I am a survivor of AVM. I had Gamma Knife radiosurgery. I want to hear other’s experiences with this and why those chose it for a college paper I am writing.
Thanks.
Hi, Matt, as long as you create aliases for the members whose stories you use, it sounds like a good project. Best of luck with it!
Hi Matt and I just welcomed you mentioning that I have had Gamma Knife so I will try to give you some information for your paper. The neurosurgeon tried to embolize my 2nd AVM as he did my 1st one which is inert. Well, the 2nd AVM was too small including the arteries so I was referred to another neurosurgeon who specialized in radiation treatments. The AVM received radiation in July of 2013 and I had another MRI/MRA in March of 2014 which showed that the AVM was obliterated. I was thankful to God for the wonderful news.
I will be glad to help! Please, as dancermom said, do create aliases for the members whose stories you use.
My "decision" to receive Gamma Knife was not so much as a decision as a need.. My family was informed (I was semiconcious) that I was not a candidate for other treatments (such as embolization, AVM removal) and that radiosurgery was my only option available. Furthermore, since I had already had a hemorrhage, I was at higher risk for another hemorrhage, thus treatment was necessay. So basically since I was not a candidate for other treatments and I HAD to have treatment, Gamma Knife it was!
Hope that helps in your paper!
Thank you, guys. This helped a lot. I really appreciate it!