Don't mess with the Police in Scotland!

Jade will explain her own story in her own words and style - not indifferent to that of my own, and some of the circumstances - and definitely the same humour and with the same Positivity throughout.

Jade plans to return to work 8 weeks after surgery, which is an amazing accomplishment. At 6 weeks post op, she is already undergoing rehabilitation at the Police Rehabilitation Centre near to where she lives. From my own experience they are a wonderfully skilled resource provided by the Police. I am sure that she feels lucky to have that facility available to her.

Anyway - this is her amazing story - which I cannot wait for her to finish up to to date, and then keep us informed of her progress.

A great big WELL DONE from me Jade!

My name Jade, I’m a 26 years old Police officer from Scotland I’m addicted to the gym, probably there far too often but it keeps me busy and I love to spend time with my 2 dogs out and about. I am a Chiarian.
I was diagnosed with Chiari 1 Malformation on the 29th of July 2009 and had Decompression surgery a few weeks later on the 18th of August 2009. It took me several years to finally get the correct diagnosis for my symptoms but once I got it things moved really quickly…here’s my story.

I had suffered from headaches for as long as I can remember, the started off pretty irregular and looking back weren’t too bad, I was only 7 when they began. But due to the infrequency of them it wasn’t pursued. Once I hit secondary school my headaches became more frequent, I wasn’t one for visiting my GP and the times I did go were irregular so they didn’t’t really pay much attention to how bad the pain was and it didn’t’t help not Having the same doctor. I was given several diagnosis for my headaches from migraines to hormones…I decided after that I would just grin and bare it as this was me, this was how my life was going to go. I didn’t’t visit my doctor for a while after that.
In 2005, I returned to the doctor as I had been suffering from ‘cold’ like symptoms for several months, I eventually got referred for a CAT scan by an ear, nose and throat specialist…who diagnosed me with sinusitis. As a result I had surgery to clear this up. It became clear soon after this that the surgery had not been a success; my headaches became worse and more frequent.

Being a very stubborn person I continued with daily life as I started to believe that this was ’NORMAL’ for me and I was always going to have this problem.
In 2008, I returned to my doctor again for my headaches as they were still there and getting worse all the time! After a referral and a second CT scan I was told that my sinus were clear and I was referred for allergy tests these showed I was highly allergic to cats and dust mites and this was call apparently causing my problems…..somehow I didn’t’t believe this as my GP seemed to be getting fed up with me turning up with the same complaint all the time and started to suggest that I was stressed and it was all in my head(It really was!)

This was all starting to get to me now I was progressing in my new career, trying to keep as fit and healthy for it and so desperately wanted to feel better and get rid of my headaches, I was constantly tired.
Slowly my headaches became worse, when I sneezed or coughed my head felt like it was going to explode, the pain was up the back of my neck and wrapped itself around the top of my head and around my eyes….I’d never felt pain like it in my life. The became daily occurrences and not merely once a day they would happen all the time and without warning. Other things started to happen too, my eyelids would become heavy and I’d struggle to keep my eyes open it was like I couldn’t control my muscles, I couldn’t’t swallow properly and finally in June 2008 I lost my balance….. I began walking around like I was drunk all the time not the image I wanted to portray while I was at work.

So again I trudge up to the GP and explain my growing list of symptoms to be told you have an inner ear infection it’ll clear up on its own accord, not to worry!! Hello I’m a cop I kind of need to walk in a straight line. Going home deflated as ever as I’m none the wiser as to why this was happening to me and why no one had any answers or cures for me.
Two months later after a girls weekend to Newcastle, I was looking at the photographs and notice that all down my left hand side I was covered in bruises…I’m sure I didn’t’t drink that much and I wasn’t man handled…I realise I still have no balance and its been 2 months since I’d seen the doctor last it had just become ‘NORMAL’.

Another appointment with another GP at the practice….explain my symptoms and finally someone listens to me and believes that I’m not just making it up and its not just ’STRESS’…whys the answer always stress? I was referred me to a neurologist who specialised in tumours, I was freaked out but my GP reassures me that its only to get a fast track appointment…I feel slightly better about that but only slightly!
I got my appointment through to see the neurologist quite fast but I still had to wait till January 2009 to actually see him. On the day of my appointment I have a chat with the neurologist about my symptoms and he went through some tests with me and told me everything seems okay but I was to go for an MRI just to make sure.

Finally on 14th of February 2009 I went for my MRI scan, being told that I would get my results in around 6 weeks…. 6 weeks past and I had heard nothing…I was slowly going out of my mind and my headaches were progressively getting worse and I was having problems focusing on moving objects. I continued working only to keep me distracted from my worries……to keep a bit of ‘normality’ in my life however hard it was…and in all honesty looking back it was horribly hard , I was always taking pain killers that took the edge off the pain and struggled on occasions. I was thankful that my shift at work were fantastic….helped me in so many ways while I was at work, I couldn’t’ have done it without their support.

I joined a new gym…not the brightest idea in the world when I look back on it but this too kept me busy, after work days off whenever I had a free moment….inside I was scared of the unknown but outside I was the image of calm.
Weeks passed and I still hadn’t had a word about my results, I phoned my Neurologist but they are busy people…he was always out, busy or on holiday and I was repeatedly told he’d get back to me; after a few weeks I decided not to hold my breath!!

Finally in June I received a letter in the post referring me to a Neurosurgeon at the end of July, I almost crumbled on the spot, a surgeon….Why? What’s wrong with me? I immediately called my Neurologist who wasn’t in AGAIN, so my next port of call was my GP. I spoke with him and all he could tell me was there was an abnormality in my scan, but as he did not have my scan he could not tell me what, but he did say not to worry…did he really think that I wouldn’t….not a day went by that I didn’t worry!

Eventually the 29th of July came around…it felt like a life times wait! My parents drove me to the Edinburgh Western General Hospitals Neurological department, as I have the directional sense of a dead homing pigeon and I would never have got there!!! Sitting in the waiting room I think I had a million butterflies in my stomach. Finally it was my turn, my surgeon Mano (yes that’s his name and to this day I couldn’t tell you his Last name) asked would you like anyone to come with me…‘No’ I replied as I wasn’t expecting what came next…I went in to his office I sat down where I was again asked if I wanted anyone with me…now I was worried and scared.

Mano proceeded to tell me that I had a rare condition called Chiari Malformation which required Surgery, I was in complete shock, my world had collapsed.. My consultant came through, Dr Statham to discuss the case and when my surgery would be….in the next 2 to 3 weeks I was told!!! Most people in this situation would asked sensible questions the most I came out with were…Will all my hair be removed? How long will I be off work? And when can I go back to the gym? I went back to the waiting room before I saw the pre op nurse…sat next to my parents who asked how it went and what did they think was wrong with me??? I blurted out I need brain surgery!!! Seeing the shock in their faces Mano took my parents away to explain to them what was wrong and what was happening.

The next day I contacted the hospital where I was informed that my operation was scheduled for the 18th of August 2009...it was less than 3 weeks away….Now was freaking out!!!!