My AVM removal was several years ago, and involved the
back of my head, where I am told my sight center is and
where I am told facial expressions are planned and ordered.
My family was told that the operation might interfere with
my sight center, but afterwards we were told that it did
not get close to that. And I had a friend who also
had the operation who lost his whole sight center, and lost his sight for several years. But my facial expressions area
was messed up and my expressions were interfered with for sure. And it was about 5 yrs. before they were back to normal. I remember my oldest friend calling me at the
hospital a few days before I was released and we talked
about our hobby that we share, and he told me later that he
told his wife after he got off the phone that I seemed fine. I was and people knew it as long as they did not have to see my expressions. I looked like a mildly retarded person.
Yes, when I could do exercises involving movement like
hiking, horseback riding, bicycle riding, and even
driving a car... these were all very helpful in improving this problem in time. I remember being tired by people staring at me because of my expressions, and at times laughing at me right in my face, although that did not happen very often. It got so that I began to wear sun glasses when in public, and especially when I was inside with many people, like a restaurant.
Finally on vacation one year we had our photos done and
my expressions looked normal again. It was great, but it was only temporary.
The next year after vacation again(I drove tons of miles while on it) my expressions seemed to again be better and
I held my breath so to speak. Back home again one day I was in the grocery getting some food and I noticed someone staring at me and I said to myself...Oh, No! But then I saw that they were trying to read the message on my shirt which
was a comment related to the sports team that I followed.
And since then my facial expressions seem to be 100% OK
and for years now no stares in restaurants and no sun glasses are needed by me except in the brilliant summer sunshine!
Compared to life or death issues this problem of expressions is not so serious, but when you are trying
to get your life back it can be a detriment.