Hi Lomil,
I had a very frustrating time with my neurosurgeon back in 2007. A few months after my AVM bleed, I met with psychotherapists at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and the next day, I met with my surgeon to talk about options for treatment for the AVM. He never even looked at me, and since my eight-year-old sister had accompanied my family and me to the appointment, I don’t even know if he knew which of us was his patient. He told my parents I was just fine, and that I could go sky-diving. My mom asked, “Is she ready to go back to school?” and he replied, “Sky-diving.” My mom said, “Does she need more treatment?” and he said again, “Sky-diving.” I was ten years old then, and my parents were beyond shocked by his “approach” to my AVM. Luckily, I had spent time in the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario before they had transferred me, where I had an excellent team battling my AVM. We contacted my former doctor and family doctor who advocated for me to get a new surgeon, and while the surgeon did not end up doing as good a job with my treatment as I had hoped, he performed the Gamma Knife on me within just a few months, whereas my original surgeon merely offered (eventually) to do another MRI.
So my advice, GET A BETTER SURGEON! My surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario is an amazing man, and I wish I could say the same for my current team. This is your health, and you need to have the best team possible treating you!
All the best, Julia