Published: Monday, 6th April, 2009 10:20am

I nearly died three times

by Lorraine Tinney

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A MIRACLE mum has survived three brain haemorrhages, several seizures and a stroke.

Christine Quigg, 47, has undergone numerous operations after medics found a massive lesion on her brain.

She was diagnosed with the rare condition a decade ago and feared she would die more times than she wants to remember.

She said 'It has been hard for my family, the number of times I have been in intensive care, and for 48 or 72 hours they don"t know what"s going to happen.

'The skills of the doctors at the Southern General saved my life. I have lost count how many times I should have died. There were at least three occasions when I suffered brain haemorrhages. My consultants called me a "very special miracle".'

Christine who has been left with numbness in her left arm and leg, and epilepsy, which can strike at any moment, counts herself as one of the lucky ones.

She tries to live as normal a life as possible with her husband, Andy, 44, and her seven-year-old daughter, Erin, in Margaret Street, Greenock.

She also spends her time helping to run the Inverclyde epilepsy support group.

Now, after being inspired by the tragic story in Saturday"s Tele of Catherine Miller, who suddenly died of a brain haemorrhage, aged 47, she wants to create a support group. Christine said: 'When I was diagnosed it was difficult to come to terms with the fact I was disabled. I had never been unemployed. I didn"t know about benefits, or disabled rights. There should be a place for people and their carers to put them in touch with services.'

Christine was diagnosed with arteriovenus malformation (AVM) - a potentially fatal neurological disorder - in 1994 and suffered two haemorrhages in 2000 and a third in 2002.

She said: 'I could have been paralysed, or in a vegetative state. I have been through the physical and emotional side, but my family have had to go through things they shouldn"t have to see.'

Three weeks after her daughter was born in 2002, Christine suffered a severe epileptic fit.She said: 'Everyone was looking after my daughter, apart from her mum. It was horrible. Six months after she was born, I had a seizure, a haemorrhage and a partial stroke.'

Walter Baxter, of charity Brain Help, says it is quite rare for anyone to survive a brain haemorrhage, let alone three. He added: 'Thirty per cent don"t reach hospital, another 50 per cent die in the first month and 20 per cent survive.'

•If you want further information on Christine"s support group, call 715481 or 07932 623126.

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