On May 30, 2023, I interviewed my friend Ema who is a former Chavez Student and who’s now attending Sacramento State University. She lives with Arteriovenous Malformations also known as AVM which is a brain disorder that abnormal snarled tangles of blood vessels that causes multiple irregular connections between the arteries and veins. This most often happens in the spinal cord and in any part of the brain or on its surface but can also form anywhere in the body. The questions I asked her are very educational and I hope you can learn a lot from this interview.
What was it like going through AVM?
“ The actual thing hurt like I wasn’t going to be here anymore and even when I got it removed I was still in pain. Every day I’m still going through it and in pain later on, I get my motor skills back but every day I’m still working at it and some days are better than others “.
What was someone or something that kept you going?
“ Honestly I didn’t even think it was real. That was the reason why I was on too much medication and doozy. It didn’t make sense until a little later when I was still in hospital and later on I realized that. I was scared and sad but remembering the people in my family and the little things that I had with me the nurses, therapists, doctors, janitors, and my friends I already had motivated me, and even now some days I feel unmotivated about the same things but the new people that I get to make gets me motivated. “
What functions of your body couldn’t you move?
“ My whole right side of my body couldn’t move and I would have random body kicks including movements like standing or sitting up without falling down and throwing up.”
What functions of your body did work?
“ It might be easier to say what I couldn’t do. I couldn’t talk, swallow, breathe on my own, couldn’t see clearly, couldn’t get up, or move, and basically, I could only listen and lay on the hospital bed. “
How much did AVM affect your talking? When could you be able to talk
“ I couldn’t speak at all, not even noises and it wasn’t until some speech therapy that I could slowly begin to get noises out and later on eventually words but I slurred or messed up on words. I still do that sometimes right now.”
What was the reason behind your AVM?
“ AVM’s form at birth and there’s no found reason behind it. A person can go there whole without even knowing they are living with an AVM until it ruptures or gets too big and causes a seizure or for you to pass out.”
How much testing did you have to do? What was your experience
“ In the hospital for the first test, I don’t really know Because I was on medication and in a coma but then out of the hospital I have many different types of testing for different forms so a few times a year. “
When did you beat AVM? And how did you feel when you beat it?
“ You cannot beat AVM but if you can get it removed then having an AVM gives you lifelong side effects and health problems such as balance issues, vision problems, learning disability, and more. “
Did you have any dark thoughts going through it?
“ Yes, I have depression, PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, and recovering from an eating disorder.
“What makes you want to keep pushing out positivity?
“Honestly I just wanna make the world better. I think if I stay positive maybe it could help someone else so I keep smiling. Helping others makes me happy and positive too so I’m going to be trying my best to keep smiling.”
