I can’t express in words how thankful I am to have been under the care of UNMC / Dr. Surdell and the neurology team there!
My first embolization was done after my AVM in my brain was discovered back in January, three days after I ended up in ICU. I made great/fast progress with the bleed during the month of February that they gave me to recover. My appointments were made for March near the end of Feb. I was told I was having another embolization on the 4th of March because Surdell wanted to get in a little further before attempting to remove the AVM.
Spent all of February being extremely nervous, and when I picked up my family from the airport last Tuesday I knew the time was coming closer. Finally the days came, on the 4th I had a 4 hour embolization surgery, woke up to the words 'the surgery went very well!" Spent the night in ICU again, most of the staff remembered me since I had this taken care of so fast lol. 5th rolls around and Craniotomy time! I was so scared. Expected the 8-12 hour surgery time I was told to…went under, woke up and again heard the words “surgery went very well!” I spent Thursday sleeping because I was so heavily sedated, and was told later that my Craniotomy only lasted 4 hours! I was amazed! Oh, and he also did an angiogram while I was still under to make sure it was gone.
Surdell came in to check on me often and in his words said to me “the thing is gone, you’re doing great!” I spent 4 nights in icu, and 2 in recovery. I was just released today, and I am very happy and thankful to be home! 
What an encouragement to th rest of us! So glad to hear all is well and the avm is gone, what a relief that must be for you! I will continue to pray you get much rest and continued peace.
Toni,
Wonderful news, we have been thinking and praying for you, and looking forward to your posting. We hope your recovery period is short and as pain free as possible! We loved when we heard Steve’s doc also say “AVM free” it was the best words we had heard in a while! Take it easy and don’t push too hard, you have been through major surgery and need the time to heal.
Blessings!
Marie & Steve
Wow. What an awesome story. Congratulations! Your outcome is encouraging for me and I’m sure for others as well.
Take care.
Congrats and welcome to a very select group. AVM free!! Only we know the long hard path we have traveled to get here, but I am go glad you made it!! Congrats!! Go enjoy the rest of your life now!!
Toni, congratulations on this huge success.
Hey there - you and I went through this at around same time (my crani March 8, also did the deed). Glad to hear you doing well and hope it continues. I suspect you are finding what I am finding – a little progress each day in terms of energy and pain. “AVM-free” is quite a concept.
Thank you for posting this!!! I had a Bleed on Nov 15 and they just found my small AMV on angiogram on Feb 9, and Im meeting with 3rd opion next week regarding crainiotomy. Im terrified of it an just making sure it really is the right thing to do. I’m so scared, but reading that you were home in a week and typing on this site helps me have hope that i dont have to be totally terrified. Thank you! Im going to firend you and look forward to hearing more as you become pain free as well as AVM free. Me too soon I hope!
Wow, that’s great, Toni. Congratulations!
Congratulations! I am so happy for you::))))
Want to add my congratulations!
Take care,
Debbie
WoW So happy for you!
That’s great! Continued wellness on your journey! You will inspire many…xoxo Mare
That is the best news! I wish you a quick and speedy recovery!
I think I’m offically avm free now too! Much longer recovery than I thought, I had surgery on April 2 and just got moved out of icu last night, after one really scary night for my family and a “brain drain”, but thngs are looking up now, I will have a few weeks of phyical therapy here at MGH before heading back to new Orleans I’m not walking myself yet, but should be soon with walker or cane. I hope you are still doing great, you gave me the courage to do this !!!
Hi, many blessing to you for doing so well reading about you have made me very hopeful that I have as much success as you. I look forward to following you in your recovery. Be Blessed
Congratulations, Toni!