A Perth gran who suffered three brain aneurysms and spent six months in hospital has finally returned home.
Sue Varga, a beautician from Perth, was found unconscious on her bathroom floor in October last year by her dog walker.
The 60-year-old was rushed to Perth Royal Infirmary where she was diagnosed with a deadly brain aneurysm before being sent to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for major surgery.
After around a month Sue was transferred to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and later to the Centre for Brain Injury Rehabilitation at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
Six months on, after re-learning how to walk and talk, she has finally been able to return home to continue her recovery.
Sue, a beautician, has no memory of collapsing as she got ready for work on October 13 last year.
She told The Courier: “I’d had my shower and was getting ready for work and I must have collapsed.
“My dog walker had came in and shouted but got no answer. She must have went looking for me and had found me on the bathroom floor.
‘I don’t know how long I’d been lying there’
“I don’t know how long I’d been lying there – it must have been a couple of hours anyway – so she ran over and got my neighbour who then called an ambulance.”
Medics rushed Sue to hospital where it was discovered she’d suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a rare, life threatening stroke where blood fills the space that surrounds the brain.
Sue then went on to suffer from two more brain aneurysms while in hospital and eventually had a shunt fitted to her brain to help drain fluid.
Perth gran dreamed she was healthy as she fought for her life
The mum-of-three said has almost no recollection of her time in hospital, where she dreamed she was living her life as normal.
“For five months I thought I was home and working – it must have been my brain healing,” Sue said.
“I thought everything was great but turns out I wasn’t, I had been in hospital for five months.
“The doctor said a lot of people do dream their normal life and it helps with their recovery.”
The sudden, life threatening condition came as a shock to Sue and her family as she had previously been healthy.
She said: “There were just no warning signs at all – I was totally healthy and always had loads of energy.
“Seemingly it’s caused by high blood pressure which I do have at the moment and they’ve been giving me medication for.
“Smoking is a big contributor as well and I was a smoker, so I’ve not touched a cigarette in five months.”
‘It was 50/50 if I was going to make it’
A fundraiser has been launched for Sue to help support her on the road to recovery, with over £2,000 raised so far.
Sue said she is extremely grateful to everyone that has helped her as she re-learned how to walk and talk.
She said: “The nurses and doctors have been absolutely fabulous, the care has been absolutely phenomenal.
“It was 50/50 if I was going to make it – I think I was on life support at one point and hooked to machines.
“I’ve made a remarkable recovery because I couldn’t walk or talk – the doctors can’t believe it so I hope that gives hope to other people.
“I’ve got two boys and a girl and two grandkids, a little boy and girl.
“Seemingly I didn’t even know my own grandchild so to get to this point is just amazing, because I don’t think anyone thought I could’ve gotten home and look after myself again.
“I’ve got the biggest thanks to my mum who has been up and down non-stop looking after me.”
“Everybody has helped me a great deal, I’ve got a lot of thanks to give out.”
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