- Arteriovenous Malformation AVM
- Interviews
Lora's interview
How did all start?
It started with a pins and needles feeling in my right foot!
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
Yes- I was diagnosed with a spinal AVM at T12. After I went in for imaging, it took approximately 2 months to get proper diagnosis.
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
I have not yet been treated, as my symptoms are considered "mild" by my current neurologist.
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Just living life to the fullest! The more I think about the shortcomings and how I feel unable to do something, the worse it gets. The only thing we can control in our life is how we react to situations. I choose to be positive, even if I have a few down days here and there.
What have been your biggest difficulties?
The biggest difficulty is seeing the change in my walking. I push through it, but it can be very difficult at times!
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
I have a very supportive family! My relationships haven't changed much at this point. I also have not shared the diagnosis with many people at this point, as I am still waiting for some answers!
What things have you stopped doing?
Thinking too much! The day I got the call about having an abnormal blood vessel in my spine I had asked the doctor
"well, what's the risk with that?", he told me that I could potentially have a spinal stroke. I was sitting in a meeting about an hour later and couldn't stop thinking about it. At that point, my face started to feel numb. I thought I was having a stroke. First off, a spinal stoke is entirely different, but yet I was creating issues in my head that did not exist. The thing I HAD to stop was thinking too much.
What do you think about the future?
I think that I will overcome any challenges. One day at a time...:)
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
This has truly been the best year of my life. I have gotten to watch my beautiful son grow. He will be one soon. He is, without a doubt, the best thing I have ever accomplished in life. I love being a mother! :)
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
The same things I do when I have the condition! I love life with my heart, not my legs! However, I might try sprinting again. Right now I can't run at all. I don't even like running, so I guess I'm not out much. ;-)
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
Life is 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we react to it!
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Just do your best to live life to the fullest and not let your condition/disease determine your life outcome! You CAN achieve anything you put your mind to. Face the challenges head on, and you will overcome them! :)
