My newest and most "favorite" side affect of the AVM is a large and totally gross wound on my lip.  I've experienced tissue breakdown previously, but this time it just won't get better!  The necrosis was getting out of control and along with the pain associated with the wound, I was getting reoccuring staph infections and finally started to have arterial bleeding from it.  Like serious bad horror movie bleeding with it spurting out in pumping arcs.  Ya, lot's of fun when that happened at work!

 

Luckily I was able to find the Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinic of Sacramento which is only 25 miles from my house.  I now go down to the facility M-F for 1.5 hours of treatmeant.  The treatment delivers 100% oxygen, which is roughly 5 times the amount that a normal person recieves from just breathing air.  And because it is done under pressure at 2.4 ATA, I end up with 12 times the concentration of oxygen in my blood.  Because my AVM was "stealing" the regular blood flow from going to the wound and delivering the oxygen needing for healing, the wound had no chance of getting better.  With the increase in oxygen level due to HBOT, and better blood flow due to recent embo's, I really feel like the affected tissue is finally getting some much needed oxygen and that the healing process is underway.  It is still totally gross to look at and all scabby, but I really am optomistic that this will get better.

 

HBOT is really an amazing treatment.  Currently I'm appealing my insurance's denial to pay for this as they have decided it is "experimental."  Although their own website clearly states that they have approved it for non healing diabetic wounds...sounds a little familiar! 

 

But many of the conditions that are treated at my center are not covered by insurance at all, and many times this treatment is for children!  The founder of my HBOT facility is commited to helping people through Hyperbaric Oxygen with the Cherish Foundation.  Some of the conditions that are helped are autism, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, and so many others.  Please take a moment to check this out!