Hi T,
I am always amazed at the stories of how we all have come to this disease of chronic pain.....I had to take a deep breath for you and me.
Mark56 covered lots of your concerns....dig deep in the threads and read...I am still learning from this groups experience’s and questions.
Like Mark56, I was injured in an auto accident….roll over…was not my fault or my day to die!
I have a Medtronic Adaptive Stim implanted March of 2012 to cover chronic pain caused from a deep nerve injury in my pelvic region L5 S1. My coverage is from my bra strap to my toes.
I was a textbook case....trial wonderful 85% relief...implant two weeks later….the battery did do some stuttering and needed to be reprogramed after it settled into my R butt check…No infections anywhere…18 months post op and I get about 50% relief for the nerve injury. I do suffer still from pain caused from the implant….my body never felt like it was right… I went back to work too soon…10 days later…deli clerk and had to raise meats UP to a scale…I did not heal well until I was able to quite work and really care for my body. I REALLY thought I was rejecting…it felt like an alien (that is what I called it) bursting out of my back. It hurt to just have arms. After six months of self-care I became much stronger and rarely even felt it in me although fatigue is always there. I hurt myself a bit this summer although I know with more self-care and water aerobics I can get better. I am glad I have it…it hurts….although it relieved me from the debilitating back pain that totally hindered my life…there were no activities other than work….a tradeoff of sorts. Now I mow the lawn and garden and paint and climb ladders again.
It is such a personal journey. Pain scrambled my brain too.
Airport security is familiar with it…I just say …spinal implant…battery R side and move along. I can lift my overhead bag.
Keep swimming….keep us posted
Welcome
Johanna