"A resource we should all be protecting"

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage with hydrocephalus

I woke up one morning with a bad headache and decided to go back to bed. Before I got there I felt a burst of pressure on the back of my head and collapsed. I initially thought I’d split my head open because of the pain, I was quite confused. My daughter was thankfully there to call an ambulance and I was rushed to hospital.

Over the weekend I was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where I underwent stenting/coiling procedure. I dont remember much but I evidently was given the best care possible and I owe all involved much gratitude for my life. I wish I could remember the name of the older emt gent who comforted me on the way to Edinburgh, his calm nature is one of my fee vivid memories

I was returned to the care of Glasgow QEUH for recovery and was discharged less than two weeks to the day of the haemorrhage. I was and am physically very well and have beaten the odds in surviving and recovery.

This is no small part due to the high level of care I received from everyone involved in my care. I am eternally grateful to each and every one of you for saving my life. I am alive and healthy for my children because of you and I will never be able convey my thanks enough.

I have however struggled longer term with anxiety, emotional regulation and low mood. As well as physical fatigue, I felt effects of mental exhaustion in fulfilling what used to be simple tasks.

I was referred to the Community Treatment Centre for Brain Injury and a couple of months after discharge I met with Richard my Occupational Therapist. Richard arranged a home visit to help assess my needs. He was the first friendly non emergency response to my brain injury. Richard’s friendly, calm nature was an early reassurance that there were people there for me who had my back. He helped me feel less overwhelmed at the tasks which felt insurmountable and was never afraid to address the elephant in the room!

I was also very fortunate to be offered support from psychologist, Dr Herman. Over the months that followed, Dr Herman arranged video calls which made it much easier to manage my fatigue, but when I was able to she also made home visits and an assessment at her office.

I cannot possibly express with enough sincerity, my eternal gratitude to Dr Herman for her professionalism, intuitive empathy, endless patience and understanding.

When I was referred to Dr Herman, I can honestly say it was truly the darkest most terrifying time of my life. She made me feel seen and heard on such a personal level. There was no one size fits all answers to my worries and I never felt patronised or palmed off. She equipped me to deal with the nuances I face now after the brain jury. She could explain where some of my thinking came from and gave me some much needed perspective.

I have now been discharged from regular appointments in the safe knowledge I can contact the team in the future should I feel the need. That alone is a very comforting reassurance.

The medical professionals who took such amazing care of me physically in the immediate short term, were all amazing. They saved my life. In the long term aftermath it was Dr Herman who helped me start to live my life again.

I can't express strongly enough how important this long term aftercare has been. Even the idea of writing all of this down would have overwhelmed me a few months ago. I feel measurably stronger and more hopeful for the future than I have since the brain injury.

The NHS is truly a treasure we don't appreciate enough - until they casually swoop in and save your life!

I am forever grateful to the personal dedication of the NHS staff at every level, they really are a resource we should all be protecting.