An eight hour micro-surgical resection of my cerebral AVM was successfully accomplished by Dr. Tamargo at Johns Hopkins Hospital on August 28. Additional cerebral angiograms were acquired at the commencement of surgery to more precisely localize the AVM and again following surgery to confirm its successful removal. The AVM was at/near the brain surface. Within the tangle of "bad" blood vessels there were a couple of good ones supplying blood to functioning brain tissue that had to be protected/avoided.
The operating room in the neurosurgery wing of the brand-new Johns Hopkins Zayed Tower is amazingly high-tech. The care by every single person I encountered at Hopkins was extremely compassionate, professional, and clearly 1st class. It is no wonder that Johns Hopkins is rated Number One among United States hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery. I was particularly impressed by my Neurosurgical team and by the staff of the Johns Hopkins Neurocritical Care Unit. I cannot speak highly enough of my surgeon, Dr. Tamargo, who is the world-renowned Director of Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
I am doing extremely well. The evening after my surgery I was able to get up, use the "facilities", and briefly walk out into the hall. I left the Neurocritical Care Unit after 3 days and was released from the hospital after 5 days. All 64 staples were removed from my scalp one week after surgery. Moderate to severe migraine-like pain sometimes makes it difficult to concentrate. I wish I had more ambition and didn't have to nap so frequently. However, I've been able to slow-walk my neighborhood for an hour each afternoon and have spent quite a bit of time on the porch enjoying the beautiful fall weather. I have had no seizure, confusion, motor, or vision problems. I am scheduled to meet with Dr. Tamargo on October 10th to review my progress and receive his clearance to "get on with my life".
I have been very blessed by friends and family, including you friends from AVMSurvivors.com. Those of you from the Mid-Atlantic AVM Survivors Group have been wonderful. Thanks so very much for your kind encouragement and most of all for your prayers.
-Mike