Meet Trudi – former patient and now volunteer at the hospital

In December 2015, Trudi was at a work party at King’s College Hospital in London when she experienced a large subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Fortunately, Trudi was surrounded by nurses and neurosurgeons, who very quickly got her into the CT scanner in the emergency department next door for a diagnosis.

Shortly after that, Trudi had a fit, and had to be ventilated in the neuro intensive therapy unit. The next day, the aneurysms in her brain that had caused the haemorrhage were coiled (filled with hair-like coils of platinum to block them up) but remained unconscious.

It wasn’t until she’d been transferred to St George’s hospital, and had another procedure to reduce the fluid in her brain, that Trudi began to regain consciousness. In March 2016, she was transferred to the RHN, and began a timetable of intensive rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation

Initially confined to a wheelchair, Trudi had rehabilitation classes every weekday. She made rapid progress, and after a few months was incredibly able to walk independently.

By that point, Trudi was going out regularly with family and friends, including spending weekends at home throughout August and September. On 24 September, she finally walked out of the hospital under her own steam.

Trudi was referred to the community neuro rehabilitation team and to a vocational rehab programme at St George’s hospital – although it’s likely that she will have to retire from work. But Trudi has stayed in contact with the RHN, joining the volunteer programme to stay connected with the hospital.

“The volunteer programme here at the RHN is very well organised, and forms some of the lifeblood of this very special place.” – Trudi

To find out more about life at the RHN, you can read more case studies from our patients and residents here. If you’re interested in the volunteer programme at the RHN, you can find more information and contact details here.