Quote:
Originally Posted by TryingMyBest
The whole process seems barbaric and that is probably why it takes some of us a long time before we consider it. BUT if you ask any of us if we'd go thru it again the answer would be yes. Because to live without SOME if not ALL of the symptoms is such a relief! I had my DBS done at a teaching hospital and that means some are students. That explains why I didn't wake up until 36 hrs later!! Luckily my dr is good at programming as I have very stubborn tremors and it took 2 hrs to find the right setting. What a relief! I'm 90% there but it is enough to grant me a new lease on life! I go back next week for fine tuning. I have to retrain my muscle memory to not tense up and to tremor. After 10 Years of it- not easy.
That is great that you feel better!!
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Yes sometimes I feel like being truthful about the surgery will chase people away..But the real truth is, anybody can get through it..If I can do it, anyone can do it..You have the option of being sedated, or asleep..I went through the whole thing wide awake, and even though there were uncomfortable moments, there was no way that I could go from frustrating misery, to freedom and happiness..My surgery took about 4 1/2 hours..Prep may have took an hour..And after its over, it is over..Find a surgeon that has a good reputation..My surgeon has done over 1,000 surgeries, with some great results..So I trusted him enough to put the surgery in his hands..I would be lying if I said that I wasn't free of fear, but the fear was a knee jerk reaction to a reasonable concern
If you are sick and tired of the misery of
pd, then I strongly suggest that you consider this surgery..Looking back at the whole thing I will tell you what I am really afraid of..Living the way I was, telling my self lies, and justifications..For example..This is the price I have to pay because I have pd..After the dyskinesia,stops and my meds kick in, I will be fine..Such a bluffing of one's self..I knew that I had passed the crossroads of freedom and into the grip of pd's control..You know what I was really afraid of?..Getting up one morning and not being able to get out of bed to make it to the coffee pot, and I knew that day was getting closer..Now THAT is something to be afraid of
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