My AVM Story – Part 12

Below is another part of My AVM Story: the recounting of the discovery, removal, rehabilitation, and survival of an arteriovenus malformation. To read from the beginning of the story, click here.

Functional MRI

Whatever floor and hallway the MRI machines are on, they have butterflies painted on the ceiling tiles. Every third or fourth tile is painted. I wonder if they put them there to entertain the many people lying flat on their backs heading to or from or waiting for an MRI or CT scan.

When I was in my drugged state a week or so ago, I wouldn’t know much about what was going on, but when I saw the butterflies, I thought, I must be getting a CT scan now.

I’m a little freaked out to get another functional MRI. I’m just worried about the dye they put in at the end. I’m eating now, and there’s definitely something to throw up in my stomach!

The MRI goes off well. I did get sick at the end, but I made it long enough to get the pictures needed. Whew!

Thanksgiving

Completing the functional MRI, puts us somewhere around Thanksgiving. My poor parents never though they’d have to eat Thanksgiving dinner in a hospital room again. When my brother was diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes, he was in the hospital for 9 days over Thanksgiving. It was surprisingly similar to that time. My family ordered trays from the cafeteria, and we all sat in our little room eating Thanksgiving dinner.

We had a lot to be thankful for:

• God had watched over me wonderfully over the past weeks.
• He had provided lodging for my parents.
• He kept everyone safe as family and friends traveled from near and far to visit me and brighten my day. He is just a good God.

The other great thing about Thanksgiving was our friends, Andrew and Kate. They came to see us and brought pumpkin pie still warm from the oven. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE pumpkin pie. It was delightful! It was good to see them too, not just the pie!

Speaking of Kate, she is a nurse and works at Spectrum. She spent many of her breaks eating dinner in my room. I wasn’t conscious for all of her visits but it was wonderful to see her. I felt a little safer knowing she was checking up on me.

We have a date for surgery! It will be December 3 with the embolization procedure on the 2^nd. Everything is looking good so it’s back to a regular room to await surgery. I’m too high of a risk to send home, so we have to wait it out at the hospital.

Next: My AVM Story – Part 13