I was just like everyone else…until I was 14 until I heard those words for the first time arterial venous malformation of the brain. I did not understand the lifetime of effects this would have on me, but one thing the neurosurgeon said I DID understand…this thing was serious and was not treatable. It was big and located in a place deep inside my brain and to go in and “do” something about it would kill me or leave me paralyzed on the left side for the rest of my life. It was decided to watch it and leave it. I always called my AVM a ticking time bomb because I knew the risks of other complications were high. I hoped for the better and for technology to improve and a cure for me. I was diagnosed by Dr Moe at Children’s Hospital in Denver. I went to school with his kids. I never told any of my friends about my AVM. I just did not want to be different, but I knew from this point on, I was always going to be different. Damn!
Many of us have also called it our ticking bomb as well.
Yup the’Time Bomb’ is what most of us call this bloody thing