I was asked to submit my story about a rare Brain disorder I am curently fighting.

So first I want to explain a bit about what an AVM actually is.

AVM stands for Arteriovenous Malformation. An AVM is a tangle of abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels (arteries and veins). They have a higher rate of bleeding than normal vessels.Brain AVMs are of special concern because of the damage they cause when they bleed. They are very rare and occur in less than 1% of the general population.

Treatment is offered is to try to prevent bleeding from the AVM. Bleeding may injure the surrounding brain resulting in a stroke , with possible permanent disability or even death. The risk of bleeding increases by 4% per year, which means that 4 out of every 100 people with an AVM will have a bleed (hemorrhage) during any one year. AVM's may also produce headaches, seizures and progressive paralysis, and the treatment may alleviate these symptoms.

Doctor's will recommend the best treatment for you and this will be determined by the size of your AVM and also the location. It is not uncommon to recommend a combination of treatments.

Embolization's
Under general anaesthesia a small catheter (plastic tube) is advanced from the groin, into the brain vessels and then into the AVM. A liquid, non-reactive glue is injected into the vessels which form the AVM to block the AVM off. There is a small risk to this procedure and the chances of completely curing the AVM using this technique depend on the size of the AVM. It is frequently combined with the other treatments such as radiation or surgery.

Radiation Treatment
This treatment is also known as Radiosurgery or Stereotactic Radiotherapy. A narrow x-ray beam is focused on the AVM such that a high dose is concentrated on the AVM with a much lower dose delivered to the rest of the brain. This radiation causes the AVM to shrivel up and close off over a period of 2-3 years in up to 80% of patients. The risk of complications is low. Until the AVM is completely closed off, the risk of bleeding still persists.

Surgery
This is the oldest method for treating AVMs. The AVM is surgically removed in an operating room under general anesthesia. Since AVMs do not grow back, the cure is immediate and permanent if the AVM is removed completely. The risks of surgery are considered to be high for AVMs that are located in deep parts of the brain with very important functions.

Hey everyone,

Rachel is a very special and dear friend I asked her to post here her story of amazing courage showing how to beat the odds and also post alittle about her disorder to bring about conversations of awareness and education.
Thanks so much Rachel........  
I am not a techinical person I express better with my feelings it was nice that Rachel takes the time to explain so so many of us can understand.
                                                             Luv me,
                                                  Chrissy