I don't have much advice because it is my daughter who has MM and she was only 5 at the time. What I can say is that your very lucky to be undergoing surgery before you've suffered any strokes. I know the waiting is sometimes unbearable but as you sadi your in good hands and moving in the right direction. I know for my daughter they really only shaved a very small strip of hair on both sides. Thsi was pretty easy to hide and grew back quickly.  It is pretty crazy to go from thinking life is normal and then facing surgery and possible strokes. Our life changed forever in a matter of jsut a few months. My daughter was not so lucky and suffered several strokes. I don't have advice about Stanford but I'm sure someone ehre will answer any questions and offer some great advice about your stay there. Many prayers for you and your family. Please keep us posted when you can.
Mary Grace

Dr Lewis at Shands in Gainesville did my daughters surgery and he doesn't shave the head.  She didn't even have the area at the surgery site shaved.  He said studies have shown that shaving the area doesn't lessen the in incidence of infection so he doesn't do it.  Destin also didn't have any of the usual symptoms.  She had migraines and that is how we found out she had Moyamoya. You'll be in good hands from what I've heard about Dr. Steinberg.

good luck and praying for you.  I understand it all happening really fast.  my 16 y old daughter had a masvie stroke at 15 then found out she had moyamoya and tomrow she has one of her two operations for it.  we are nervous and all too.  and i'm going to have to get my 14 y old checked out casue she too has migrines all the time.

It is very scary to go from being "normal" to sickly so fast.  I think we have all experinced that in one way or another.  For me I tried to put off my sugeary until it "fit into my life" and my nerosugrgen looked me in the eye and told me if I wait until after Christmas I probably wouldn't be alive.  That sure put it in perspective.  At that point I just looked at it as somthing I need to do to get back to normal.  A mountian we have to climb to get our life back.   And it is all worth it.  It's been a lot of work for me (I had four strokes which is how and when I got diagnosised so I have speech trouble and balance/strenght issue) but today it's been one year since my first stroke and when I look back it was all worth it.  You will grow as a person, you will celebrate small victories, you will find strength you didn't know you had & you will see the world in a whole differnt way.  You like all of us will do well heal. With moyamoya being so rare it's easy to feel like people don't know what your going threw (and most will never understand) But know that we all understand and most of us have been there!  I dont want to tell you not to be scared becuase it is scary, but you are in great hands!  As for the hair.... I was way nervous about that too!  My dr just shaved a small strip of hair.  He left some by my face and lots overtop of it.  When I left the hospital I made my mom straighten my hair (she thought it was a waist of time..but it ment the world to me) and when I left you couldn't tell I had just had brain sugery you couldn't even see my stiches through my hair. Now that it's growing back it's a bit more of a pain (little wings stick out from time to time) but most people I meet would have no idea I was so sickly just a few months ago.  Good luck, stay strong!