The kind of thing I thought will happen to someone else

On January 2008, I had a road traffic accident and thats when I was diagnosed with AVM of the brain. Didn't paid much attention to it at first but the more research that was done, the more reality comes biting me. This is the kind of thing that I thought will happen to someone else but me. I kept worrying about it but nothing was done. My doctors at the hospital I was treated transferred me to another hospital as they said I do not want any treatment and there was nothing they could do for me. Since then, I opened up the idea of having radiosurgery.

October 2010, my first appointment with the doctor who was supposed to treat me using radiosurgery. He was not good at giving people hope and was rather pessimist. Hw was saying that my AVM was large and radiosurgery would help little.Less than 20% success rate. I was downhearted. It took me so much thinking, so much courage and so much time to open the idea of radiosurgery and here is this doctor saying its as good as useless. Well, I need to get back to him if I would like to proceed with the treatment and tomorrow is the deadline. I think I would call him and ask for more time. Advise from my loved ones are just to get it treated even if its only will help 20% of reducing bleeding. Contemplating in my mind. Truth is, I have nothing to lose if I go for the radiosurgery but... the doctor could not even recommend a treatment for me. I'm not sure at this junction what should I do. The treatment I'm going for is called Novalis protocol. Not sure if there is anyone that was treated by that before and my AVM is bigger than 5cm in diameter. To treat or not to treat, that is the question....

Are you a candidate for surgery (craniotomy)? Seek out other opinions it is a must. Different neuro- MD’s have different knowledge and experience. A 20% success rate is reason enough to seek out other opinions. Use our website or go to large University Hospitals specializing in Neurosurgery. My sons neurosurgeon said he was not a candidate for surgery since the AVM was so small. He is chief of neurosurgury at Childrens Hosp. in Philadelphia,went to Jefferson another top notch hospital for gamma knife and they thought he was a candidate for surgery or the gamma, so now we are heading to NYC for a third opinion from another pediatric neurosurgeon. Please know you are worth all the hard work. And if you need help finding someone I will help you. Thinking of you during this difficult time.