My AVM bleed strikes

I have not written about this in ages, but I feel that I should because it might help someone else.
It was more than 15 years ago, and I was 52, and was just back home from work, and all of a sudden I began to feel this severe headache. I seldom had head aches,
but this one really hurt, and I found my bottle of aspirin, and I swallowed one.
Bad choice. Aspirin is good for many people, but not for someone who was close to having a major cerebral bleed. Next thing I know I am going out like a
light, and collapsing to the floor! My last thought was that this was it, and I was dying. I was very nearly right.

My grown daughter came in the house, and found me then, and called an ambulance.
They thought I might have suffered a heart attack, but at the hospital they later
learned that I had suffered an AVM bleed, and they fought to keep me alive until
I could have an operation to remove the AVM. I had never been told that I had an AVM
or anything similar.

I had that operation in a week or two, and it lasted 8 hours. I remember waking up,
and I could not even turn over in the hospital bed. I was in hospitals for two months, and at first they did not think that I would make it. I was not promised that I would
ever see my home, or family again, but my wife came there to see me often.

Then one day they told me that I was going home, but I could not walk unaided,
and I got in the house only with the help of two relatives. My two dogs looked amazed
that I was back.

It required five years to get back totally to my old self, but I am not complaining.
Thank you to the doctors, and nurses! Thank you God!

I have lived over fifteen years so far? I didn’t think I would live fifteen minutes!

If you have this, I hope that you do better even than I did! Take care!

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Your story could be a mirror of mine. I was at Outback eating. I went to the ladies room and I started out the door and a lady was coming in as I was sliding down the wall passing out. I remember hearing her say are you alright. The next thing I knew I was being asked if I wanted an ambulance? I wasn’t feeling bad and I was with some friends who could take me home. My boss who was a vet and her father who was a neurologist in another state, convinced me to go to a neurologist, which after an MRI, I was told I had an AVM. They told me I probably had it from birth. They said it was inoperable because of its position. They gave me the option of gluing, cyber knife radiation or do nothing since I had not had any more incidents. Since doctors I chose to do nothing. About 5 years later I ended up having the radiation in hopes it would shrink the AVM so they could operate. Unfortunately it did not work, so I just enjoy life as much as I can. I do have mini strokes periodically, but I am still here :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :heart_eyes: :star_struck:

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Sometimes things work out better for us
than expected. I hope that they do for you.

Hi John,
Great story !!! thank you for publishing it.
You mentioned that it took you 5 years to get back to your old self. Thanks to the doctors, nurses and GOD.
Can you describe what you did during the 5 years to get back to your old self? Include doctor, nurse and GOD recommendations. Its not like this is done every day. This is new to us every day and no one is able to clearly explain the process, the walk way, the path or means someone else has taken.
Best regards and may GOD bless you,
Martin

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Thank you for your story & this place. . . I know I am the “Lucky One”, but I need support - just reading through these is really helping out.

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Martin,
Yes, the five years were ones of SLOW improvements. I had been told something
about a window of opportunity to improve gradually for one year, but it was longer than that. I remember wife, and many others praying for my survival, and I could sometimes feel the prayers. I got my driver’s license back after 16 months, and that made me feel good! I even got into praying for others who were in terrible condition,
and I did that for four years. It seemed to also help my own improvements.
May your improvements continue until there are no more needed!
God bless you.
John

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I feel the same way. I gain strength when I read the stories.

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