Hey
Everyone! Here is the next Q &A in our series highlighting
survivors of AVM. As far as More Than Skin Deep, we are in the
process of securing a team of coproducers/partners and a crew for the
feature length film, and we are in post production on the first short
film. Stay tuned!
Blessings,
Jaz
Be
encouraged by ...
1)
Describe the type of AVM you have? What was the first sign?
I
have a facial AVM in my right upper right lip. I also survived an
arteriovenous malformation
in the left intraventricular area near the posterior temporal region,
which
was diagnosed in 2006. The first sign of my AVM when I was 10 years
of
age. The doctor thought it was a small birthmark on the lip, and
later the birthmark
got a little larger at the age of puberty.
2)
How did you eventually come to receive treatment?
I
waited until I was at the later age of 24. After finishing college
and working on
a
steady full time job for a little over 4 years. I later went to a
doctor who told me
nothing.
So, I started jumping from doctor to doctor and started to do
research
on
my small birthmark in the face and lip. I later found out that it was
an AVM.
I
receive eight Endovascular therapy with the last one in December of
2008...
until
Doctor Yakes found a small AVM in the brain as well. I started status
post
stereotactic
radio surgery in January of 2009.
3)
Who are/were your main doctors, where were you treated and how was
the care? My
main doctor for the facial AVM is Dr. Wayne Yakes who treated me at
the Swedish Medical
Center in Englewood, CO. My main doctor for the brain AVM is Dr.
Nelson Oyesiku
in Department of Neurosurgery at Emory Clint in Atlanta, GA. Over all
the care was
good.
4)
How is your health now?
I’m
in good health as far as taking it easy after having a golf size
hemorrhage. I’m now taking medications call levetiracetam
which
have some side effects. I also experience a little more swelling in
the lip
because
of the lack of treatment now. I’m still battle the AVM in my lip
which was put
on hold do to my brain hemorrhage.
5)
How has having an AVM changed your life?
I’m
now closer with God, my family and my friends. It also gave me a
bigger purpose in life to make life about
helping
other rather than myself.
6)
What has been your biggest challenge in the battle with AVM?
Waiting!
Now it is more about organizing my life to connect with other, to
explain my anomalies to
other as well explain to them about my short-term memory lost and
depression at
time.
7)
What do you think a documentary about those surviving AVM can
achieve?
AVM
is somewhat difficult to diagnosis. But if everyone highlights their
battle with
AVM
and how their life change and the mistake doctor made, you made
will
bring awareness to many people who suffer from AVM.
8
) What are your hopes for the future of AVM research?
A
cure that will allow all doctors to find the bad blood vessels (AVM)
in the mother's womb before birth.
Moreover,
one that after birth will keep the child from battle this challenging
and sometimes deadly
condition.
9)
What has been the biggest lesson you've learned throughout your
journey thus far?
Make
sure that you love yourself first. If you’re still young start
finding out what
make
you happy and hold on to it tightly. I say this because it’s a long
journey not
only
getting treatment for AVM but become a better person. Your peers will
judge
you,
but the only one who can love you is you. The doctors are only
working with
the
skill God gave them. Doctors give medicine to heal the body and to
correct
your
look. But only you can heal your inner body.
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