I dont think I've been more ready for a surgery in my life than I am right now.  But it seems I have to wait 5-10 days to even hear about how my last angiogram turned out.  I know the basics of what was found...and I posted in an earlier message.

But I am ready to have this surgery.  I know as it get closer that the anxiety will set in, but for now...I just want to move forward.  Waiting has never been one of my best attributes.  

I've read many messages courtesy of SC_Girl (who I am sad to see hasnt posted in a long while...cool coincedence..she lives right up the road from me...assuming of course that her profile is still accurate.).  Anyway, her posts are the ones that inspired me to check into Dr. Barrow @ Emory Med.  

Now all I have to do is wait for Dr. Barrow to get my results from the angio I had done last Friday and schedule my first of 2 surgeries.  

**To SC_girl...wherever you are...Thank you!!!  Your story has really inspired me.  Along with the many stories I've read here.  It just puts me at more ease for some reason or another that you live so close to me.  I guess because its nice to know I'm not the only one around here.  Anyway...I hope all is still going well for you.  God Bless you and your family.  Maybe you'll see this and we can talk sometime.  

God Bless all....

nopi98
(Fred)

GOOD NEWS!!!

For anyone who can even doubt if prayer works...well here I am again to prove you wrong.

No longer do I have to wait.  For when it seemed I was going to have to wait 5-10 days just to hear something....not 2 hours after I originally posted the first message, I got a call from Karen (Dr. Barrow's nurse) stating that he was able to view my angiograms and that he is ready for me to come down next week.  Well as I need time to prepare (work wise..etc) I plan on having it scheduled on either the 2nd of October or the 9th (which just so happens to be my birthday).  Either way....NO MORE WAITING!!!!   I'm excited right now, but I'm sure as it gets closer, I will get more nervous....but this is my answer to the rest of my life.  God has been by my side the whole time...and I know that.  I'm sorry if there were times when I seemed so down...I just wanted to get moving...and now I am!  

This is to everyone...keep in prayer...God will provide...He ALWAYS does.  Sometimes we don't get the answer we want or were expecting.  But there is a reason for everything.  And I mean everything...we may not always know what that reason is, but God does.  Just trust in Him and he will guide you down your path as well.  Sometimes it just takes a leap of faith to get where you need to be.  Everyone has the ability to but their faith in Him...and it is my hope that you all have.  

With God...nothing is impossible.  Words to live by.

God bless....

Amen, Fred!  I'm so glad to hear your news!  I've been meaning to post a reply to you for several days, and I'm sorry for not getting my act together and doing it sooner.  First of all - welcome to the exclusive club called Moyamoya!  I'm sorry that circumstances brought you here, but pleased that you found us.  You asked about the experiences of others.  Here's a nutshell version of ours:

My daughter (21) was diagnosed and had her two surgeries at age 17.  After years of migraines, we learned that she had had two small strokes early on in her life.  Once we finally had a diagnosis, she was in her first surgery two weeks later.  We've always considered ourselves very blessed to have caught it before something really devastating happened.

Today she (Tara) is an active college student, hoping to pursue a career in nursing.  She's a swimmer, and has recently become very focused on doing open water swims for moyamoya awareness.  She successfully completed a swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco about 3 weeks ago (more gray hair for me, but good for her!).

This said, I feel like I've glossed over some of the minute-to-minute happenings.  We had a brief scare after Tara's second surgery.  She had more than typical swelling in her brain, which caused her to lose her speech for a few days.  Scared us to death, as we feared we were going to bring home a permanently dependent almost-adult.  With increased steroids for a brief time, everything resolved.  My point in telling you this is so you know it's not always perfectly smooth sailing.  Every patient gets to surgery at a different starting point, and no two patients' experiences are exactly the same.  There may be bumps in the road, but in the hands of a neurosurgeon very familiar with MM, things should be fine.  

Anyway, you're about to embark on surgery, which is wonderful.  As with all MM patients, the hope is that we can keep you around for quite a number of decades!  Please don't hesitate to ask questions or to lean on the support of us here.  This is frightening stuff, but we're here to help in any way we can.  You obviously have a strong faith, and it will be your faith that gets you through this.  My prayers will be with you.  Please keep us posted.

[smiley=hug.gif] Jill

nopi98 wrote on Sep 18^th, 2008 at 10:23am:

This is to everyone...keep in prayer...God will provide...He ALWAYS does.  Sometimes we don't get the answer we want or were expecting.  But there is a reason for everything.  And I mean everything...we may not always know what that reason is, but God does.  Just trust in Him and he will guide you down your path as well.  Sometimes it just takes a leap of faith to get where you need to be.  Everyone has the ability to but their faith in Him...and it is my hope that you all have.   With God...nothing is impossible.  Words to live by. God bless....

AMEN!!!  Words to live by!

You will be in our thoughts and prayers as you travel through this.  

Thank you Jill and MrsDeej...from the bottom of my heart.

Oh how happy I am to hear you are having your surgery!!! I am in Missouri and waiting for the same news. I hope to hear when I can have mine. I'm waiting on my insurance. Hopefully, I'll get the same news you just got. I am so very excited too. Everyone asks, " are you nervous," and no I'm not only excited and can not wait to have this done!!! I'm praying for you and know all will go well for you!

AMEN!

I am so happy to hear the good news! Yes!  Prayers do work...  ;)  I am so grateful that you kept the faith and continue to persevere!  :D

Continue to leave your life in His hands and know that you will continue to be in OUR thoughts and prayers too!  ;)

God bless,
Shan