got nothing... zero!

I got nothing... yes nothing!
So what to do.... ummmm what to do....
I got it... youtube!


Children Exposed To Porn May Expect Sex To Be Enjoyable

Okay I admit it.... that's bad... just bad!

Alright how about one more?


Pink Floyd - Mother

oh why not a last one...

Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky

Okay now I have to find and play my "The Wall" movie.... damn it! I put it away when I thought I was moving....
Hey know anybody who's looking for a house built in 1921... I got one.... $109,000 is all that I am asking... 2 floors... could be a third... walk in attic... designer lived here before me... did a lot painting... it is cool.... the basement is a full basement. I have got the washer and dryer down there.
I use to have tools down there... since my stroke I have given them away... damn it.

Anyway I want to move to Fl. The house is gonna go up in May... wish me luck!



Yep that third one is the Movie... those of you who have not seen it yet... I know there are 2 of you out there... really should watch it!
I don't care if you have to rent it.
Okay I am going to go!
Peace!
R

Jess&Greg an AVM report... no me I feel bad... damn it...

Jess&Greg

I have a what is called an AVM in my brain. I have brain surgery tomorrow.

It is a knot of blood vessels in the back of my brain that it considered to be a birth defect that as I grew into adulthood it keeps getting tighter and tighter so they have to remove it before it pops. It runs in my family. And they only way you know it is there is to have MRI's and CAT-Scans. My father's popped but we are having mine removed early to avoid it popping during labor

I go in at 8am and it should take about 3 hours. Once I am out of recovery I hope to post an update. If I remember I want to post before I go in too

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Our bundle of joy Brendan Caleb is on his way!
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Wish them good luck...

Got One... no me... sorry.

It’s a New Day
I arrived this morning at 6:10 to find Mike with another fever pushing 105, so I think we’re in for another long day.
I beat the doctor by 5 minutes, so I probably got maximum sleep. They cannot figure out what the fever is from yet. They are bringing in the infectious disease doctors today. Obviously it is better to know what we’re dealing with than not, so please pray to that end.
He is still on the cooling blanket that he has been on since they put him back in ICU. I am thinking this is the same thing that was used on our neighbors’ newborn daughter to preserve her life. So, in spite of everything today, I have been thanking God for the technology and thinking of little Amanda next door.
As I was driving into Rochester, I was listening to the Come Weary Saints CD. I wrote about it a couple weeks ago, when we were still at home. I decided that the Sovereign Grace people need to do another one called Come Even Wearier Saints. I thought I was weary a couple weeks ago. I wasn’t. I hope it doesn’t get any wearier than this!
I also called a friend last night and told him that I needed a pastor. He was very pastoral and told me that as hard as this all is, we didn’t make the wrong decision. I needed to hear that last night.
My parents were at a basketball game and ran into someone they casually know. His father had a stroke at age 44, which is exactly how old Mike is. They discovered it was caused by an AVM. He died a couple of years later. He told my parents that he thought it was a good thing Mike had the surgery. This is from a son, which is really why we did this, so that our kids will have a dad for many more years.
Just another way God is good. When I am starting to question what we have done, He sends both spiritual and practical confirmation that all is well, from His perspective. Hopefully by tonight it will be better from ours!

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That's it.... I am at work... I tell you about it later.
Untill then... reach out and give to the person in the above blog a nice hug.

AVM News X2

Back from polyclinic..
Oh, walked there cause my dad left his ez-link card + work pass at his workplace.. It was raining liao. So too bad.. Ok, reached there, take queue number. Register then met the doctor. Lol. She was asking damn lot of question and making comments like "It must been a shock for your father" Lol...and "AVM are rare, so cannot really say". Ok, then went to Treatment room. The nurse said that I don't need anymore dressing. Put plaster oni for the raw wound. Ok, left the polyclinic and went to buy dinner... Then took 293, got this really cute guy behind me.. Lol... Haiz.. Went home and now blogging. Anyway, was thinking I was lucky to get one the best neurosurgeon, Prof Ivan Ng. Lol.. Dr. Kumar damn funny. He went to my bed at the hospital, then the nurse said I had AVM, then he walked away... I rarely see Dr. John Thomaz... but I didn't get him as my doctor
I ♥ Ayumi Hamasaki!5:14 PM
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Keep on praying for Amy, but she’s doing Better….
These two post are out of Amy’s Caringbridge journal…As you can see, she’s doing much better. Continue to pray for her! Thanks for all those who have been praying.
Wendy

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2008 01:14 AM, CST
thank you all for your prayers! the bleeding has stopped and amy is doing alot better now! please continue to keep her in your prayers.
more to come in the morning.

thanks
-Overton Family-

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008 11:58 PM, CST
This is Janet Sue, Amy’s mom. We have had an exhausting 35 hours. Amy’s surgery was not an easy one. There was so much bleeding. They were having a hard time with keeping enough blood in her because she would bleed out really fast.
Let me explain. Amy’s body formed veins called AVM’s that compensated for oxygenating the blood through her heart and body. The AVM’s look like small clusters of running veins. She has tons of them in her chest cavity, lungs and around her heart. This is where the bleeding is coming from. The surgeon closed her up and sent her to ICU, she is still bleeding, she is trying to give Amy’s body time to take over and see what it can do on it’s own. The bleeding could slow down, if not, she would have to reopen Amy’s chest and try again to stop the bleeding.
Around, I don’t even know what time it was, sometime late afternoon, the surgeons reopened Amy and attempted to stop the bleeding. This attempt was successful. Her dad and I saw her a few minutes ago and the bleeding has almost completely stopped. Her face is really puffy. She has warm skin with pink nail beds. No more smurf blue. She is pale but she is pink. We are on our way. We still have along hard road ahead of us.
Please keep praying. Amy loves each one of you. You know her friends and her family are very important to her. She will be very touched by all your kindness and prayers. I will update tomorrow as we know more about how she did through the night. I can’t stay with her tonight and it’s very hard. I trust in God and He is holding her hand.
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May God help....

Got one and some news

Anesthetic management of caesarean section of a pregnant woman with cerebral arteriovenous malformation: a case report.

Introduction; The choice of anesthesic technique for Caesarean section of a pregnant woman with cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is made to maintain a stable cardiovascular system, but due to the rarity of this condition, no definitive guidelines exist.Case presentation We report the case of anesthetic management of Caesarean section of a pregnant woman with cerebral AVM (grade V). After the diagnosis, the radiologists decided to perform angiography and endovascular operation for treatment after the termination of pregnancy.

The patient refused to undergo this procedure and with the beginning of the contractions of uterus, she was admitted to hospital urgently at the 40th week of gestational age and Caesarean section under general anesthesia was performed successfully.

Conclusion: We concluded that in case of emergency, general anesthesia can be used satisfactorily for Caesarean section of a pregnant woman with cerebral AVM. Ensuring optimal maternal and fetal well-being, we are of the opinion that it is also possible to control the arterial blood pressure of patients with general anesthesia.



Author: Demet Coskun, Ahmet Mahli, Zerrin Yilmaz and Pelin Cizmeci
Credits/Source: Cases Journal 2008, 1:327
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My news... nothing too alarming.
But I am tired... very tired. I have had 13 hrs. of sleep and I'm still tired.
I'm going to sleep, right after I eat.....

AVM News as well as TN news

Trigeminal Neuralgia: LivingWithTN

My buddy Ben Munoz and I started a website called LivingWithTN (http://www.livingwithtn.com) to help patients and family members suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) find each other and provide mutual support.

According to Wikipedia, TN is a disorder of the trigeminal nerve that causes episodes of intense pain in the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, and jaw. About 45,000 people in the U.S. and over 900,000 worldwide suffer Trigeminal Neuralgia. TN is an incredibly painful condition. To get an idea of the magnitude of this pain, check out the video below. It's heartbreaking what TeslaGirlIM goes through but also inspirational that she fights through it and even chooses to publicize the condition so that others can better understand Trigeminal Neuralgia.

The idea around patients and family members supporting each other is Ben's. Two years ago, right before our 2nd year at Kellogg began, Ben suffered an aneurysm due to a condition known as AVM. Somehow he got himself to the hospital and survived hours of emergency surgery. Ben is lucky to be alive, and we are lucky that Ben took this experience and built on it. While in recovery, he had a very hard time finding other AVM patients. He felt isolated but decided to do something about it. He used an Internet service called Ning to start a social network called AVM Survivors. The AVM community found it and a year later, the network is thriving with about 450 members. I've been a member of AVM Survivors since day 1 and I'm in awe of the support, positive thoughts and sense of family found at AVM Survivors and I check in often.

Last month, Ben approached me about extending the AVM Surivors concept into Trigeminal Neuralgia because he had heard about and then researched what a difficult condition it is. LivingWithTN is our attempt at extending the goodwill, support and information flow that AVM Survivors has fostered. Hopefully you can check it out, participate, spread the word and please let us know if there is anything we can do to make it better.
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There is also a TN youtube , it is well worth your time.
I am a member of AVM Surivors, it too is well worth my time.
So that's it (I am going to post a few at my other blog)
Have a good day.

Pulse in ears? Could be an AVM.

5 possible Causes of Pulse in Ears

Have you ever had that experience of hearing your own pulse in your ears? Or somehow having that feeling of a beat happening as if your heart was placed inside your ears? Well, that is called Pulsating or Vascular Tinnitus. As most of you may be familiar with, tinnitus is that disorder or symptom of hearing noises in your ears. The noises vary and sometimes can come in a loud or low volume. Most of the common sounds heard would be a ringing in your ears, or a loud clicking sound. The hearing of your own pulse in your ear can also be considered as tinnitus and is given a specific name, Vascular Tinnitus. Now let us come to hear and consider the 5 Possible Causes of Pulse in Ears.

• Cause No. 1. Infection in the middle ear or commonly known as “Chronic Inflammation”. When we speak of inflammation, it has something to do with an irritation as well as a swelling. Thus making the patient uneasy of such feeling. If inflammation happens, there is this increase of blood flow in the inflamed part or section of the body. Since the middle ear is swelling, there is increased blood flow in that specific territory. Thus explains the reason why we come to hear our own pulse. That is because, we can hear our own blood flow in the middle ear.

• Cause No.2. Dysfunction of the Eustachian-tube. Such important part of the ear is the one connecting the middle ear to the upper throat. This tube functions as an airway passage to ventilate the middle ears and stabilize the internal and external air pressure. The dysfunction of such causes the person to hear a pulsating sound since the air or pressure is not evenly distributed.

• Cause No. 3. Middle-ear effusion. If fluid of some kind like water is deposited inside the middle ear, this could lead to infection or Middle-ear effusion. If the fluid accumulates and stays behind the eardrum, vascular tinnitus may occur. If such has happened, you may experience a lower ability to hear, a feeling of pressure in your ear, and sometimes extreme pain. The pulsating sound is somewhat a symptom of Middle-ear effusion. Relief for ringing ears can be done by taking antibiotics or decongestants.

• Cause No. 4. Arteriovenous malformations. This may sound somehow confusing because of all the scientific terms used. Well, to put it in lay man’s term, this simply means that Arteriovenous Malformations or AVMs are abnormal or not usual group of arteries and veins. They somehow occur in the cranial cavity which is very near the auditory nerve. Now, when these AVMs have blood flowing inside them, you can hear a pulsating sound since the AVM is near enough the auditory nerve to be felt and heard.

• Cause No. 5. Venous Hum. Pregnant women or anemic patients often have thyroid problems. Such problems increase the blood flow of the Jugular vein. Such vein travels from the brain back to the heart. So now if there is increased blood flow, you can hear a pulsating or humming sound because the Jugular vein somehow passes near the auditory nerve.

Although all of these are just early symptoms of what is really behind, there are medications or proven treatments for tinnitus or vascular tinnitus for that matter. It is just important to take note and observe on such possible causes.
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That's it kids...
I know it ain't much, but hey what do you expect! (Ha ha ha)
I've had an AVM....
Now buy something..... please.

da da da dum.....my avm

My first AVM...I have a pic of no. 2. but I can't figure out how to get it loaded.

There is nothing going on today.... not even on my other blog.
here if you are interested.
So what to do.... well how about me?
(or at least my story)#2
I was on a working vacation.
I went to lunch with a friend... I think....
I woke up in a hospital... my second.... weird.
I could not talk... I was paralyzed on my right side.

My wife had showed up.... with a couple of her sons... they were not well behaved... they are 30 and 27 in age.

My friend showed up too... he is webmaster here.

He spent quite a lot of time with me.

My friend that I went to lunch with stayed with me too... she was an angel!
I quit smoking... it just was not a concern.

Then came the transport came... Another friend drove his camper down.
(I live in GR Mi.)

I really can't tell you much about the trip, I was out of it.

Next came rehab... it feels like it was yesterday.... It was closer to 2 years ago.
I can remember wheeling around the hospital at night and early in the morning... I don't know what I was looking for... but I don't think I found it....

Rehab is a blur... I just don't remember it much... truth is I don't remember much these days.

I got to go home I think it was 2 months... Then came more rehab.
The only thing I was missing was a bed where I took rehab... This lasted 3 months.
Then I was told go home... you are cured... well as much as your going to get. I could not talk... I was terribly frustrated. I knew what I wanted to say... but something in between the thought and my mouth there was a block of some kind.

Fast forward to now...
I still can't talk as well as I would like... but it is getting better. (slowly)
I can manage stairs! I am a little slow... but I manage them none the less.
I got rehired (part time) by my old job. I am not in the same position... but they have me working a little.

I stared smoking again..... dumb I know.
but I did quit drinking... that is one check it the good coulomb.
I take an antidepressant... but that is it.
Not bad if you ask me.... not to bad at all.

I still can not spell... but I never could.
And that's about it...
so let me give youtube a plug...


ha ha ha!


Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes To Midnight (Music Video 1984)

I can cut-and-paste as well as the next guy.

here buy something....

Got two today....

Told he’d never speak again, singer releases new CD

from...

Singer, songwriter and Somerville resident, Jason Crigler, suffered a brain hemorrhage four years ago and nearly died while performing on stage. Doctors didn’t give him much hope to survive. He did. The doctors told his family he wouldn’t walk again. He learned to walk again. The doctors said he would never speak again. It took him 18 months of intense rehabilitation but he learned how to speak again.

Jason Crigler is a fighter and a survivor and he’s back to what he loves doing the most, playing the guitar, singing and performing.

He’s out with a new CD called “The Music of Jason Crigler,” and there is also a documentary out about Jason’s life and traumatic prognosis and recovery from the hemorrhage. The award-winning film is entitled, “Life. Support. Music.

Crigler suffered from AVM, which stands for Arterio-Venous Malformation on Aug. 4, 2004. AVM is a collection of abnormal blood vessels in the brain, which then burst, like an aneurysm.

“I was playing a gig and after the first couple of songs all of a sudden things got really weird – everything sounded and felt very distant. It got so freaky I had to leave the stage. Thank God my wife Monica was there. I couldn’t hear anything. I finally lay down on the ground and that’s the last thing I remember for a year and a half. It was like a Twilight Zone episode.”

Though Crigler has no recollection of any memory between August 2004 and Christmas 2005, it was a very stressful fifteen months on his family, including his pregnant wife. Wife Monica is from Massachusetts and decided to return home because she needed the help during her pregnancy while taking care of her husband. The medical bills reached more than a million dollars.

Friends, such as singer, Norah Jones helped the Criglers to raise money in paying medical costs.

“I was an in-patient for a year just lying in bed and then spent 10 months of rigorous rehab at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston,” said Crigler. “After suffering from my brain injury, I had to endure other surgeries as complications arose with my mouth, eyes and teeth.”

The rehabilitation is never-ending and though he doesn’t go quite as much as he did before, he still needs rehab every once in a while for his fingers in gripping a guitar. He also finds he gets fatigued a little easier than when he did before. However, he’s very happy to be back and knows how lucky he is.

“I’m blessed to have a great wife, a great daughter in Ellie, who is now 3½-years-old, a great family, great friends, and I love living in Somerville.”

Crigler really does enjoy being back on stage.

“My connection to music feels so much stronger than what it did before. I used to be so self-critical of myself but I get so much more self-satisfaction in performing my music ever since my injury.”

Crigler is performing Atwood’s Tavern in Cambridge at 6 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1, and he plays in New York City on Nov. 19.

The CD “The Music of Jason Crigler” is available at Amazon and at CDBaby.com.

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AVM

What is an Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM)?
Under normal circumstances blood flows from the heart, under high pressure, through arteries which become progressively smaller until it reaches the cells where oxygen is absorbed. The deoxygenated blood then flows back to the heart via progressively larger veins. The pressure in the veins is lower than that in arteries. An AVM is a malformed area of blood vessels where the artery feeds blood directly to the vein without passing through the cells first. This means the pressure in those veins is higher than normal. This leads to wear and tear on the vessels over time until they rupture. Most patients do not know they have an AVM until it ruptures. AVM's can be found throughout the body but are most common in the brain.
AVM's are a congenital defect i.e. people are born with them. They are not generally considered to be hereditary but there are cases where they run in families and there are some rare conditions e.g. Cowden's Syndrome which include AVM's.

Diagnosis
Some AVM's may cause symptoms such as severe headaches, blurred vision, partial paralysis or speech problems, due to pressure affecting the brain around the AVM, but many people have no warning before the AVM ruptures. Upon rupture there is commonly extreme headache, some loss of function, collapse and possibly rapid death. If any symptoms are present URGENT medical attention is required. Diagnosis may be confirmed by CT (Computer-assisted Tomography) scan in the case of a bleed, angiogram in which dye is injected into the blood vessels so they show up on xray (considered to give best results), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or by analysis of a sample of cerebrospinal fluid to detect blood (Lumbar Puncture). The method used will often depend upon the availability of suitable equipment.

Treatments
Options include surgical removal, radiation therapy to shrink the AVM, embolization (filling the AVM with a glue like substance) to cut off the blood flow and prevent rupture or a combination of these. The best option depends on many factors such as size and location, if it has ruptured, severity of symptoms, etc. Choice of treatment must be made in consultation with your specialist.

This is a very basic introduction to AVMs. For further information go to the medical sites in our links page.

Newcastle Aneurysm and Arterio-Venous Malformation Support Group
Australia
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One....

Ischemic And Hemorrhagic Stroke by Jonathon Hardcastle - ArticleCity.com

Hopefully you never had to endure a situation of someone close to you to suffer from transient ischemic attach (TIA), also known as mini stoke, or from a stroke. In any case, you should be familiar with both kinds of stroke as they both destroy brain tissue and can produce similar long-term effects. But there are important differences in what causes them and in the symptoms that tell you which kind of stroke is happening.

Ischemic Stroke:

According to statistics, 80 percent of strokes belong to the ischemic stroke kind. These mini-strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked by plaque-clogged arteries or by blood clots. This means that blood is not circulating properly inside the brain causing brain cells to die if even for a few minutes no oxygen is transmitted to them via the blood.

- Symptoms: Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; difficulty speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; dizziness and a sudden loss of balance; falling in and out of consciousness; chest pain and shortness of breath. These last three symptoms are less-brain-centered and are more commonly experienced by women.

Hemorrhagic Stroke:

These brain hemorrhages happen when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue. There are various causes of these bursts. The most frequent is the rupture of an aneurysm, a weak spot on the wall of an artery that happens to be in your brain-aneurysms can occur elsewhere in the body, too. Experts point out that women are twice as likely as men to have an aneurysm in the brain and are more likely to have multiple aneurysms than men. Two other causes for bleeding in the brain are: hypertension, which can create enough pressure to break an artery wall, and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the brain. This is a snarl of defective blood vessels and capillaries whose thin walls are prone to rupture.

- Symptoms: A sudden violent headache, as if cracking a fault like through the brain’s delicate architecture. The patient may also suffer from blurred vision or nausea.

If you ever suspect you might be having a TIA or stroke or believe you are witnessing someone else having one, make sure 911 (or your local emergency unit) be called immediately. Tell the dispatcher that, if possible, you want to be transported to a hospital with a stroke center. Do not attempt to drive to the emergency room yourself. Stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance are evaluated sooner by an ER physician, get the necessary testing and are admitted to the hospital or intensive-care unit more frequently than those who arrive by taxi or car. Most importantly, bring someone prepared to advocate for you or the patient. Be prepared by being informed and act fast!

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Two for the Day....

first...

Harry

It's sobering when my mom calls me to fill me in on what's going on. I supremely appreciate it compared to walking into work and having people tell me things I should know, but don't.

Kara, Craig and Harry left for Boston yesterday after Kara got off work. They talked to the doctors today and here is what I know after my mom heard it from my aunt who heard it from Kara:

-Harry's heart is still enlarged, but I am assuming it's not as large as it was right after he was born. The cardiologist is optimisic for the surgery and says that his heart is strong enough. There might be some problems after surgery because the amount of blood being pumped through it will be diminished. I have no idea what that will do to him, if anything serious at all.

-The surgery is going to last for at least 14 hours. During which they are going to remove 2/3 of the left hemisphere of his brain and the AVM mass. The bad news is that the mass has rooted on the right, healthy side of his brain and they are going to have to remove the roots as well. If they don't get the roots, it will grow back. They told them to not be surprised if after surgery the right side of his body is paralyzed. It could last six months.

-The AVM is a mass of bloodvessels and arteries and there is one major one I believe on the back of his head they are worried about bleeding out. Despite that, they say the risk of death is 5%. I love how they can whittle everything down to a percent.

-He will have a massive scar from the surgery, which is a given and rather minor. He's a boy and if anything like his brother, dad, uncles, cousins .... the scar will be tuff as hell.

-There is risk for bleeding and swelling after the surgery. In that case, they will insert a shunt to drain the excess fluids, but there is a possibility they will have to go back in to stop the bleeding.

-They say that even with a little over half a brain that he will continue to develop normally. He might be slowed if he is paralyzed for a few months, but like my mom said, he'll walk at two instead of one.

-The doctors speculate that he could be home as early as next weekend. If it was my child, I would not be bringing him home so soon after brain surgery. They would be so far away from the doctors back home, but they say if the stuff that could happen would happen in that span of time.

That is all the info I have right now. The surgery is Monday and I would assume early because it is going to take so long. And God willing, it will take all of 14 hours to do it.
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second...
Dr. Oz...
from...
Dr. Taylor: I had an AVM in July 2005 and I found the show and your book on strokes very informative, insightful, and just great! I have many deficits but health, exercise, and nutrition is very important. I learned allot from the show and your book. First, to mourn who you were before your "event ." I seem to spend time thinking about who that person was and trying to get to that place. Second, that recovery is ongoing and could take many years. I thought I would lose my ability to do math. or to multi-task, or to walk or skip without looking down. I may still lose those abilities but I know there is hope! I was struck by the woman who called in at the end who had an AVM a year and a half ago and was crying. As you know, this event can be very emotional. I cried allot too in the beginning but the crying has lessened. It hasn't gone away. I still get sad, but I'm moving forward now. I hope with time this woman will also. I write Tim Johnson in SD because he had an AVM and is still in the Senate. I've been writing him for almost two years now because I wanted him to have hope from a survivor. It's so important. Many people with disabilities deal with the lack of eye contact and people talking over and around them. Your plea that your not stupid just wounded should be taught at a very early age. As a matter of fact, I got more practical advice from toddlers than anybody! Thank you for bringing these and your many other issues to TV.dr oz
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Here are two.... AVMs

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends!

from...

(It has many photos.... well worth the time)

Greetings to all this evening!

How is everyone? Well, I've had quite a day I thought I would share! I still can't believe what happened myself! So, it all started this morning right after I got to work! My co-worker Kathy had been out last week, just as I had, and wasn't in yet this morning - and our Supervisor Mr. Jay Rios was about to leave for a meeting @ the main office - so I needed to go down the hall and leave the phones @ my desk while I did what I needed to. I was rushing, so I could get back, when I tripped over my own shoes, just for being in a hurry! I fell forward and kept hoping I could catch myself before doing too much damage! No such luck! I'm guessing when I fell forward or from the stumble, my right big toe jammed to the end of my shoe and is now hurting! I ended up bumping into the wall, then falling backwards where I hit my knee and then landed on my behind and then on my back! Luckily, @ this time of the morning, many of my co-workers were going about their morning routines and saw what had happened to me! I know there was a man down the hall that asked if I was ok, and I remember saying, "I don't know"! and moaning in pain (and shock)! The next person I remember seeing was Connie Morgan from the IT department! I know she had a very concerned look on her face and ran to grab a handful of paper towels after telling me I was bleeding! I had a feeling that would be happening! From the impact of the fall, I started bleeding from the wound on my face. For those of you new to my blog - I have an AVM (arterial venous malformation)that I have to constantly be looking after! PLEASE VISIT MY FRIEND SHALON WHITGOBS WEB SITE FOR LOTS OF GREAT MEDICAL INFORMATION ON AVMS! YOU CAN GET TO HER SITE FROM MINE, OR GO TO: http://sites.google.com/site/shalonsavm/Home. I remember my co-worker Roland asking whether I needed help getting up off the floor. People were asking me what they could do to help - I said to no one in particular, that I needed my medical bag that was in my desk area. Immediately, my co-worker Gina McMillan ran to my desk and got my 2 totebags. I got up, took the totebags and told everyone I would be ok - I just needed to get the bleeding under control by putting pressure on the wound site. I met Martha Sanchez from Risk Management that is a sweetheart! She told me not to be concerned @ all about the bloody mess on the floor - she was calling housekeeping or someone to come clean up! I want to make sure you know that the bleeding came from the impact of my fall, but not because I actually hit the area of my face or anything. I knew when I hit the floor that hard, that I would probably have a bleed from the wound area.

My co-worker Ray Rodela was very concerned and kept asking what he could do to help. He's always told me if I ever need him to cover the phones while I need to go down the hall, he is more than willing to help! Another co-worker, Kim Escamilla came to the bathroom to check on me, and make sure I didn't need any help getting the bleeding stopped. Grace Garcia, my co-worker kept asking whether I was dizzy or needed to go home. Even the tall, young man that works down the hall came to the bathroom door to ask if I was ok! Gina took over answering the phones until I could get back to my desk, thanks so much! We have a great team of people @ Court Services Supervised by Mr. Jay Rios!

I just wanted to take this time to thank all of you for being so great in my time of need! I know now that I have nothing to worry about should this have been an actual emergency! I think it was Connie Morgan that asked if I needed her to call 911. She came in to my department later in the day to check on me. Martha Sanchez really made me feel better talking to me about some of the things going on in her life medical wise. Of course I filled out a workmans comp. form for my protection - but I think I'll be fine! Thank you so much everyone on the 3rd floor that came to my rescue - I am very impressed with how everyone came together to help!!! Normally when I have a "bleed" @ work, my friend and co-worker Diana Arredondo helps me redress the area, but she was @ the main office @ a meeting, so I was on my own this morning. I probably could have put something together from my wound care bag to cover the area, but I called my husband Mark to come help! After that darned fall, I really needed some TLC and the best one for that job is my amazing husband! He was over right away and got my wound area redressed! After a couple great hugs, I was good to go! I usually keep an extra t-shirt in the bag which I needed to change into after bleeding all over what I was wearing earlier!

A few years back I fell down @ work while I was working @ the main office, and I still have one of those walking casts (boots) - I'm wearing it now and think I'll wear it a while! At least it will slow me down some! Wish I had a photo to include of my co-workers, but I'll see what I can post for now! Thanks again everyone!

Oh! I happened to have taken Rulon w/me to work today, but already I'm being asked where Saba is! For those of you who don't know - Saba is my Therapy Build a Bear! She is named after one of the techs @ the Swedish Medical Center where I have my procedures for my avm! The real Saba is from Eastern Ethiopia and a doll!

Cyndi Schuman

P.S. The photo I've included, was taken outside the Whole Foods Mart in Englewood, CO! My sister Celia and I had gone for one of my treatments around this time last year and it was snowing!
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----------------------

Day 3 Prayer Focus - My Face

At this point, the right side of my face is still frozen. When I smile, only the left side of my mouth turns up. My right eyebrow and forehead remain still while my left eyebrow arches and the left side of my forehead wrinkles. Again, during the surgery, the choice to partially cut important nerves had to be made to remove the AVM and save my life. The intracranial nerves that control my facial movements, from my forehead to my chin, including my lips, tongue, and soft palate, are damaged to a degree where there is no real response at all, unlike some of the other damaged areas. There has been some tingling and even stinging a few times on the right side of my face, especially during the electrical stimulation therapy (electrodes are put on my face, as well as my throat during swallowing therapy), as well as some sensation returning to my soft palate. Apparently, the right side of my face has less droop than it used to, but that is hard for me to notice. Also, the inside of my right cheek is numb, like after a dentist appointment where novacaine was invovled, so it feels like I have a large chunk of chewing gum lodged there.

The hard thing about having a face messed up is that everyone knows that there is something wrong with me. If it were not for my face, then it would be difficult to tell what had happened to me. Also, the issues with my face and the affected nerves create major problems with my right eye and mouth, which greatly impairs my sight and my speech (see Days 4 and 5). Please pray that the right side of my face would wake up again.

Day 2 Prayer for SWALLOWING Follow-up:
Today during swallowing therapy, I gagged multiple times in response to the cold lemon swab rubbing the back of my throat, more times than I usually do (though there was still no response on the majority of right side rubs, while the left side almost always automatically gags). This is progress because it shows increased sensation in my throat with a corresponding reflex, both very important for swallowing. My next swallowing test will likely be next week on October 21 (6 months exactly since my AVM rupture), so please pray for more signs of progress!

Day 1 Prayer for WALKING Follow-up to the Follow-up:
Today in physical therapy, I walked the length of the breezeway 4 times (totaling over 100 yards)! Again, I had a good deal of assistance, with Jay in the front and a therapist in the back to steady me when I needed it and to give me verbal cues, but nonetheless, it was great progress. (see the picture on Caringbridge) This is also a great indicator of the strength and endurance I have gained since I have been here. Praise God!

Love,
Katherine, Jay, and James

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

from...
---------------------------------------



---------------
...and that's it...
It seems unreal the feed-back that some people get. Good for you, I say.
Today I go to work. We'll see how I do.
Wish me well!
No youtube today... I got things do due!
(Ha ha ha)
Peace,
R

Of all the cool things in his family's new home, Jimmy Trier likes the elevator best.

Of all the cool things in his family's new home, Jimmy Trier likes the elevator best.

When Jimmy, 14, wants to go upstairs to his room, he opens a wooden door, pulls back a gate and moves his wheelchair in.

His parents, John and Barb, built their two-story brick house on the top of a hill in Adel on the farm that Barb's family homesteaded in 1846. They moved in at the end of May.

"We built the house because of our son," John said. "He was injured five years ago with what was called an AVM bleed and almost died. We lived South of Grand and it just didn't work, so we sold that house. We kind of carved a little spot on the hill and took about a year and a half to get the whole thing done."

An AVM is an abnormal collection of blood vessels.

The Triers found the plan for the house on the Internet.

"It's kind of a recycled plan from a Texas architectural firm," John Trier said. "Arts and Crafts/Prairie style, I guess. It had everything we wanted. It had the high-up windows for the view. It had a back stairway, so we were able to take that out and use it for an elevator."

Trier, a carpenter who specializes in finish work, did the woodwork throughout the house. He chose quarter-sawn white oak for the trim because the family wanted a heavy, old look. Antiques - including an assortment of microscopes and navigation instruments - line the tops of old dentist cabinets and card catalogs.

Heavy furnishings - some with simple lines, others with ornate carvings - are balanced by the open floor plan, abundance of windows and yellow textured walls.

The Finished Edge in Des Moines put a veneer plaster texture over the drywall and a sand finish on the ceilings.

"I kind of joke that I know from my business that nobody comments about the woodwork," Trier said. "They all say, 'The walls, look at the walls, look at the ceiling.' And I say, 'What about the stairway?' "

John designed the Arts and Crafts stairway to the second floor. He said growing up in a house in Johnston designed by Frank Lloyd Wright - built in 1957 at the end of Wright's career - influenced much of what he prefers in woodwork.

Although the Triers like turn-of-the-century design and antiques, they say that a wider range of aesthetics drives their home decor.

"The pedestal of the dining room table is probably why we bought it, because we appreciated the artistry that went into it," Barb Trier said.

John Trier also was drawn to the carving on the back of the dining room chairs. And he said that instead of picking a Prairie-style fireplace mantel, the couple picked out a more ornate one just because it was more interesting.

"I don't think we'll win any decorating awards," he said.

"You can take a theme to extreme," Barb Trier said.

"We like the word eclectic," John Trier said.

One of their favorite things to collect is antique lighting - especially old post office or other governmental fixtures.

Trier said that he likes to make fun of the light fixture over their dining room table.

"You'll notice that one shade is different. For those who know lighting, the five that do match are really great shades," he said. "We've looked; we just can't find it. We had to stick another shade on there."

But they hold out hope that someday the shade might show up, Barb Trier said.

"It would be like winning the lottery."

Homestyle is a publication of The Des Moines Register.

from...

Continuing AVM Education

Continuing AVM Education
Below is an explanation of what Arteriovenous Malformations are by Dr. Ed Zimney. This blog can be found on Dr. Z's Medical Report at http://blog.healthtalk.com/zimney/

I appreciate very much Dr. Z's explanation of what AVM's are. He provides a very concise explanation. I have tried to post the weblink for the actual page in which he posted his explanation on AVMs (see http://blog.healthtalk.com/zimney/arteriovenous-malformations-tangle-of-blood-vessels/ however, the link would not work once I posted it with my favorite links. I have provided Dr. Z's main blog url though.
Kimberly

The Tangle of Arteriovenous Malformation as written by Dr. Ed Zimney 12/2006 at: http://blog.healthtalk.com/zimney/arteriovenous-malformations-tangle-of-blood-vessels/

"An AVM is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that develops before birth. They can be located anywhere in the body, but those in the brain or spinal cord are more likely to cause symptoms. It is believed that about 300,000 people in the U.S. have an AVM, while only about 36,000 (12 percent) have any symptoms and very few of these people have symptoms severe enough to be life-threatening. About 300 people (one percent) of those with AVMs die each year as a direct result of the condition.
Under normal circumstances, arteries, which carry oxygen rich blood away from the heart become progressively smaller and smaller until they become capillaries, the smallest blood vessels. Capillaries allow the oxygen from the arterial blood to enter tissues and cells where it is required for life. As the cells use up the oxygen, the deoxygenated blood begins to collect in the smallest veins. The veins grow in size until they eventually return all the blood to the heart and back to the lungs for reoxygenation. In an AVM, however, capillaries are bypassed and the small arteries are connected directly to the small veins. In addition, there are many of these abnormal connections giving an AVM the appearance of a tangled up knot of vessels. These tangled knots can vary in size from very small to very large.
Whether an AVM causes symptoms depends in part on its location and in part on whether the vessels leak blood or actually rupture. As noted above, arteries normally decrease in size gradually, which allows the blood pressure also to drop as the capillaries are approached. But in an AVM, the arteries connect right to the veins and expose the veins to a much higher blood pressure than normal. Veins are normally thin-walled because they do not need to withstand higher blood pressure and therefore they are not always able to handle the pressure. This can result in minor leaking of blood, without symptoms, all the way to a rupture with resulting hemorrhage.
If an AVM is small or located away from important structures, it may never cause symptoms unless it bleeds. But if an AVM is located close to important tissue it can press on the tissue and cause symptoms even without bleeding. Oftentimes, AVMs are located in the brain or spinal cord. The brain and spinal cord are tightly enclosed within bone and any abnormal growth can press on these tissues causing neurologic symptoms. Or they may just sit there, for example if they are flat and near the surface, and be unnoticed unless they begin to bleed. Bleeding inside the brain can cause major damage called a hemorrhagic stroke. This may require emergency surgery to remove the blood and to stop the bleeding.
If an AVM becomes symptomatic or if it bleeds, it may need to be treated. There are basically three approaches to treating an AVM and they depend on size, location and whether some of the vessels are actually supplying some tissue with oxygenated blood. One type of procedure is to insert a catheter through an artery and extend it to the AVM at which point some material is injected into the AVM with the hope of clogging it up so no more blood passes through it. This doesn’t always completely work and in some cases cannot be done because too much blood flow might be obstructed. Another approach is through surgery where an attempt is made to tie off parts of the AVM and to remove other parts of it. Because of the tangled nature of the AVM, this type of surgery can be very difficult or dangerous, especially if the AVM is in the brain.
The last technique is to use a highly focused radiation beam to damage the vessels in such a way that over time they simply shrink up and close off. This technique uses the gamma knife technology, which uses radiation as a surgical tool, with no actual cutting through the skin. Further developments in the field of treatment for AVMs will likely come from improved imaging techniques (e.g., MRI) combined with precisely delivered radiation."

Cerebrovascular Disease Every Year Could Fill the Rose Bowl 10 Times Over

from...
All the People Affected by Cerebrovascular Disease Every Year Could Fill the Rose Bowl 10 Times Over

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - The number of people affected by cerebrovascular disease every year could fill one of the nation’s largest sports stadiums, the Rose Bowl, 10 times over, with many celebrity ticket holders. This disease is widespread and when celebrities are affected, this brings greater public awareness to this crucial health issue. In an effort to further raise this awareness, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is focusing on cerebrovascular disease during Neurosurgery Outreach Month, a health awareness month observed annually in August. Neurosurgeons treat cerebrovascular disease through microsurgery, stereotactic surgery, and endovascular techniques.

Stroke is an abrupt interruption of constant blood flow to the brain that causes loss of neurological function. The interruption of blood flow can be caused by a blockage, leading to the more common ischemic stroke, or by bleeding in the brain, leading to the more deadly hemorrhagic stroke. More information is available at: http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/stroke1.asp.

A cerebral aneurysm is an area where a blood vessel in the brain weakens, resulting in a bulging or ballooning out of part of the vessel wall. Usually, aneurysms develop at the point where a blood vessel branches, because the “fork” is structurally more vulnerable. More information is available at http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/cerebral.asp.

An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels (arteries and veins), with a higher rate of bleeding than normal vessels. AVMs can irritate the surrounding brain and cause seizures or headaches. The most common and serious side effect of an AVM is a brain hemorrhage. More information is available at http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/ArteriovenousMalformations_AVMs.asp.

Celebrities affected by Cerebrovascular Disease in the Last Decade

Actor Robert Guillaume, stroke (1999)
Actress Sharon Stone, cerebral aneurysm (2001)
Game show host Bob Barker, stroke (2002)
Entertainer Dick Clark, stroke (2004)
Rocker Neil Young, cerebral aneurysm (2005)
New England Patriots player Teddy Bruschi, stroke (2005)
Senator Tim Johnston, arteriovenous malformation (2006)

Cerebrovascular Disease Statistics

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Preliminary estimates indicate that 143,497 people in the United States died from cerebrovascular disease in 2005, a decrease of nearly 7 percent from 2004.

Of the more than 700,000 people affected every year, about 500,000 of these are first attacks, and 200,000 are recurrent.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) affects approximately 30,000 Americans every year, with 90 percent of all cases caused by cerebral aneurysms that have ruptured, the latter of which is referred to as aneurysmal SAH.
AVMs affect an estimated 300,000 Americans.

While there aren’t measures one can follow to help prevent cerebral aneurysms, AVMs, and other rarer cerebrovascular conditions, the good news is that there are ways to help prevent stroke.

Stroke Prevention Tips

There are some stroke risk factors such as age, gender, heredity/race and a history of heart disease/stroke that are uncontrollable. However, there are controllable or treatable risk factors which may help prevent a stroke:

If you are a smoker, stop smoking
Maintain a healthy weight
Maintain normal blood pressure and if it is high, seek treatment
Maintain normal blood cholesterol levels through a healthy diet and/or medication if necessary
If you have diabetes, control your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
If you have a family history of aneurysm or stroke, screening may be advisable
If you are diagnosed with carotid arteriosclerosis, seek treatment
If you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, seek treatment
If you have a history of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), seek prompt diagnosis and treatment
Get 30 minutes of moderate exercise, five days a week. Check with your doctor first before starting any exercise program if you have any health problems or have been inactive.

Sixty in-depth neurosurgical topics as well as a variety of downloadable fact sheets are available on the public Web site of the AANS, www.NeurosurgeryToday.org.

www.HealthNewsDigest.com

I knew my brain was imploding... an AVM story

'I knew my brain was imploding... but I've never been more excited'

As a brain scientist, Dr JILL BOLTE TAYLOR had dedicated her life to understanding the human mind. So, when she suffered a stroke aged 37, she was in the rare position of being able to observe - and understand - what could be occurring to her brain at the time. Here, Jill gives an incredible insight into what happens when you have a stroke...

On December 10, 1996, I awoke to the familiar tick tick of my CD player as it began winding up to play. Sleepily, I hit the snooze button. It was 7am.

Six minutes later, I sluggishly awoke to a sharp pain piercing my brain directly behind my left eye.

As I bumbled to the bathroom, I felt peculiar, as though I was observing myself in slow motion. My movements were no longer fluid; they were deliberate and jerky.

Then, as I turned on the tap, I realised my hearing wasn't right. I was also having problems with my balance and co-ordination.

Jill Bolte Taylor, as a brain scientist, found the experience of a stroke exciting, despite the potentially fatal consequences

Only at that point did I, a neuroanatomist who had spent nearly 20 years studying and researching the brain, realise something was afoot.

Co-ordination, balance and breathing are processed through the part of the brainstem called the pons and, for the first time, I realised I was having a neurological malfunction - a life-threatening one.

What was going on? I wondered. Have I experienced anything similar before? This feels like a migraine.

A tingling sensation surged through my chest and forcefully radiated into my throat. I became aware I was in danger.

As I stepped out of the shower, my right arm dropped completely paralysed against my side. In that moment I knew.

'Oh my gosh, I'm having a stroke!'

Self-diagnosis

Bizarrely, I was rather elated when I realised what was happening in my brain. I kept thinking: 'How many scientists get to study their own brain function and mental deterioration from the inside out?'

When my arm became paralysed it felt as if something inside it had exploded. When it dropped dead against my body, it clubbed my torso. I felt as if my arm had been guillotined off.

But while most would panic, I understood that my motor cortex - which controls the ability to move - had been affected. A few minutes later, the limb began to throb. I wondered if I would ever be normal.

I caught sight of my bed and thought: 'I just want to rest.' But resounding like thunder from deep within me, a commanding voice retorted: 'If you lie down now, you will never get up!'

I didn't know what type of stroke I was experiencing, but later I was to discover it was the congenital disorder arteriovenous malformation, or AVM, which was spilling blood over the left hemisphere of my brain.

Normally, the heart pumps blood through the arteries with high pressure, while blood is retrieved through the veins, which are low pressure. A capillary bed acts as a buffering system between the two.

But with AVM, an artery is connected to a vein with no buffering capillary bed in between. Over time, the vein can no longer handle the pressure and the connection between the artery and vein breaks, spilling blood into the brain. Although AVM accounts for only 2 per cent of haemorrhagic strokes, it is the most common form that strikes people during their prime.

Calling for help

I knew I had to get to hospital. But I felt disjoined from the linguistic and numerical skills controlled by the left side of the brain. That's why I didn't call the emergency services. The haemorrhage was positioned over the portion of my brain which understood what a number was.

However, in a moment of clarity, I knew one of my work colleagues would get help - if only I could remember the number. Eventually the first half, then the second half of the number appeared in my mind and I jotted it down. I was copying an image of the number in my mind, rather than actually remembering it. The process took 45 minutes.

I dialled the number by matching my squiggles on the paper to the squiggles on the phone pad. To my great fortune, my good friend, Dr Stephen Vincent, was at his desk.

I blurted out: 'This is Jill, I need help.' It sounded more akin to grunts and groans, but Steve recognised my voice and realised I was in trouble.

I couldn't understand what he was saying, but I could glean he would come to my aid.

When Steve appeared in the doorway (less than an hour later), no words were exchanged. He escorted me gently to his car and drove to the hospital.

I was taken to have a CT scan of my brain and was conscious enough to find some satisfaction in learning my self-diagnosis had been correct. I was having a rare form of stroke.

Steve called my mother to tell her what had happened.

That afternoon, the doctors came to visit. I was introduced to a neurosurgeon called Dr Ogilvy. He suggested my brain was opened up to remove the remnants of the AVM and a clot the size of a golf ball. He said if the AVM was not removed, it was likely I'd haemorrhage again.

When I realised they planned to cut open my head, I was aghast. Any self-respecting brain scientist would never allow anyone to do this - we know how delicate the brain is. I shook my head to make this clear. However, my mother persuaded me to have the surgery because it was my only chance.

Five days later I returned home, where I had less than two weeks to prepare for the operation. My mother was my carer. I would sleep for six hours, then wake for 20 minutes before sleeping again.

Rehabilitation

Mother learned not to ask me 'Yes/No' questions - these didn't challenge my brain enough - so she used multiple choice.

She'd say: 'For lunch, you can have minestrone soup', and I would search my brain to figure out what minestrone soup was. Once I understood that, she would proceed with another choice: 'Or you can have tuna salad.'

On December 27, I returned to hospital. I awoke from surgery to discover the left side of my head had been shaved and a nine-inch scar was covered with a gauze.

The moment my mother arrived, she blurted: 'Say something.' Since the clot they'd removed abutted the part of my brain responsible for language, her greatest fear was that I'd lose my ability to speak.

I spoke and we both cried. The surgery had been a success. I think of the brain as a playground filled with children. If you remove the sandpit, these children will start doing whatever else is available to be done.

This is true for neurons in the brain. If you wipe out a neuron's genetically programmed function, those cells will die from lack of stimulation or they'll find something new to do.

For example, if you put a patch over one eye, those cells in the visual cortex will reach out to other cells to see if they can help towards a new function - say hearing or speaking.

It was vital that I re-stimulated broken connections in my brain before they died or forgot their purpose.

I focused my rehabilitation on an art project - I created an anatomically correct stained-glass brain. It took eight months, but it was beautiful.

My recovery was steady after that. After three years, I could play solitaire again.
After four years of walking three miles a day, several times a week, I could walk smoothly.

During the fourth year, I could multi-task again.

By the seventh year, my need for sleep had cut back from 11 hours to nine-and-a-half.

I now live the perfect life. I still work for the Harvard Brain Bank, I love skiing, walking and play the guitar. But, once in a while, I can't help but ponder the irony of my experience - a brain scientist having a stroke.

Extracted from My Stroke Of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor (Hodder, £12.99); Jill Bolte Taylor 2008.

To order a copy (P&P free) call 0845 606 4206.

Dearest Family and Friends , (AVM Story)

Dearest Family and Friends ,

Well I have magnificent news!!!

As you know, we have been waiting for

the results of the latest CTA scans on

Tuesday to discover whether Becca's

hemorrhagic stroke was the result of

a aneurysm or a AVM and what

sort of treatment she would need to

correct the damage or malformation.

Well Dr Tan called Becca today and

informed her that the scans came back

clear and normal! He said that no

surgery or radiation or any further

treatment would be needed!!! Becca

was in shock so after she spoke to

him we had Joel call him back to clarify

and he said that whatever it

was is gone and that whether it was an

aneurysm or a AVM it "must have

resolved itself". As you can imagine,

we are ecstatic and full of deep

gratefulness to God for His kindness

and merciful love.

He is good and though we may not

always understand His ways and the

things He allows us to go through,

we can be confident that He holds

us all at the very center of His heart

and walks with us through each and

every storm. We have experienced His

love and provision through so many of

you and I want to thank you all for

being His hands and feet, His arms of

love and strength, His words of comfort

and hope for all of us.

-Pricilla [Becca's mom] and family
from...

Letter: Ricky Arsenault updates supporters on surgery (July 17, 2008)

Letter: Ricky Arsenault updates supporters on surgery (July 17, 2008)

from...

Editor:
It has been an amazing journey since I announced that I was planning on having needed surgery on my birthmark. And the journey has just begun! On behalf of the Arsenault family, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the many individuals and organizations throughout our community that have rallied around us as we strive to prepare for my pending surgery. The compassion and service rendered to us in our time of need has truly been overwhelming! Not only have the fundraising efforts exceeded our estimated out-of-pocket expenses of $20,000 to 30,000, but the support from friends and strangers has been awe-inspiring. The fund that was started at TD Banknorth has received large monetary donations, but even more impressive to me has been the opportunity to be a witness of giving in the similitude of the “widow’s mite” as recorded in the New Testament. It is truly a very humbling experience to be the recipient of so much selfless giving of not only money, but of an often more precious commodity; time. As the process moves forward this summer, the adequacy of these funds will be determined as we are able to find out what will not be covered by our insurance. Nevertheless, I have been assured that the Lord would provide in His own way. I have seen, and felt, the hand of my Lord working through many Christ-like individuals.
I have stated that one of the greatest blessings that have flowed unto me throughout this past year has been the surfacing of past friends and the transformation of strangers into friends. When the first article hit the papers, my phone starting ringing with offers of support and help from many. The first call came from a woman that I had not previously known. She jumped into action and rallied others to help in my cause. The next call came from one of my old (not that we’re old by any means) high school classmates and football team members. To my recollection, his message went something like this: …don’t worry about the cost…whether its $20,000 or $30,000…it’ll be covered…I’ve been talking to…go ahead and schedule your surgery…we love you. Not exactly the kind of message one would expect from someone from the old football squad. But a portion of the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in his heart and in the hearts of many that I have had the pleasure of interacting with recently! If I were able to make just one request of all of you reading this, it would be this: Please don’t sink back into the woodwork! One of the ironies of life that I have come to loath is this scenario: Meeting an old friend or acquaintance and having a 20 to 30 second conversation. Either they or I say something like: “Hey how ya doin’… What’s new?” The other says “Not much, how about you?” “Na, same old thing.” We haven’t seen each other in years and nothing’s new? We speak for a few seconds and part ways, perhaps I with their phone number or them with mine with the real intent to get together someday, but no follow-up is made. I probably wouldn’t loath this situation so much if I were not just as guilty as most of you reading this are. In the past, I’ve even gone so far as to look at their phone number and have said to myself: “Self, I’d love to get together with ______ , but I’m too busy, maybe later. Unfortunately, later usually never comes. Next thing I know, another several years passes by before I talk with them for another 20 seconds or so, or even worse, the Lord calls them home and they pass away and I find myself attending their funeral (or worse yet, I’m even too busy to attend). My point in this particular paragraph is to illustrate one of the greatest blessings that the Lord has bestowed unto my soul. Friends are a very precious commodity. Don’t take them lightly! I hope to be able to strive with all my heart to treasure more fully than ever before the friendships that I have acquired here upon this earth and I have set a personal goal to nurture them with much greater care than I have in the past! So, my request is this: Please call me so we can get together and find out what’s new. I’ve heard a wise man state: “Everyone has a story.” I’d really like to hear yours!
Now after that commercial, I’ll get back to my upcoming surgery. After approximately a year of research, the two surgical groups that have surfaced which have the greatest potential of success in the realm of arterial venous malformations (AVMs) are right in our own backyard. My family has recently met again with Dr. John B. Mulliken of the Vascular Anomalies Program in Boston and Dr. Milton Waner of the Vascular and Birthmark Institute of New York. A year of research, pondering, and prayer to determine which of these extremely competent surgical groups would best serve my particular needs have finally come to a close. The exact procedures and inherent philosophies of the two groups differed somewhat, therefore I diligently sought the guidance of my Lord to have the wisdom to choose His will. I believe that He has plainly manifested to me that I should have the needed procedures performed by Dr. Waner’s group in New York.
The initial procedure will be done on Aug. 28 by Dr. Alex Berenstein. He is a pioneer in the field of Interventional Neuroradiology. His procedure will involve insertion of a catheter into my femoral artery and running it up into my facial network of jumbled arteries and veins. An arteriogram will be done to produce a map-work of my AVM. He will then perform a selective embolization procedure that shall restrict the blood flow into my AVM in an effort to devascularize the AVM. The goal is to cause a reduction in the swelling and decrease the amount of blood flow into my AVM. After a gestation period of several weeks, another embolization procedure shall be performed followed by the removal of the “nidus” (center of AVM) the following day. Additional procedures shall be performed as necessary to achieve stabilization and improve my quality of life. According to the experts, there is no “cure” for AVMs…only control. When asked how long everything would take, Dr. Waner estimated that we are looking at two to two-and-a-half years of multiple procedures and surgeries; however Dr. Berenstein stated that each AVM is very unique and he would not place any time frames on what needs to be done.
Your prayers are very much appreciated in this time of need to invoke the powers of heaven as my family undergoes this journey. I am being realistic; I’m expecting a miracle! I will do my best to update our Web site from time to time as this process unfolds. For those that have an interest, it is: www.rickyd.ws
Thanks again for all of you that have reached out to my family and who continue to bless the lives of those in our community and around the world with your Christ-like service. I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will pour upon each of you His choicest blessings as we prepare for His triumphant return to rule and reign here upon the earth.
Ricky D. Arsenault
Sanford

So last we left off.....I had an AVM

from...

Double Entry Post

So I know you've been waiting for it.....today is the day....a comment on this post is worth 2 entries in the contest for a $25 gift certificate to The Loopy Ewe! We are 1/2 way done with the contest, so keep the comments coming!!!

My Story:

So last we left off.....I had an AVM.....and was off to see the brain surgeon (oh....maybe I forgot that part last time!) There are 2 ways to treat an AVM....surgery or radiation....my AVM was about the size of a half dollar....it looked like brain surgery was in my future (YIKES!!!) We had a final test to do on July 25th to see if surgery was safe and scheduled surgery for the 26th. While waiting for the 25th I got hives from my seizure medicine.....went off seizure meds....fought through a lot of fear about having another seizure....needless to say I learned to depend on God as never before!!! He was definitely at work and never left me. Monday I will share some of the verses I really depended on at this time, but today is your day to share!!!

What is your favorite Bible verse and why???

So what has been on my needles? Here is a sneak peak!

Surprise, surprise....it's a sock! One down, one to go! This is a pic of the lace that runs down the top! It's gray, so....wonder who it could be for.....oh yeah.....mom!!!! (I'm not sure this gray photographs very accurately....we'll see if I can get some daylight pictures later) The second sock will have to wait a couple of days to start....I had started a hat with this yarn....it was too small....had to frog it last night.....after it had sat for a year....the yarn needs a bath....must wait for it to dry. In the mean time I'm going to work on my Secret Prayer Swap Sock and my spinning! (Might even cast on for DH's socks...we'll see)

Have a super weekend and be sure to leave a comment.....favorite verse and why.....or any other comment will do too...remember it is worth double!