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Captain’s Log: Colleen’s AVM Adventures Day 60

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Wednesday 2/14/2016 8:45AM

Happy Valentine’s Day to any Hallmark Lovebirds out there. Progress continues. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the best Valentine’s Day gift a mother and daughter could ever ask for.

What did you get from your Valentine? Maybe a big ROCK? (Cliche?)

I love rocks.

Last week was a biggie. I think we’re still adjusting to the new mindset a little. Physical therapy is now full speed ahead. The young whippersnapper helping mom to stand like grasshopper thinks she’ll have the feisty bird up on her feet without a walker by the end of March! How’s that for good news? Balance, coordination, stamina… she’ll be breaking glass in half with her knuckles again before you can say “Hai-YA!”

Sorry. But that’s totally what physical therapy makes me think of.

Meanwhile, the E’Clair is up on her knees, all but crawling as she scooches and wiggles and tumbles her way across the floor. I think Grandma & Baby are having a mobility race.

On Wednesday it was back at VCU for a check-in and check-up (Thank the Lord we’re all checked-OUT because that is a BRUTAL drive… I can’t believe a few short weeks ago that was N.O.R.M.A.L.) We met with the docs (Dr. Easy-On-The-Eyes and Dr. Handsome, to be exact. No really, it’s not her blurry double-vision, Bonnie confirms it!) ANYWAY LADIES!! Bonnie and I took Mom in for her evaluation.

Short story: The doctors are thrilled with her progress.

Longer story: Mom’s fistula was in the back of her head, at the top of the neck. The brain bleed was concentrated in that area, around the vessels and nerves that control vision, etc. The blurrier-than-normal vision is a result of swollen vessels and will continue to slowly improve as that decreases. Whatever she ends up with in the next six weeks will be her new normal and then we can go get new glasses. Double vision is the result of damaged nerves (vs. swollen vessels). An entirely different problem. Which may take longer to heal. It may never fully heal, it’s a possibility, there’s no way to know yet. But there are options if it doesn’t go away.

The bulk of the swelling will still take several more months to mostly heal. In mid-June, enough of the swelling should have healed which will allow the doctors to do another Angiography and fully

onyx
Onyx rocks. Probably not the rocks they’re going to use… I just saw these on Google, you know?

map out the AVM or Fistula which is the ultimate cause of Mom’s issues.

Then (oh, my geese, this is my favorite part…) they are going to PERMANENTLY GLUE MOM’S HEAD TOGETHER. Minimally invasive endovascular embolization. Put big words on it, I don’t care: During this procedure, we pass a catheter through the groin up into the arteries in the brain that lead to the AVM/Fistula and inject liquid embolic agents into these arteries. This injection shuts off that artery and reduces the flow of blood through the AVM.

GLUE, people! We’re fixing her with glue. There is a God, and he is 100% providing for me. I have always known my Mom just needed a little more glue. What is this glue made out of? ONYX! More onyx. New favorite rock. Screw diamonds. Onyx is for lovers.

Meanwhile, back in my other reality, Liam dug out a 75+ year old marginata tree and dumped the dirt on the dog. I wanted to be more angry, but then he told me my soup smelled delicious. It’s my fault, really. Who let’s their two-year-old have birthday cake donuts for breakfast? Maybe the doctors will have some glue left over to help me clean this up?

HUGE shout out to Bonnie. The Angel of the Year Award goes to Bonnie. Not only is she absolutely brilliant with Mom… She’s being a total rockstar putting up with my gruff, smartass self. And my kids. She gave me, like, 5 cups of coffee in one day. While playing with and occupying my toddler. Rockstar.

And if you haven’t seen what Artful Dimensions Gallery is up to for Mom, head over to their Faecbook page and check it out: Artful RX Call for Art!It’s just incredible, the community that has risen up and held us together through this. I will NEVER forget how lucky we are. My kids are healthy and happy and LOVED through all of this. My mom is CHERISHED, and has the prayers and hope of hundreds who BELIEVE in her. How can anyone doubt that she’s going to beat this?

So from my heart to yours on this special Valentine’s Day, my deepest gratitude to all. Enjoy your rocks.

 

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Life's too short for decaf coffee or annoying emails.

What I can't promise is regular, weekly emails. What I can promise is sporadic, humorous updates with a serious amount of gorgeous glassy adventures inside. Occasionally, there might even be a chance to join me for a cup o' coffee. (The really caffeinated kind!)

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