fatigued. I think that the biggest thing that is bothering me at the moment is that Paul, my dear husband, and I are booked on a trip to Rarotonga in November for my son's wedding. And that is something that I really don't want to miss. I am hoping that I am going to ready to fly by then. I have just been reading that Alberto Contador, who has has just won the Tour de France, suffered a brain aneurysm during a race in 2004 and had a massive surgery. What an inspiration to make such a recovery!!!! I will be checking in here daily to see how you are all going and also to chat to you as I try to overcome hurdles. PS Adam - If I bump into your boss I will put in a good word for you Hugs to all Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 G'day Debbie November is a bit off so dont rule it out, just take things easy, yes all the twinges and things do make you worry dont they, I was paniced but the GP said that it was just healing taking place, that kind of helped..... We all heal at different paces I dont think there's a hard and fast rule to this...... I have 2 Melbourne connections too, my cousin has moved there & my Goddaughter lives there.... take care Louise.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hi Debbie, Welcome to this wonderful site with so many wonderful people. Take care of yourself and take it slow! Cal XXXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggie Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I will be 7 months post op when I fly to Switzerland in two weeks so I will let you know how I get on.It's a shorter flight than yours but Debbie I hope you make it. I spent 6 weeks on Raratonga, it's so very beautiful. I too have a ringing in my ears and strange tightening sensations in my head which are a new addition to my recovery! Does anyone else feel that,i'd be intersted to know! Maggie x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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