Well here is my story. I'm 37 years old now but 5 years ago on my way to the airport the strangest thing happened I felt a hot sensation in my right arm and the next thing I knew started throwing up. Then I felt such a pain in my neck I could not move my head at all then got the worst headache. I went home and laid down 4 hours later the headache and neck pain was intense my girlfriend then took me to the emergency room there they concluded without a CD scan or anything that I had a migraine they gave me some narcotics and sent me home.
The next day I got up still with the headache and neck pain but went to work anyway. Midway thru the day I just could not deal with it so again my girlfriend took me to my primary doctor. He checked me out and referred me to a neurologist the neurologist checked me out and immediately sent me to the hospital to get some test done. All the symptoms I had were very similar to spinal meningitis. Initially they put me in an isolated room thinking all along what I had was spinal meningitis. But my doctor said that was an evasive procedure to remove fluid from one's spine, he wanted to rule everything out so he sent me for a CT scan. When he came back with the results, I was completely unaware of what was going on around me for I was completely consumed with pain.
My girlfriend told me when the doctor came back with the results,that he had never seen an AVM so large accompanied with 2 aneurysms. He proceeded to also say that the hospital was not equipped to handle such a large AVM and the 2 aneurysms, one of which was ready to rupture. He recommended that the ambulance transport me to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan NY. They rushed me by ambulance that night, and at 7:00 am the following morning I was on my way to have brain surgery.
From what i'm told the surgery was 6 hours long. I had 2 specialist working on me, Dr Robert Solomon who specializes in difficult aneurysms and Dr Stephen Mayer who specializes in AVMs. Dr Solomon performed the clipping of the aneurysm which was ready to rupture but as far as the AVMs there is really nothing that could be done at this time because they are inbedded and fused with good brain tissue. Per Dr Mayer the benefits just do not out weigh the risks at this time.
Since the surgery I've had 5 small hemorrhages the last one was the worst, they where thinking of inserting a catheter to relieve some of the pressure from my brain. But decided against it because my brain was slowly absorbing the blood. For about a week after my last bleed I did not recognize my mother and sisters. Slowly but surely I began to come back. Thankfully I like to say that I regained all my memory and have remained hemorrhage free for the past 2 years and counting.
I should be going for an exam soon and will update you on any further developments. With all said and done I truly believe I am blessed.
My very special thanks to the 2 Drs who had the courage to save my life and my girlfriend who was there for me.