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Frances
Denoon's - case study
I AM 0.6 IN A MILLION (APPARENTLY) Quote “Junior Minister of Heath February 2001”
Mrs Frances Denoon (now aged 31) recalls of her
recovery from major brain surgery and a brain
stem stroke.
An innocent visit to a Registered Chiropractor in
Bristol in March 1998 led to an incredible series of events
that seemed fictional in nature. It all started as I practiced
my favourite pastime “keep fit” at a local sport centre,
when, ouch, I pulled a nerve or something in my neck. The next
day it seemed to ache and progressively led to a headache and
stopped me from going to work. After a couple of days I
visited my GP who gave me painkillers after diagnosing a
trapped nerve and rest. One late night it became excruciating
and my husband was worried enough to take me to casualty I was
so distressed. The hospital gave me stronger painkillers,
agreed it was nothing serious and I felt better.
A few more uncomfortable days past and I returned
to my GP who gave me stronger painkillers and anti-inflammatories,
also recommending Chiropractor could help. I scanned the
yellow pages for a Registered Chiropractor, found one and made
an appointment. The first visit was uneventful, the second was
catastrophic.
My world went into a dizzy spin as nausea and loss
of speech overtook me after a gut wrenching “crack” as the
Chiropractor used his trained skills, to thrust my neck
vertebrae to cure my headache and trapped nerve.
Clearly for him something was wrong. Not so clearly
for me, I assumed part of the treatment. After vomiting insued
and a GP from the local practice looked at me I was rushed to
Frenchay Hospital.
“you’ll be OK, you’ll be fine” the
Chiropractor voice merging with the Ambulance crews radio and
generally now, vision impaired world, that was to be mine for
the next 6 months.
What happens over the next 24 hours is not from my
memory, but from my husband, family and the three volumes of
medical notes and 100 X-rays that sit neatly in my cupboard at
home now.
This is where the incredible skills of the NHS
clearly come to light as the wheels
were set in motion to see want an earth was up with me.
I led on the trolley as Doctors peered into my eyes with their
lightpens, blood pressure taken…oops vomited
again….needles, blood tests.. by now my vision was poor and
I felt very scared. I couldn’t hardly
speak. Then my husband Richard arrived. At last comforting
hand to hold. I was rushed for an Angiogram as the Doctor’s
could see that I was having a neurological “event”. The
Angiogram indicated that I had a tear in my vertebral
artery caused by the Chiropractor treatment and a clot was
forming. My veins where pumped with anti-clotting drugs and I
was sent of to the ward to let the drugs do their work. I
remember little details, ladies talking in the wards, my
family members, but I couldn’t see only hear. I felt awful
but assured that I would wake up and all would be fine. The
next day more observations & tests. I felt more tired now
and wanted to be left to sleep as I slowly drifted into
unconscious state. Around me a growing anxiety as I
deteriorated during the day. The clot grew and induced a brain stem stroke in my cerebellum. I lost consciousness, went into
a coma, I was in critical condition.
The Consultants and Neurosurgeons discussed, my
family informed in a tearful huddle, and I was whisked away
for Brain Surgery to safe my life.
My brain was swelling around the site of the stroke
and brain fluid was unable to escape which if not corrected,
would kill me. Perhaps rather crude, a drill bore into my
skull above my left ear (burr hole) to relieve fluid. At the
same time, the surgeons opened the back of my skull to remove
dead tissue from the stroke affected area, and, allow my
swollen brain chance to recover.
Was I to survive, clearly I have, did anyone think
I would ?. Well, the Medics were surprised and put my survival
at 50/50. My family where devastated. Why was this happening,
is it common ?. I made it through the 3 hour operation and was
duly connected to a battery of wires and beeping machines,
life support and god knows what. My Mum, Dad and Husband
brought in to see me intensive care.
I was led on my back, eyes closed, tube in my head,
life support tube in my mouth tied tightly, tubes in veins,
wires everywhere, all to keep my alive after such a massive
shock to the body.
I knew nothing of course, but I remember a
reoccurring dream of being on a ship, a ship perhaps with an
unclear destination. The Doctors grimly advised my ashen faced
family that the next 24 hours could be my exit from the world
or not. The ship sailed on…through storms in my
dream…..rolling and rocking. By now news of my health had
spread to wider circle of family and friends, who now were
sharing in my close families shock as they pondered the news.
A relay team of close family sat with me as I steered my dream
ship to destination “recovery.”
I opened my eyes the next day to relief of all. My
husband peered into them hopefully and my left t eye lost
control and involuntarily moved. A bit unnerving and
frightening for him. I’m still dreaming. A quick reassurance
from the Consultant, that it would correct and hearts lifted.
I moved hurrah, and the Doctors slowly weaned me of the life
support. I gradually improved although groggy. It took my
Brother & Brother in Law to
shake me from my ship dream. They made remarks about my car
and I suddenly wanted to be involved. This was my
awakening and I became much more alert. My family hearts
lifted, I was going to recover.
My next operation ( don’t forget I can’t
remember at this time) was a “trachy” (the hole they make
in your wind pipe so you can breathe). I couldn’t swallow,
so saliva was entering my lungs. But I was getting a bit more
with it and attempting to communicate more. Nasal feed tube
kept the calories coming in. Catheter for urine kept the
fluids going out. Not sure about number two’s. A few ward
moves as I improved. It was around this time a few memories
occur and I clearly knew I was in hospital. I knew I had clot.
I knew I had an operation. I didn’t know that a piece of my
brain had been sucked out and I was permanently damaged and
had a stroke. Still
onward and yippee.. I sat out in a chair, my sight was coming
back, I felt I was getting better. Still the dreams of the
ship, Doctors & nurses where my passengers. My emotionally
exhausted family and drained husband Richard ( who had only
lost his mother a few months before ) beamed as I improved
enough to attempt physiotherapy. Gone with the removal of the
grey matter went my right side balance, right hand/leg
coordination. Still couldn’t swallow, couldn’t speak with
the tube in my throat, but good news, my sight was much
better.
Two weeks into the medical drama and the ship dream
passed and reality took hold. I couldn’t walk. Why not?. I
didn’t understand. What’s wrong with my right arm? It
shakes !. Tubes and blood tests. What a drag. Warfarin (blood
thinner) pumped through my veins as the residual clot was
dissolving. My family tried to explain what is going on.
Then…vomit. Oh no what now. I had now a reaction to the
nasal feed tube. Vomit again and again. Doctors became
concerned and my strength was sapped. Oh no.. another
operation looming. A gastric fed tube direct through my skin
into my tummy. That was sore, but it did the trick and I
became stronger again. More physio, tests, injections, blood
letting and hurrah, my swallow reflex returned slowly, trachy
breath tube out and I could sip drinks. Sight was nearly
normal and yippee I could speak. Nothing was going to stop me
now, I worked at everything they gave me, over and over,
encouraged by family and results. Repetitions of exercises
whilst the ward slept. Up arm down arm, squeeze fist over and
over. Must teach my brain to control my hand. Days and days
passed…I stood and took a few steps. Started to eat soft
food, I wanted to leave hospital.
I left hospital in May, 8 weeks after
entering…never angry why me?, only must get better. Want to
be as I was !. Exercises will get me there. The next 6 months
I walked and exercised daily. Today 3 years on, I have a
constant battle on the inside, to keep balance, arm control
,speech and thoughts together, however to the unknowing, a
normal woman on the outside.
The legal case is discussed under Legal - My
Case in this website.
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