Today is the one year anniversary of my AVM. When I think of how far I’ve come, it’s nothing short of amazing.
I started the morning of August 4th as a healthy 44 year old, but I didn’t get very far. It struck like a bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky. A massive brain hemmorage resulting in a stroke, leaving me hemiplegic on the left side of my body a year later.
I don’t remember much of the first month in the hospital, which isn’t a bad thing in hindsight. I had difficulty swallowing, and wound up with food in my lungs. Aspirated lungs meant a peg feeding tube in my stomach, and no liquid through your mouth. That’s something I can’t forget.
I also developed a clot in my left leg, so they put an IVC filter in. I don’t remember having that put in, but I sure do remember having it taken out. They took it out through the jugular vein, so they needed a really, really long hook. Seeing the various hooks hanging on the operating room wall and dried blood on the ceiling is something I can’t forget. The last thing I remember about the procedure is thinking that they must have made a big mistake by not putting me under before entering the operating room.
I spent a month in the first hospital, two weeks of it in ICU. I spent the next fourteen weeks at the Shepherd Center, six as an inpatient, and eight as an outpatient. I met some amazing people there, from dedicated third shift nurses (who changed the sheets that I soiled more times than I can count) to amazing therapists that worked side by side with me through the recovery process.
My one constant through it all was my bride of sixteen years. Holding my hand when I needed it (which was a lot), being my advocate, and putting up with all the nonsense (which was also a lot) that I put her through. Remember “for better or worse, in sickness and health?” Well, she aced that test.
The rest of the time was spent at home, recovering with the help of my beautiful five year old daughter. I’ve spent less and less time in the wheelchair, and my daughter uses it more and more as a “cool seat” to sit in. I’m truly blessed to have her in my life.
I can’t believe that today is the first anniversary of my AVM. Have I come a long way? You bet. Do I still have a long way to go? Yes I do. But here’s to many more.