Sally Partington
My problems started in October 2005 when I
developed shingles. I immediately started a course of
strong medication and whilst it helped with the
shingles, I developed a constant dull headache. I was told it
was a side effect of the medication and that it would go once
I had finished the medication. However, time went on and the
headaches continued. Day after day I would wake up with a
dull headache that radiated up the back of my neck and
across the top of my head. It was with me constantly
throughout the day. Sometimes it woke me up at night too.
(Throughout my life I had always been a “headachy” person,
but this pain was much different). My GP tried me on several
combinations of painkillers, none of which really helped.
Early in 2006 I was referred to my local neurologist. I do feel
he was rather dismissive of my headaches and told me they
were tension headaches and that I would need to return to
my GP for pain management advice. I was upset at the
thought of more medication. Luckily, as I was leaving the
consultation, he decided to send me for a CT scan but was
“sure it would show nothing”. How wrong he was! The
radiologist suspected ACM and was duly referred for a MRI
scan and ACM with a herniation of 10mm was confirmed. I
remember feeling, on the one hand, elated that there was
something physically wrong with me, but on the other hand,
terrified - I had never heard of the condition, let alone know
how to pronounce “Chiari”!!!
(Meanwhile, I found out that the shingles had nothing to do
with the ACM - it was a pure co-incidence that the shingles
and headaches occurred at the same time. Like most
sufferers, I was born with ACM and it typically presented as
headaches, as I reached my early 40’s)
Once I began investigating the condition, I became even
more terrified! Some of the websites (especially the
American ones) were very scary. I then found The Ann
Conroy Trust website, which was so informative and much
less frightening. Via The Ann Conroy Trust, I also contacted
Christine, who had been through the op, 3 years before. She
was a fantastic help and support to me and we still keep in
contact with each other, having become good friends.
In August 2006 the neurologist referred me to a
neurosurgeon called Mr Mendoza at Charring Cross Hospital
in London. He discussed the operation at length with me and
patiently answered my long list of questions! I went away and
thought about it and also sought a
2nd opinion, which confirmed what
Mr Mendoza had told me. I agreed to
surgery and was booked to have the
operation on March 22nd 2007. In
the meantime the headaches
continued. I was also experiencing
dizziness and faintness, tingling in
my hands and feet and I was
beginning to drop things. My GP was
fantastic, he treated me with
fortnightly acupuncture sessions,
which did seem to help, and as well I
was taking three different painkillers.
On March 21st 2007, 18 months after my headaches started,
I was admitted to CCH. I had an afternoon of tests in
preparation for the following day. That night I was very tearful
and frightened but knew there was no going back!
I went down to theatre at 10.30am and returned to the High
Dependency Unit at 4.30 in the afternoon. I remember
waking up in the theatre recovery room in excruciating pain
and asking the recovery nurse to put me back to sleep
again!!!! She upped my morphine instead! I was moved to a
4-bed unit the following morning and stayed in hospital 5
days. The pain in my head from the operation was bad but
well controlled by the morphine. I was delighted when Mr
Mendosa said I could go home, but also felt very scared and
vulnerable.
I was discharged home to my parent’s house where I spent
the next 3 weeks recuperating. They were wonderful, as
were all my friends and family. By the fourth week I was able
to manage at home with friends and family popping by to
check on me.
By 2 months post op I was able to return to my busy job in a
GP surgery and by 3 months I could drive again! My hair is
growing back nicely and the scar has faded considerably. I
have to say that I feel like a new woman!! Everybody says
how well I look and actually I feel really well. The headaches
are so much better, I still get an occasional one, but nothing
like the pain I would experience in the past. The dizziness
and light-headedness has gone, although I still have some
tingling in my hands and feet - but it is liveable with!
I am so pleased I made the decision to have the
decompression surgery. It was such a terrifying prospect at
the time but I can honestly say that it was the best decision I
ever made.
Finally a big thank you to all my wonderful friends and family
for their kindness, love and support and of course to Mr
Mendoza for giving me my “new life”.
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