MBR

miguelhilary2010 · July 2010

How did the surgery go? How are you feeling?

Ms.BriarRose · July 2010

I won't lie, I hurt like you know what. I have two incisions (not three, like we originally thought); a 4 inch wound on my spine (lower back/lumbar area), and a 4 inch one on my left side, between the top of my left butt and my belt/waistband area.

The doctor's comment was that the surgical wounds would hurt so much that probably won't notice my nerve pain in my left leg, and he was right.

The stimulator itself is working fantastic. I get a ton of relief in my left leg. They (the doctor and the stimulator programmer) only gave me two stim settings. Because of all the swelling and the amount of surgical pain I have, having more would be not worth it right now. When I go back in two weeks for my first post-op, they will start porgramming it to add more settings.

So, I am holding in there for now. Ice is wonderfully good on the incisions. My mom gave us a desk that slips under the bed (kind of like the tables that go over the beds in the hospital), so I am able to put stuff on that, including my computer which means I can use my computer. I am spending alot of time sleeping, as you can imagine LOL!

miguelhilary2010 · July 2010

Well I'm glad everything went well and the stim is working well so far from what you can tell. Good luck with your flight out to Ohio!

JennLongino · July 2010

My FI was a candidate to have stim surgery. He backed out because he got scared of the actual surgery itself. He shattered his talus bone in his foot a few years back. The only other option for him now is to have his foot fused which would give him no motion. They have a talus replacement but it's too new and they don't have solid long term results so his doctor doesn't want to do it. Keep us updated on how it works once the surgery pain is gone!

Ms.BriarRose · July 2010

I would HIGHLY recommend this surgery, esp if he is an ideal candidate. It's outpatient surgery and while the first few days are hard, it really does get easier each day; the pain meds and ice really help alot.
The biggest thing for me is not the surgical wounds, but the being careful for the next 6 weeks to let the leads scar into place. That means no bending, no lifting anything more than a gallon of milk, no twisting, no reaching for really high stuff, no driving, etc. But with the relief I am getting, I am so glad that I decided to go thru with it.
Don't get me wrong, I had doubts too- especially when the trial and the permanent implant surgeries were two years apart (my RSD/CRPS is from an injury that I sustained on the job, so we had to fight for Worker Comp to pay for it), and I almost didn't go thru with it. But in the end, I am so glad I did.
In fact, right now, I woke up from leg pain (which is why i am on here so late/early, lol) and turned the stim on about 10 minutes ago. My pain is pretty much gone.

I can recommend my doctor who did it; pain doctors who do this surgery in DE do not come highly recommended at all, so if he needs the names of a couple of doctors that are worthy of him taking time to visit, let me know and i will send them your way!

JennLongino · July 2010

I will talk to him about. I'm so happy it's working for you!!! It's amazing what they can do nowadays! My only concern for him doing that is if there is no pain - he could cause more damage. Right now his bone has several fractures and really bad arthritis. Last year 2 of his fractures split even further. He's an iron worker which the doctors keep telling him to quit his job - he doesn't want to hear it. A man that works with his hands having to get a desk job somewhere?? So their solution is pain pills until the talus replacement is a reliable option which could take years! It's a very frustrating situation!!! Definately a huge hill to climb for the both of us. He knows I will support him no matter what he decides to do. He's terrified of a career change!

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