I had the surgery on the right side. Total removal. Had the best surgeon on the east coast. The only things that I have long term effects are...because of all the doctor had to cut through, my eyesight is not 20-20 but I can live with it, and sinuses were somewhat affected and can deal with that too. Anything I can deal with knowing what pain was with the headaches. My desk drawer at work looked like a pharmacutical company.(before I knew what an avm was) I didnt go for the radiation because of the chance of the avm bleeding. Surgery was my choice and I would recommend it. Depending on location of your avm of course. Good luck and lots of prayers sent
Thanks, Deejaie.
I'm glad your surgery turned out well.
Would you tell me more about your AVM (which lobe, large/small, deep/shallow, eloquent/non-eloquent side)?
I'm trying to get a better feel for which ones cause which problems.
If you would rather, you could reply by private message. I will send a friend request to enable the messaging capability.
Thanks again,
Mike
Thank you for the information.
Would you please tell me more about the characteristics of her AVM (which lobe, large/small, deep/shallow, eloquent/non-eloquent side)? I am trying to better understand which ones can cause which problems. If you would rather, you could reply by private message. I will send you a friend request to enable messaging.
Thanks again. I will pray for Kennedy and your family.
Mike
Hi Mike, yes the surgery turned out well. So grateful and so scared. Although they tried embolizing it at Hershey Medical Center, they werent knowledgeable or equipped enough to handle me. So they sent me to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia to one of the best surgeons. My avm was in the right temporal, very big and very deep. It did affect my memory somewhat. My short term memory is not so good but, tolerable, due to the seizure I had before we found the avm. Doctor said it fried that part of the brain. Sometimes, although I know what I want to say, sometimes it takes awhile for by mouth to make the connection from my brain, lol. My eyesight isnt 20-20 not even close and sinus issues but that has alot to do with everything they had to cut through to get to the avm. But I can deal with the little long term affects, as long as the avm is gone and those excruiciating headaches.
I hope this helps. Keep in touch and if theres anything more I can do to help, let me know.
I'm so sorry it took me so long to get back to you...here is the link http://www.avmsurvivors.org/forum/topics/avm-guide-for-patients-their-families-you-can-help
You can answer both the first question and the second one, which they're now gathering answers for.