Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Flawed yet Functional

Life free from autoimmune captivity

  • Meet Emily
    • About Me
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Health Journey
    • AVM Story
    • Diabetics Start Here!
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
  • Recipes
  • Habits
    • Goals
    • Productivity
    • Menu Plan
  • Home Decor
    • DIY
    • Sewing
    • Organization
    • House Tour
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Health / AVM / My AVM Story – Part 7

My AVM Story – Part 7

October 21, 2011 by Emily 1 Comment

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.

AVM Story

Praise for My Wonderful Husband

I must take a quick moment to tell you about my husband, Dan. Obviously, he was the one to take me into the hospital on Saturday morning. He had to repeatedly answer the same four questions each time I woke up, Where am I? Why does my head still hurt? Does my mom know? Did you tell Erin I can’t come see her today? In the past, he always got annoyed when I’d tell him the same story over and over.

I think God has a sense of humor even during the bad times.

Anyways, what I was going to point out is that he never left my side. He stayed in my room every night, he prayed with me, and he read the Bible to me for hours on end. There really are so many other things, but most you don’t want to hear about. Let’s just say he dealt with the good, the bad, and the very ugly during the hospitalization. I could never say enough about the wonderful, caring husband he was to me. He is truly a man of God, and I am honored God let me spend my life with him.

God Had Other Plans: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Back to the story: I am doing very well. So no more neuro checks every hour all day and all night.

Thank you Lord for some real sleep!

I am being transferred to a regular room for my last night in the hospital, Tuesday, November, 17. I’m going home on Wednesday to wait for a surgery date to be set.

Tuesday night my friend Megan came to see me. We had a great visit. We talked and laughed for a long time. It was so good to sit and chat.

My roommate that night wasn’t the most pleasant. She complained loudly and snored even louder (this is all before 9pm!). In her defense, she just had back surgery. However, she would wake up from her napping screaming about the pain and demanding more meds.

Dan didn’t have a chair that laid down in the room. Oh boy, this is going to be a long night.

Oh we had no idea…

I don’t know the real time frame, but within 30 minutes of Meg leaving, another headache started with a vengeance. Sharp, searing pain is shooting in my head.

We push the call button for the nurse.

She says she’ll be right there.

She’s not here.

Push the call button again.

“Something’s wrong. We need you to come”

She’ll be right there.

Nothing.

Pushing the call button repeatedly now.

I start crying now which makes it even worse. I suspect what is going on: my brain is hemorrhaging again. It’s a lot more scary when you know what is going on.

I ask Dan if I’m going to die. It’s all very real now. He starts to tear up. “No, you’re not going to die.” He starts to pray.

Still no nurse.

Where is she????

Push the call button again. (Funny thing about being in a regular room versus the ICU, the nurses don’t come running when you push the call button on the regular floor. Bummer for me.)

Dan keeps looking out the hall for the nurse.

Finally the nurse arrives.

She decides that I need to go immediately down for a CT scan to see if the brain is bleeding again.

It HAS to be. It feels just like before but worse.

There is no transport bed available. I am in one of the older sections of the hospital, but the only choice is to wheel my bed down to where they do the CT scans.

The trip was horrible to say the least. I’m curled in the fetal position just trying to bear the pain, and the bed is hitting every corner and doorway on the way down.

Murder.

In the elevator, I try to explain to the nurse that I’m not faking the pain. I’m really in a lot of pain right now. In fact, I could only whisper it hurt so much.

She says she knows I’m not, but I still don’t think she believes me. I again try to tell her I’m not a whiner like my roommate. She says she knows. I give up.

Results from the CT scan: my brain is hemorrhaging again. I am taken directly to ICU again. A couple wonderful nurses are waiting in the room for me when I get there. They promise some pain meds as soon as they talk to my doctor. It seems like forever, but I finally get some pain meds. Fentanyl is a beautiful, wonderful drug.

Relief is on the way…

 

Next: My AVM Story – Part 8

Share this!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: AVM, Health

[thrive_leads id=’6725′]

Previous Post: « My AVM Story – Part 6
Next Post: My AVM Story – Part 8 »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. My Side of the Story – Part 6 says:
    January 27, 2012 at 10:07 pm

    […] My Side of the Story – Part 7 Share this! Filed Under: My AVM Story Tagged With: Angiogram, AVM, […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

I'm Emily, and I am passionate about using food and healthy habits to transform lives with autoimmune disease. Here you will find healthy recipes that follow the Paleo or Autoimmune Protocol diets, strategies to create a life free from autoimmune symptoms, and encouragement to press on!

Do you want to live your best life? Then you are in the right place! Read More…




Top Posts

Save Time in the Kitchen While on the Autoimmune Protocol

learn to love tea when all you want is coffee

Learn to Love Tea When All You Really Want Is Coffee

almond butter roll-up

Almond Butter & Jelly Roll-ups




This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No feed found.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

gluten free blog network directory

Footer

About Us

Contact Us

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Disclosure

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Type 1 diabetic, AVM survivor, Autoimmune Protocol dieter, DIY-er, Mom, Wife, and Lover of Jesus. So glad you are here today, and I hope you leave encouraged! Learn more about me →

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework