A father of six from rural New South Wales was diagnosed by paramedics with food poisoning after he kept vomiting, but it later turned out to be a brain aneurysm.
Robert Miller, 34, from Silverton near Broken Hill, had been suffering from a mild headache all day. At around 11pm on July 17, he was using the toilet when the headache got worse, he collapsed and hit his head.
According to his wife Kerrieann James, he then started ‘vomiting uncontrollably and shaking’. She called emergency services, who suspected it was a ‘stomach virus’ and gave him an anti-sickness injection.
Despite fainting occasionally, he refused to go to the hospital and emergency services were confident he would be allowed to remain at home.
However, the next morning his symptoms did not improve and so a neighbor, who is also an ambulance worker, urged him to go to the hospital.
Doctors at Broken Hill Hospital suspected meningitis but after ‘hours of tests and scans’ he was rushed to intensive care when a brain haemorrhage was discovered.
He was then flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he underwent surgery and spent several weeks recovering.
“My mother, I and four of our children travelled to Adelaide to be with him,” Mrs James said.
Paramedics thought Robert Miller had food poisoning, but it later turned out he had a ruptured brain aneurysm
The family of eight are struggling to cover costs after Mr Miller spent weeks in the Royal Adelaide Hospital and is not expected to return to work for another three months.
They recently returned home, but Mrs James says the family is struggling to care for six school-age children because her husband is unable to work.
“We’re both temporary workers… (rent is) $435 a week… we’re just getting by, I’ve taken some money out of my retirement fund to cover us for a while,” she said. 7 News.
Mr. Miller continues to suffer from memory loss and weakness on the right side of his body.
Doctors think that stress causes a blood vessel to swell, called an aneurysm, and then the blood vessel ruptures.
“I have a pretty big scar on my head and everyone stares. I’ve also lost a lot of weight, I’m down to 100 pounds,” he said.
“I try to go to school to pick up the kids, and you can see all the little kids are scared, so I try to cover my head.”
Mr. Miller is still recovering, but it will be months before he can return to work.
The family has a fundraiser started to ask for financial help.
According to the Mayo Clinic, an aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel that resembles a berry on a stem.
“Most brain aneurysms are not serious, especially if they are small, and most do not rupture,” the medical school explains.
“They usually do not cause any symptoms or health problems. In many cases, brain aneurysms are found during tests for other conditions.
However, a ruptured aneurysm can quickly become life-threatening and requires immediate medical treatment.
‘If a brain aneurysm has not ruptured, treatment may be appropriate in some cases. Treatment of an unruptured brain aneurysm may prevent rupture.’
