Good evening MM community.  I have be devouring every thread and sating my newfound hunger for information.  Many of my questions, thankfully have been answered or at least placated somewhat by what I have read on this site.  But as is the way, there are always more questions.

A little about me. My name is Kim, f, 34yo married mum of 5yo and 1yo living in Wellington, New Zealand.  I was only just diagnosed this week by Dr Kong Chung at Wellington Hospital.  I have been having TIAs on and off for a few years and only recently experienced more intense and longer lasting 'episodes' resulting in a call, one night, to the ambulance (numbness, slurring, nauseous, dizzy, blindness and a blood pressure of 200/140)

My dad only died 21 Nov of an intracranial haemorrhage due to an aneurysm rupture (he wasn't diagnosed with moyamoya).  So it made me actually see someone about my TIA 'issues'.  In the process of trying to find as much info as possible I came across this site.  Thank you DJ and everyone here who has contributed to this site.

I'm at the stage of getting tests done to see if there is any reason why 'not' to get an operation.  My doctor says that mm ops are not available in NZ and suggested to go to Stanford.  I have since found via this site that there is a Dr in Auckland which I have been attempting to make contact with.  I don't see Dr Chung till February now, when he will organise an angiogram for me and begin making phone calls.

(edit: renamed post to be easier to reference)

Kim,
Welcome to the Family. I am sorry to hear about your father too. I am happy to see your on your way to getting the correct treatment, and I hope things go smooth for your journey. Please feel free to ask any questions. Please keep us posted on your progress.
Stay strong,
Becky

Kiminz,
Sorry I can help you with the global doctor but you may look in "Surgeons with Bypass Experience".

As far as recovery and length of stay depends on the surgery(s), your age, your own biological recovery (ie how long does it take for you to get over the flu), etc. All I can give you is my personal recovery time from a left hemisphere STA-MCA and EMS, both were done at the same time: 1 day in critical ICU then 3 more days in normal ICU then Home and bed rest for about 2 weeks then I went back to a 40 hour work week. Every persons recovery is different so what worked for me may not work for you.
Please keep us posted.
Becky

Update time:
My neurologist from Wellington hospital has sent an email to the Doctors at Stanford (finally) and we are waiting on word from them.  My angiogram did not show my nerologist what he wanted as he said that when the contrast was injected it gets to the top of my carotid arteries and then gets 'lost' due to the 'new' vessels. 

Since my last update I have found out that there is a special fund run by the Ministry of Health for High Cost Surgeries for if the surgery can't be offered in NZ.  Unfortunately the Neuro-surgeons in NZ won't commit to saying that it 'can't ' be offered anymore. The surgeon I spoke to said that he had done the op before, 6 times in the last 10 years.  I am looking at going to have the op in Melbourne and self fund it.  I have had an appointment with Mr John Laidlaw at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and hopefully the surgery will go ahead before September.  Co-chairing my surgery would hopefully be Ales Aliashkevich who is there getting experience in this kind of surgery. He is based at Wellington Hospital so I may be able to get follow ups done locally with him on his return.
I hope this info helps someone.

Thanks Mark, I hope Luca is healthy and well.  I won't need the info at this stage as I am scheduled for a STA-MCA bypass next week here in Wellington.

I went to meet Mr John Laidlaw from Royal Melbourne Hospital and head of the neurosurgery in July 2012.  Fortunately for me Ales Aliashkevich was there gaining experience in 'my' kind of operation and was actually based in Wellington and was due to return in September 2012.

On his return to Wellington he contacted me and has booked me in on 7 November 2012. 

I am not one to question fate and I am so very thankful that after all the research, travelling and consultations I am able to have my operation in my own home town only minutes away from my family & friends.  I am humbled in the fact that many do not have that luxury.

I do hope that my next update will be from my recovery bed