My AVM Story – Part 4

Below is the recounting of the discovery, removal, rehabilitation, and survival of an arteriovenus malformation. To read from the beginning of the story, click here.

Dan’s Side of the Story – Saturday Morning, November 14, 2009

Saturday morning, I woke up before Dan, per usual. After going to the bathroom, I came back to sit on the edge of the bed. I sat there for a few minutes then went to the bathroom again. Dan hears the toilet flush, running water, etc. I come out and sit on the edge of the bed. (This may have happened a few more times, I don’t know.)

I hear Dan waking up, and I say, “Well, I guess I’ll go to the bathroom now.”

Dan: “How many times have you been to the bathroom today?”

Me: “Oh, I haven’t gone yet.”

Dan: “Get dressed. We’re going to the hospital.”

Dan got up, got dressed, found my insurance cards, looked up what hospital is in our network (Can you tell we work in insurance? Not “Safety First!”, “In-network Medical Care First!”), and drove us to the hospital.

We live near the Lake Michigan, so our first option was a smaller, local hospital. The bigger, Grand Rapids hospitals didn’t even cross our minds.

I mean, it’s just a headache, right?

Emily’s Side of the Story – Saturday, November 14, 2009

I’m tired. My head hurts.

Sleeping.

I’m tired. My head hurts.

More sleeping.

I remember groggily waking up to Dan’s iPhone propped up on my arm.

Cool. I’ll check my email.

Note: I did not notice my surroundings.

Turn iPhone on and the notepad is up. Dan wrote, “I’m here. I went to the bathroom right next door. You are ok. I’ll be right back.”

Weird-o. What is he talking about? I’m going to check my email.

Note: Again, did not notice my surroundings.

I’m tired. My head hurts. I’m going to take a nap.

Sleeping.

The next time I remember waking up, Dan and some of our friends from our church are in a room with me. Hi, guys! It’s a party!

I don’t know how the news was broken to me. Apparently, I had been told several times though my waking, sleeping, waking, and more sleeping routine that:

1. I was in the hospital.
2. There was something wrong with my short term memory.
3. A CT scan has revealed a malformation in the arteries in my brain. The arteries had burst (causing the headache) and blood had pooled in the brain (the pressure from which caused my short term memory to say bye-bye!).
4. I was going to be transported to Spectrum Butterworth in downtown GR because the hospital I was at couldn’t handle this delicate procedure.
5. I was having brain surgery today.

Cool! Let’s get going with it then!

Next: My AVM Story – Part 5