Anna - Brain AVM
The Story of Anna
At Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in February of 2006, as a 19 year old being treated for my schizoaffective disorder, it was discovered on an MRI and CT scan that I was born with an
AVM (arterial venous malformation). This was a cluster of abnormal blood vessels in my brain. An angiogram confirmed my diagnosis. I then awaited open brain surgery in my occipital lobe to prevent a possible brain hemorrhage and or associated neurological damage. Before surgery, I underwent CT embolization, where the doctors were able to plug about 50% of the AVM in preparation for surgery. The next day I had brain surgery that lasted for 6 ½ hours.
I have a huge scar in the back of my head now, but it is being covered quickly as my hair grows back. It's amazing how little they shaved my hair. The 26 staples in my head after surgery could hardly be seen. To be honest, the embolization made me feel sicker than the surgery itself. Despite a major headache, I was up and running by the third day after surgery and went home to recover. Another angiogram confirmed the good news that my problem was solved, that the AVM was removed entirely.
It has now been a few months since my surgery and my only concern is with my vision, as I was told the surgery may affect my peripheral vision because of the location of the AVM. I am finally starting to get the feeling back from the scar, which is still a bit sensitive. Though they took great care in hiding my incision, I cut my hair anyway. I am experiencing a new hair style, a new me.
Overall, the surgery was amazingly successful and I would not be any happier having done it anywhere else besides Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with Dr. Martin and his team. I am momentarily tired, but fully functional and feel as though this surgery has answered many of my wonders as it has now inspired me to pursue such careers in this field.
