After the removal of my AVM in 2002, I still
had deficits to hold me back that all lasted about five more years. It might help some of you to talk about how I escaped them. I had suffered an AVM in the rear of my brain that was removed with a craniotomy.
Deficits were 1) Fatigue 2) Short term memory problems
3) Sometimes leaving off a word in conversation
4)Facial expressions that were wrong
For short term memory problems I memorized lists of
items and then tested myself on writing out the lists.
Slowly, but surely, this eased and today I have what
I will call a normal short term memory for a person of my age. Fatigue very slowly improved with time and today I
may go off to bed slightly early each night, but I am
pretty close to others of my age.
The other problems having to do with facial expressions
and leaving off words in conversation were harder, but
this is what I learned to be helpful. After some time
had went by and I was stronger I would go on 1-2 mile walks. Other patients would go on bicycle rides, or on horseback rides for long periods. Even driving a car
for long periods was very helpful for me. I asked my doctor if such things really helped recovering patients, like myself and I was told that it does. My doctor told me that it encourages blood flow from one side of the brain to the other. But I would not do this alone or try it until your doctor tells you that you are able. Before my sixth year after surgery I had no more of this problem.
Besides medical science help and excercises is anything else helpful? I would say that praying to the deity for healing does no harm at all. Others would say that praying to the saints also does no harm. I wish the best for you all.