Brain heamorrage

[Hostick]

My mum had a brain heamorrage 5 weeks ago and still does not seem to be improving she has now had a chunt fitted, the next day she seems brighter then deteriorates by sleeping most of the time. It is so hard watching her, she is 78 and had a grade 3 heamorrage. Has anyone been through this and what is there progress now

[cat3]

Hello Hostick and welcome. I had a Subarachnoid haemorrhage 6 years ago and spent 8 weeks in hospital. After discharge my family and I needed, over a period of months, to talk the whole episode through in detail so we could help one another in dealing with our own individual traumas.

I'd assumed I'd been unconscious for the first month and was shocked to hear I was in fact conscious but talking utter nonsense, and very troubled & agitated. I hadn't recognised my daughter (thought she was a neighbour) and my family feared I that, if I survived, I'd be estranged from them mentally.

Six years on you wouldn't know I had a damaged brain. I still have headaches, poor word recall, balance issues, fatigue and short term memory loss, but these are all invisible issues. I walk to the shops and back, ride my bike, keep my house and garden tidy and entertain family ('til the fatigue kicks in) and manage the after-effects on a daily basis.

Of course every case is dependant on factors such as age, area of bleed (mine was frontal lobe) intensity of damage to surrounding area etc., etc. But it's a long process getting from initial injury to an acceptable level of progress ; it took around three years for me to realise I'd reached a plateau and, although there was impatience at my deficits along the way, I'm now satisfied with what I've managed to salvage........and forever grateful.

It might be a long, frustrating wait for your mum to show positive signs but that's normal with any type of brain injury. Don't use recent reports of Alex Ferguson's remarkable progress as a measure ; that's certainly not the norm..........if reports are correct he's been unusually fortunate.

Keep talking to your mum to reassure her of your presence and prepare for a prolonged wait whilst her poorly brain rests and tries to heal. Our brains don't fully recover from injury owing to their complexity & delicacy, but they're able to compensate to some extent. That's for later though.

Sending best wishes for your mum's safe return to you and better days to come. Cat x

[Kavib]

I have and I documented my journey from operation all the way to the following months. Please check my YouTube videos I did these to help others family and friends to understand the process they are only 15 mins long. I hope it helps :

youtu.be/qM7qgw79k_o(Not working as expected?)

[lcd8]

Hello Hostick. So sorry to hear about your mum. I almost had a brain haemorrhage when I was 14 because I had hydrocephalus and the fluid was pressing on my brain because an AVM blocks its normal escape route. I had a VP Shunt fitted and have had 3 revisions since. When it is working I don't have any issues exept for the existence of the AVM. But I will proabably always suffer from recurrent hydrocephalus and have a shunt for life. I know its really hard but try not to worry too much about your mum. Her body has been through a lot and 5 weeks is so very little in terms of recovery from a BI. Its a very slow process. Sleep is the body's best way of repairing itself so being tired all the time or sleeping a lot is entirely normal. Best wishes

Lulu

[Mikey48]

I had my bleed in 2015 and my experience is very similar to Cat's. Mum will get there but it will take time. I wish her (and you) all the best.

[Hostick]

Thank you for all your comments They are re-assuring and helpful as I have just come back from hospital