Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement - you guys are the best!

Pam, I live in Texas, very close to the Gulf Coast. The Texas Medical Center, which is composed of 10 or more major hospitals is in Houston, which is about an hour away from me, and that's where I'll be having it done. I fully believe that the best of the best in this area are in the med center, so although there are plenty of hospitals closer to me, it is well worth the drive.

Also, I did speak to my rep today, and she said that they wouldn't have to replace the battery - which is a HUGE sigh of relief for me! My battery is located on the left side of my back, just under where the waistband of my jeans hits. That battery site has continued to be a source of discomfort for me - I don't know if the weight loss had anything to do with it, but it seems to stick out more than it did at first, and will just randomly shoot out sharp pains. That site is also painful if I lay on my back at night for more than a couple of hours. So the possibility of a new placement area was the only upside if they needed to replace it, but I am really, really glad that they don't have to.

Rae, it's funny what you said about why they just didn't do the paddles in the first place, because in my initial consultation with my surgeon, asked him the same thing - if there is a chance of migration, just do the paddles to begin with and be done with it. He said no, that most people don't have problems with the percutaneous leads, and since the paddles/laminectomy is a more intense surgery, it was better to just have it as a backup plan. But I couldn't help but think that it's because a second surgery means extra $$$ for them. I hate to think that way, but after reading how common migration can be, why not just start there in the first place?

And about adequate pain meds for the road trip - my pain management doc is determined to wean me completely off pain meds right now, since I now have the SCS. Even when I told him last month about the problems I was having (this was before I saw my NS), he still wanted to proceed. I see him on Monday. I hope that when I explain what we have discovered, and about the new surgery that is needed, that he will back off of that plan. But really - what can I do if he doesn't? If that's the case, I will just have to suck it up and hope for the best.

Thanks again to all!

=Becky