Latest news with #Linzi
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Gym and workouts almost killed me – a hidden danger left me so close to death I said goodbye to my little girl
WHEN Linzi Todd was struck with a throbbing headache, she brushed it off and struggled through - blaming it on the fact she was simply "over-tired". The 40-year-old was oblivious that this was the first sign of a catastrophic ordeal that would leave her fighting to survive. So bleak was her prognosis that Linzi was forced to say her goodbyes to her husband and daughter. 11 Linzi Todd, 40, was a fit and healthy personal trainer before being struck with throbbing headaches Credit: Kennedy News 11 The mum was initially told she had "low pressure" in her brain but scans revealed a deadly brain bleed Credit: Kennedy News 11 She was told she had just a 25 per cent chance of survival and feared she'd never see her daughter again Credit: Kennedy News What she initially assumed was just a headache was, in fact, a bleed and blood clot on her brain - which may have been caused by her years of intense exercise in the gym. The ultra-fit personal trainer, who lives in Northampton, Northamptonshire, was hosting classes at a two-day training camp earlier this year when she first noticed the headache, as well as a ringing in her ear. It was only when the pounding in her head got worse that the mum-of-one took herself to A&E. 'I was teaching outdoor bootcamp fitness classes and went to bed that evening and developed tinnitus, which I'd never had in my life,' she tells Sun Health. 'I woke up the next morning with a really 'I popped a couple of pills, felt unwell, but cracked on. "I rang the doctors and they put it down to "I just thought maybe my body was tired. I'm not the type of person that gets sick. I've always been really fit and healthy. "But the headaches persisted. I would wake up with intense throbbing in my head as soon as I got up every morning. 'It felt like the worst brain freeze ever, and only lying down and taking When Linzi went to A&E in March as she grappled with worsening headaches, she was told she had "low pressure" in her head. PE-teaching mum paralysed while doing squat in gym - as barbell slips and snaps her bac Medics advised her to increase her caffeine and water intake and she was referred for an MRI. But shortly after having the scan in May, Linzi received an urgent call from a neurologist while at work, telling her she needed to come back to hospital immediately. The scans had uncovered the true case of her headaches - a large Based on the size of the bleed, doctors were stunned that the mum was able to form a sentence, let alone carry on with normal life, unaware of the significant damage being done to her brain. 11 The ultra-fit personal trainer initially dismissed her throbbing headaches as fatigue Credit: Kennedy News 11 Doctors were baffled as to how Linzi was able to go about her normal life with a massive brain bleed Credit: Kennedy News 11 Linzi was told her spine was leaking fluid after "years of overdoing it in the gym" Credit: Kennedy News While the clot measured 17mm, the bleed covered more than half of the right side of her brain. Linzi says: 'I got a phone call while I was at work from the neurologist who said, 'Where are you right now?' and told me to get to A&E immediately, and that I had a very serious condition. "He said he could see an acute "He said, 'We don't often see bleeds of this size in women of your age without any head trauma' and that it was a medical emergency. "I was Googling what this condition was and it said there was a 25 per cent survival rate. I thought, 'Am I going to die? Do I need to plan my funeral?' I had to push every single step of the way. It would've had a different ending if I hadn't pushed as much as I did with doctors. I absolutely would've died Linzi "It was so traumatic. I had to say goodbye to my husband and daughter. I didn't know if I was going to see them again or not. "Doctors were baffled by how I was presenting based on my scans and what they found. 'I was at high risk of a stroke and seizure, yet I was passing all of their cognitive and reflex tests. "It's normally found in boxers, rugby players, horse-riders - someone that has had a trauma to the head. "I was walking around with that in my brain and it could've killed me." 'Push to get seen' Linzi was later told that the bleed had been caused by a leak of her cerebrospinal fluid in her spine - a clear fluid that protects the brain and spine. She suspects the leak was caused by years of intense exercise and over-doing it at the gym. The mum, who remains in hospital weeks later, is due to have an epidural blood patch to help seal the leak and help the clot and bleed to naturally disperse. Linzi said doctors said the leak can happen to fit and active people who "overdo it" and put too much pressure on their spine, which is what they believe may have happened to her. 11 Linzi urges others not to be put off exercising, as her condition was so rare Credit: Kennedy News 11 "I never thought a bad bout of headaches would result in this," says the mum Credit: Kennedy News 11 She had to push doctors to take her symptoms seriously Credit: Kennedy News "There's no real way of knowing what exactly has caused this,' she adds. '[Doctors] believe I may have overdone it during exercise and caused a tear in my dura (the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord). "However, I wouldn't have felt this happen and only had symptoms in my head later on. "Because I've been consistently active, it's just consistently worn down and created this leak. It's just unlucky it's happened to me. "I don't want anyone to be put off exercise because it's a very rare thing to happen but it's the only logical reasoning for why this happened. What is a subdural haematoma? A subdural haematoma is a serious condition where blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain. It's usually caused by a head injury. Symptoms of a subdural haematoma can include: A headache that keeps getting worse Feeling and being sick Confusion Personality changes, such as being unusually aggressive or having rapid mood swings Feeling drowsy Loss of consciousness The symptoms can develop soon after a severe head injury or very occasionally a few days or weeks after a more minor head injury. You should always seek emergency medical treatment after a severe head injury. Go to your nearest A&E department or call 999. If you develop the symptoms above any time after a minor head injury, you should also go to your nearest A&E department or call 999 for an ambulance as soon as possible. Source: NHS "I never thought a bad bout of headaches would result in this and nearly three weeks in hospital. "I had to push every single step of the way. "It would've had a different ending if I hadn't pushed as much as I did with doctors. I absolutely would've died. "I just knew there was something wrong. I always tell others to listen to their own body and gut. Push to get seen and get answers. 'You'd rather get a normal result than leave it and it be too late." 11 Linzi is urging people to listen to their body and gut Credit: Kennedy News 11 She's now waiting in hospital to have an epidural blood patch to seal her spine leak Credit: Kennedy News
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Revolting Youth battle of the bands gives teen musicians Spotify chance
Five local teenage bands are competing in a grand final this week for the chance to record their own song and have it released on Spotify. The Revolting Youth competition has seen 14 bands from Bury St Edmunds, Colchester, Great Yarmouth, Cambridge and Haverhill competing through a series of heats to reach the final on Friday, March 28 at the Inspire Theatre at West Suffolk College. Queen Dogs are taking part (Image: Richard Swiveller) The five bands in the final are Fifth Flaw, Lava Pigeon, Sweet Diesel. Sub-Liminal and Queen Dogs. The competition is organised by Queens Road Studio run by West Suffolk College journalism lecturer, Linzi Stivey, and her musician partner, White. Linzi Stivey (Image: Supplied)The Studio, which the couple has run out of their home since 2017, gives young people from aged eight upwards the opportunity to fulfil their creative aspirations in music within a safe and supportive environment. Linzi said: 'Since we started, we've had over 100 young people come through our doors. We have created our beautiful QRS family community with parents and band members alike all focused around creativity, loud music, dancing and (a bit hippie I know) but love.' The Revolting Youth competition has developed over the years. Usually it gives bands a chance to appear on the Revolting Youth stage at Strawberry Fair in Cambridge but with the fair not going ahead this year, the prizes are a little different. Sub-Liminal are one of the competing bands (Image: Supplied)This year the winners will receive 15 band T-shirts from Twisted Screen Print on Moreton Hall, (worth around £150) a free recording session at West Suffolk College's Bunker Studio with Queens Road Studios releasing and distributing the song on their QRS Records label to all online streaming services and a radio interview on Cambridge 105 with David Hammond, aka The Smelly Flowerpot. Lava Pigeon will be taking part (Image: Richard Swiveller) Additionally, The Cambridge Buskers and Street Performers Festival are running a 10-venue indoor festival this year to raise funds for Strawberry Fair and the winning band will head-line at one of the venues. Linzi and White are on the Strawberry Fair committee and the heats and final will also raise money for the fair in a bid to ensure it runs next year. 'Strawberry Fair is the only non-funded free festival in the UK so we're keen to do all we can to keep it going,' said Linzi, who hopes the Revolting Youth stage will be back at the fair next year. Queen Dogs will be in the Revolting Youth contest on Friday (Image: Richard Swiveller) Linzi added: 'We're so passionate about giving our young people the opportunity to explore their music dreams. Schools have cut so much of the creative curriculum but we find being in a band can be a huge boost and a big help for issues such as low confidence and anxiety. To see them all pull together on stage and be so proud and confident is really magical. And the audience has a great time too!' Tickets for the contest are on sale now! (Image: Supplied) For tickets to the final at West Suffolk College on March 28 visit For more about Queens Road Studio visit Linzi said: 'Our doors are open for new bands - we are currently looking for a lead guitarist for 15-17 yr old band and a bass player and guitarist for a 10-12 year old band.' To support Strawberry Fair, you can donate at The fair cannot run without volunteers so you can volunteer at
