I have been reading my mom’s posts on caring bridge over the last few months and decided it’s time to share a little of my experiences and point of view. I have loved reading your comments and I am amazed at the support you have given me to keep fighting. 

My Life Over The Past Few Years:

My life was pretty sweet & fun, until I had an AVM 4 years ago. It took me and everyone I knew for a spin! I was dancing 3 to 5 days of the week and if I had dance competitions, I had to go 6 times a week! 

One night I had a severe 

headache and I’m glad that I came down the stairs when I did! I had an AVM, which is a bunch of tangled up arteries and veins that I had since birth that no one knew about. 

AVMs have a low survival rate for somebody my age, so I enjoy everything I do now because it almost got taken away from me. I try to not take it for granted of where I am now. My dad wakes me up every morning at 5:30 except the weekends. We fight a lot, but he is the reason I’ve come so far from where I was at a few years ago! He took off one year of work just to stay home with me. My mom worked less too, so she didn’t have to work on Fridays for the first little bit there. She works on scheduling and making sure I get to all my therapy and doctor’s appointments. I am so thankful for the people in my life!!!!

I am VERY thankful I am alive! My therapists have helped me along the way too!!  Ms. Tara was the first speech therapist that I saw at Pediatrics Unlimited. Once I got out of the hospital, she started working with me to help me learn to talk again. Ms. Sara was my first PT at the clinic. She helped me gain muscle strength. Ms. Amy is my OT and she has helped me  with daily life skills. Ms. Taylor started seeing me for speech therapy, too, and has helped me with reading and social skills. Ms. Kate made me laugh every time I saw her for PT - she always had good tea about everything. Ms. Jess pushes me to walk and I hope to walk across the stage at graduation.

Ms. Tammy: She was with me almost every day for the first year of me being home from the hospital.  She helped me with school work and helped dad with my daily needs while mom was at work. 

I am grateful for my school nurses, therapists and teachers. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without them!

This is the world after my injury, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!

-Caroline