My Story

Walter Baxter My Story

Me and my sister Nan

I would like to use this opportunity

to thank all the staff

@
Hairmyres Hospital. Glasgow Southern Hospital.

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
For all the Attention
Love and Care

given to me.
Thanks for a New Life.

Walter

Today it’s the 29th of July 2002. What a coincidence! Our Launch Date.

Exactly four years to the day since I suffered my brain haemorrhage!

It was Wednesday the 29th of July 1998 time 14:50.

I had just completed our weekly sales meeting. Last weeks figures were good, and it’s the start of a new week, feeling good and having a smoke. I know it’s not good for you! Then all of a sudden a strange feeling came over me. It was like a dream very confusing. I looked at the cigarette; this is good stuff, I thought....

Next thing a pain exploded in my head. Now I never get headache, unless I’ve had too much to drink from the night before!

Anyway, this pain was something else, the worst pain I have ever experienced, unbelievable. It’s getting worse, my head felt like it was going to implode.

I couldn't keep my head up and had to support it with both hands. I knew something was seriously wrong in there.

I staggered from my office to get help and with my head in my hands my workmates realized something was up. I asked how far the hospital was. "A five minute drive" John said. Ok get me there as quick as you can. The pain could not have been worse. I started to feel sick, I genuinely thought I was having a nightmare yes as bad as that.

My staff had phoned the hospital so that when we arrived at the car park a nurse (Ruth) was waiting at the casualty door. She approached the car and opened door, I was sick all over her uniform, not the best of meetings. More nurses arrived and put me on a trolley.

Once inside a doctor asked me what the main problem was. I told him and he then carefully examined me in great detail. They connected me to a number of machines, and carried out various tests.

After about forty five minutes my headache was not getting any better. It felt like a dentist hitting a nerve………. However, you can’t,….. Can't, take your head away. At least I was in the right place and lying down I felt a bit more comfortable. Ruth the casualty ward sister was taking good care of me. Bless Her.

Next thing the doctor appeared with a smile on his face.” Good News” he said, "the standardized tests we performed have come back and everything is okay. He believed I was suffering a sever migraine headache and that the best course of action was to go home go to bed and relax. Take it easy and the headache will gradually recover with the help of Paracetamol."

I could not believe what I was hearing. Here I am lying in a hospital being told all this complete rubbish from a so called professional. After all this time (11 years) updated 17 12 09. I still can’t understand how he came to this conclusion. Anyway, I looked up at him and asked. How long have you been a doctor? Six years I think he said. Well, I’ve had my brain for 48 years and this is not a migraine headache. I would like to talk to your boss.

He shrugged his shoulders and said he would get the consultant to speak with me.

This was turning into a very interesting day, to say the least. After a short time, a very nice woman came to the bed and introduced herself as the consultant.

"What’s the problem," she asks? I told her what her colleague had said and concluded that I could not understand how they wanted to discharge me without even x-raying my head. She looked at me for a few seconds and said she would organize a head scan. Well relief came over me at last something would be done to find out what the problem was. It was a big problem to me. Ruth came over and said I had done the right thing she agreed with me and told me not to worry everything will be okay. I must be getting better I assumed because Ruth, was looking very appealing. Wonder if she would go out for a meal? Mmmm.

Anyway, after a few minutes I was taken up to the CT scanner some machine looks really impressive. I was placed on something like a conveyer belt and was processed through the scanner. It took about ten minutes to complete the necessary process.

Ruth came in with other nurses, and I was put onto a stretcher. As I was taken out of the room I noticed someone talking to Ruth, and she put up her hand up to her head and made a motion. This was not looking good I assumed.

She saw that I had noticed and came over to me and said Walter you have had a brain haemorrhage but don’t worry, my friend had one, and she is okay now. What will happen is that you will be transferred to Glasgow Southern Hospital, and you will get an operation there and be out in about three weeks no problem . You know something; it made me feel better, strange eh!

Ruth she was not lying. I have since met her friend, and she’s sound as a pound and enjoying life.

I was taken back to the casualty ward and the consultant came in to see me not long after. She apologized for the mistaken diagnosis and told me basically the same as Ruth had. They had sent my scans to Glasgow Southern Hospital and were awaiting word from them. She explained that Hairmyrers Hospital was not equipped to deal with a brain injury like the one I had, and that Glasgow Southern was one of the best in the world for treatment of a brain haemorrhage.

A brain haemorrhage wow, it was just starting to sink in. My first wife’s sister Gladys, had died of a brain haemorrhage and she was only 40 years old mmmmm. As had Davie Cooper, the famous Rangers football player hmmm.

Anyway, away she went and next thing the doctor who said I had a migraine headache reappeared. He apologized to me. No problem however you owe me a favor? "Yes" he said, what do you mean? I want the strongest pain killer you have got, and make it a Big One.

I really needed something quickly the pain could not get any worse. He gave me a injection of morphine and two tablets, saying we will be giving you two of these tablets every four hours for the next twenty-one days. I think he said it was to thicken my blood. The pain will gradually ease relax it will get more bearable.

The consultant came back and said that Glasgow had examined my scans, and they would be able to treat me. Seemingly not all brain haemorrhages can be treated.

Round one to me!

I was transferred from East Kilbride to Glasgow by ambulance. Ruth came with me, as we were leaving, I noticed a police car was in front of the ambulance with its lights flashing. Consequently, I asked her if I’ve got nothing to worry about why the police car? She told me it was five o’clock (rush hour) and the traffic was congested. The morphine was not really kicking in, the pain was still really bad. However, Ruth was a great comfort she kept talking and reassuring me that I would be okay and everything was under control.

We arrived at Glasgow Southern no problems with the traffic; it had taken about forty five minutes. On arrival I was taken to ward 63 (one of the neurological wards) and Ruth wished me all the best. She really helped me. Thanks Ruth, all my Love and X X X s you're one of the best.

The nurses graciously helped me undress and put me to bed. They told me a doctor would be coming to see me shortly.

He promptly arrived and introduced himself as Mr. Barlow Chief Consultant. He came right to the point Mr Baxter you have survived a Subarachnoid Haemorrhage.A good job I’ve got a spell checker. Approximately 40% of people die before they get to hospital he said.

Round two to me!

The only way we can help is by operating on your brain, "Major Brain Surgery" to seal the haemorrhage with a Titanium clip. So you have a choice. If you decide not to have the operation to clip the aneurysm you will be dead within two weeks, because the aneurysm which is a weakness in an artery in your brain will burst again, definitely causing death.

So what’s it to be? Right to the point as I said.

I thought about it for about half a second. I have always been a betting man always go for the best odds, unless you’re in a bookmaker. He then said that the operation itself has a ninety-eight percent success rate. Complications if and when they occur normally do so after surgery so we’ll take it step by step.

Okay your odds sound good. Go ahead.

First of all, we get you stabilized. Tomorrow we will do an angiogram to see exactly where the haemorrhage has occurred. Mr Barlow then told me that I would get drugs to thicken up my blood to reduce the chance of a re-bleed. That's the ones I got at Hairmyrers. He then explained what would happen when they did an angiogram. He left nothing out; you may have another stroke, which can leave you paralyzed. Your haemorrhage may burst again, due to a reaction to the dye. However, its part of the parcel! I asked if they could do anything about the pain. He explained the pain would continue for a number of weeks and maybe even months, the surgical operation would not put the pain away. However, he reassured me that the strongest possible drugs would relieve the pain somewhat.

After he left, I looked over at the time 8 o’clock what a day, it’s not every day you have an experience like this.

It got me genuinely thinking about life in general. I didn't believe I was going to die… mmmmm!

However, if I did…. mmmmm

Would I see my Father ...........

My best mate Andy ...................

Gladys…......... Aaaaaaaa she has a smile on her face, she always had. What a lovely thought it put a smile on my face. ^(^

I then remembered that I had bought five lucky dips at lunchtime just my luck, I win the lottery Six Million quid. Can you imagine next day its front page in the Daily Record "Lottery Winner Dies of Brain Haemorrhage" LOL only joking . I did buy the tickets but didn't win, here’s me plugging the Lottery again. Isn’t strange how your brain works.

The nurse appeared with my drugs a delightful injection no joking, it was bliss, the morphine was seeping in a fantastic experience. (Remember the favor I asked for.)Then the tablets two white ones, no problem the drugs were kicking in ohhhhhh I then drifted into a different world oohhhhhhhhh but still the pain was there.

The nurse comes back in and asks me my name, errr Walter, I says. Who is the prime minister she asks, errrr Tony Blair . Okay we’re having a quiz I believed, wonder what the prize is. I’m asking these questions for a reason, she said. We need to know your brain is working okay. My brain has never worked all that well, I thought, another smile on my face.

How’s the pain? It’s always there I said. Do you need a shot of painkiller? Yes please and she gave me some tablets. I noticed that the clock read 12 o’clock midnight. Every four hours this will happen what a thought and relief. I will be back with the painkiller.

As I looked around the ward I saw six beds all occupied, and it looked like every one of the patients were fast asleep. Quite a nice place I believed. The nurse came back in with a colleague checks my drips, which are attached to my arm and asks if I am comfortable. Good she says and then administered another shot of painkiller.

Next thing my son daughter and Dawn (my sons wife) are at the bottom of the bed. They had traveled down from Aberdeen to be at my side. The drugs were now truly in my system. I thought I was dreaming but no the pain was still there. Martin Paula and Dawn, looked worse than I felt. I didn’t realize its 135 miles from Aberdeen to Glasgow, and it’s 2.30 in the morning it’s a long drive. I can’t remember much about what we said to each other, but it was nice to see they cared.

We’ve had a lot of good times together. You see, I worked abroad in Gran Canaria for seven years. I was the Sales manager of a fantastic resort we had some great times over there, a different world, however I’ll tell you about that another time.

Next morning well next time I open my eyes, ohhhhhhhhhhhh the PAIN. I’ve not been dreaming, I’m still in a hospital what time is it? Seven o’clock so the clock on the wall says. Wait a minute what happened to my tablets at 4 o’clock? Strange eh.. I can’t remember anything after seeing …….. Well, I believe I saw them, eh…. Oh Tony Blair’s the Prime Minister. I remembered I did get my tablets at four o’clock.

Next thing Martin’s at my side he tells me they slept in an empty ward, “It was some night,” he said.

I was feeling a bit better and told him so. A change of staff, a lot of new faces were starting their morning shift. There was a buzz about the place. I tried to sit up - no way. My head was holding me down so I just lay there wondering what's next.

Two new nurses came over. Martin left to get some breakfast, and I was washed from head to foot - not a bad experience! I was asked a few more questions, and getting the hang off it now - two white tablets and a jag of the morphine, a life saver it was numbing the pain a bit, a little bit.

After a while Mr Barlow and his team arrived with about a dozen people of different nationalities. He explained to them my problem, I didn’t understand the terminology but I could see there was quite a bit involved. This was certainly going to be a very interesting couple of weeks. He then turned to me and told me that the angiogram machine had a problem, so the surgical operation would not take place tomorrow. They would continue to monitor my condition reassuring me that there was no great hurry to operate. Mmmmmm.

So the day passed by as the night had, the only difference being the amount of people wandering about.

What’s the prime ministers name I was asked? Ooo Tony Blair I’m getting fed up saying that. It is four o’clock must be afternoon, a lot of people going about. I get my tablets and injection feeling not too bad. Then I remember talking to my family, they were saying they were trying to get me shifted up to Aberdeen due to the delay in my surgery. Glasgow wouldn’t allow the transfer to take place. Ultimately they got an emergency repair done to the angiogram machine. What’s going on now, I wonder?

Next a doctor who I saw with Mr Barlow came up and said the machine was fixed and the angiogram would take place at nine o’clock tomorrow morning, and that the operation was scheduled in the afternoon at two o’clock. He also said that the anaesthetist would be up to see me before the surgical process took place. Everything was in hand and he reassured me that they specialize in this type of operation so not to worry. Needless to say his assurance and confidence reassured me. I said my goodbyes to my family and told them to go home and get sorted out. They had been up all night and hanging about a hospital all day. I told them that tomorrow I would be out reach all day so it would be better to go home and come back on Saturday after the operation had finished. They did not want to go but I insisted. Bye bye I’ll be okay.

I was building a tolerance to the morphine they were giving me. More and more of it resulted in a very hazy world I was living in but still the pain.

Next morning I seemed to be more awake. I was taken downstairs to the place where they perform the angiogram. The porter left me in a ward and said that the staff will be here in a few minutes.

I was in the surgical waiting room some place. I noticed a woman directly over from me, she was getting the same operation as was planed for me. She looked happy a smile on her face wow.

A few people passed by all in their surgical gear very impressive. I was then taken into a room with all sorts of machines set around an operating table.

A man came up and said he was the Doctor responsible of the operation and explained that they were going to freeze my groin area and insert a catheter up the femoral artery, an artery that leads from the groin area to the base of the brain, you won’t feel a thing. Which was good news, furthermore that’s exactly what happened no problems.

Right I’m now going to inject a dye which shows up the first artery going into your brain. You might experience stars going before your eyes, you might feel dizzy don’t worry it’s a common experience. Look at this monitor and you will be able to see what’s happening. Wow a black line shot up the screen, a very beautiful thread like shape down to the finest detail amazing! He looked at the screen, perfect it's not on this vessel. He seemed pleased. He repositioned the catheter and went through the same procedure another two times I think, before coming to the last artery going into my brain. I wonder what they will do if it’s not this vessel? Hmmmm I thought.

I watched him inject more dye and looked up at the screen. Wow!!!!! this was different big time!!!!! You could see the black line going up to a crossing and a bulge. No actually it was more like a little balloon, which the top had come off. The top went into a blur a circular blur. The doctor explained that the only thing keeping me alive was a blood clot that my body had produced immediately after the explosion in my head in order to keep me alive.

What an awe-inspiring experience, very humbling to say the least. He then pointed out another anomaly on the screen. Further up the line there was another balloon (sausage shaped) and this time it was not burst, just sitting there. No problem Mr Barlow will clip this one at the same time. This is why we do this procedure. It gives us an exact road map of the flowing blood supply to your brain. During your operation this procedure will be carried out again to make sure that everything is perfect so that you can have a normal life. Moreover, I can tell you that our hospital has got an excellent history in treating your problem. Very reassuring thanks I thought to myself, and I really meant it !

I looked at the time wow eleven o’clock. I was then taken back to ward 63.

The anaesthetist came round and asked me a few questions. Not “who’s the prime minister” for a change ! LoL. It was really getting to me for some reason. He said I was in first class condition for this procedure and everything would go well. It was scheduled for two o’clock and that was the next time he would see me. All the best he said as he left.

Very reassuring once again things were looking up. It must have been dinner time as meals were being served up to the rest of the patients but not for me. No breakfast either oh yes, the operation! I had forgotten about all that.

A nurse appeared and told me she was going to give me a tablet or injection to assist me relax before the operation. Excellent, I thought. The morphine was ok but perhaps this was something different something better, or maybe it was just the morphine who knows.

The next thing I knew I was being taken into the same ward I was in before the angiogram. I looked up at the time, it read two o’clock. Two very nice nurses came over to my bed dressed in surgical apparel. Very attractive both of them, and I had a Smile on my face. My brain will never change I thought. Sex on my mind again and a headache is often used as an excuse! Liars it’s never far away, or so I thought!

I was taken through to the anaesthesia room and placed onto a table. A lot of people were around me and someone asked what I did for a living. I sell holidays. I thought I knew you another voice said my husband and I bought two weeks from your company seven weeks ago. It had better be a good deal, or you’re in trouble!

Well, another smile came over my face.

The anaesthetist appeared. Hi Walter, how are you? Good I said.

Then I thought WOW this might be the last person I will ever talk to.........!!!!!!

Right Walter everything is in place, now think of good times and relax, you’ll be going to sleep by the time I count to five.

One…. two…. three…………………………………………

May be reprinted for personal, not for profit use. contact walter@brainhelp.co.uk

To be continued.

My Story (2)

My Story (3)

Martin's Story My son's experience

Mark's Story

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