Episode 27. Two AVMs & One Gamma Knife. First Discussion With Janet.

With brain injury there is a “gap” between the invisible internal problems you are dealing with and what the outside world is aware of. It has been validating and helpful to speak with Janet because when it is your own mind that has been injured, the problems are not invisible to you. It is possible to have a “better," more accurate discussion about brain injury problems and all that connects with others about these issues. Thank You Janet.We capture a lot here about the alienation and isolation that comes with brain injury. Also we talk about the overwork, like crazy levels of work, on a regular basis, to find ways to work around your problems; meaning to accomplish things in life while you have specific brain injury problems is a complex and difficult situation so tremendous effort gets used up to function "normally." - Janet represents injury to executive function really well here.The overwork with brain injury is a problem that could be helped if people knew more about this.Some technical terms, Janet had two hemorrhagic AVM strokes when she was 8 and 28 years old. The AVM is the arteriovenous malformation a rare, tangle of blood vessels with arteries and veins directly interconnect in the brain. So she was born with the AVM in her brain and those blood vessel ruptures twice. Then she underwent radiation beams treatment, that’s the Gamma Knife, and that changed a lot of her internal abilities for the worse.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brain-avm/symptoms-causes/syc-20350260https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/procedures/16559-gamma-knife-surgery- - -Experiencing My Brain is a podcast devoted to detailed discussion with brain injury survivors about their experiences, problems, and ways that they have found to navigate their lives. These stories are important to help the non brain injured world make sense of the problems that come with brain injury.- - -Disclaimer:The views and opinions shared in this podcast should be looked at as the views of brain injury survivors and not as medical or clinical advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care professional with any brain injury problem.