Hi Melissa! I have been through so many things in the five plus years of my treatment since the wreck that my pain doc, the guy I trust and who is in charge of my pain care, told me the SCS was really the end of the treatment road for me and that in his thought I was a perfect patient for the procedure.
I had the Trial surgery on 13 May at an outpatient surgical center. There was minimal anesthesia administered since I was supposed to be awake for the tweaking of the leads once they were inserted into my dural space along the spinal cord. The treatment being directed toward my unending unrelenting horrendous chronic nerve pain was placed about T8/T9 to be sure to get the electrical impulse treatment above the nerve roots that feed out to my legs. The Trial period was so WONDERFUL, a seven day period of peace and freedom from that awful pain.
I cried during the Trial period when I at first realized, fully recognizing I felt NO PAIN when my wife asked how I was feeling on the first day of the Trial. Oh, what Bliss to be at once FREE from pain, and I was in control of the impulses through the remote control they supplied for the Trial. AHHhhhh.... that peace. It was then a sense of dread began to populate my mind as I realized the seven days would end. I would have to give it back. They would take it from me. I did not want to return to pain.
I felt the HARDEST part of the whole fol-de-rol was that PURGATORY between Trial and Permanent Implant. PURGATORY! Not quite damned, but not quite saved either. A stasis between. Knowing full well what would address the pain to which I had to return and having to WAIT for the permanent as Fiona, Calewark, and others are right now. You see, once we know the peace of SCS it is SO HARD to go back to the pain of the BEFORE and wait patiently as calendar days tick off passing by. Time seems to take a slower pace for us in the waiting. It seems to us so unfair, but then life is unfair, by and large, we live in ways endeavoring to bring fairness to others, but the process takes as long as it is going to take; so, I waited from 20 May, the date of removal, until 29 June, the date of implant surgery, then until 9 July before I could return to a program with the SCS which DOES help manage my pain.
I do have paddles inserted and sutured to my spinal cord through the T8 space, where a laminectomy was performed to make a sufficient opening through which to insert the paddles. The incision at that location is about 5 inches, then a smaller incision appears at my right hip, where the generator is located. No one has spoken to me or made any disclaimer about a risk of breaking the paddles..... Interesting...... since the paddles are inside the dural space with the spinal cord, as I understand it, I don't know what I could possibly do to cause breakage of the paddles. BUT [this is a BIG BUT]- the process of healing so sufficient scarring can occur to tightly hold the paddles in place, I must be careful for this eight week period not to reach above my head with my arms, nor am I to bend, twist, or lift. NO EXERCISE regimen is allowed, that is, other than walking on the firmness of the earth beneath our feet, and THEN I am supposed to exercise due care to avoid tripping risks, because a fall could result in dislodging the paddles or some other connection and then I am where? Back on the operating table.
I can't think right now who has a cervical location implant. I know Burntmarshmallow has the implant for Trigeminal Neuralgia, pain in the face. Fionab is awaiting a dual implant, both lumbar and cervical, she may have helpful information about cervical implant work such as you now contemplate. Rae is a fount of knowledge about who has had what and where to point you within the forum, so writing to her is a very good idea.
Rae may also be able to direct you to someone who has had a cervical pump since you are also contemplating that.
Thank you for your prayers. You and all of the others who have lifted us up in prayer are helping us through this process. I am healing, and feel so proud of myself that I took my first since surgery walk around our block here in Golden, CO. The sunset was absolutely beautiful! It felt good to be back outdoors again. I am bound and determined to make it positively through this healing process and depend heavily on my faith to push on through.
You remain in my prayers Melissa as you research and decide this very important and delicate issue. May God guide you and your medical advisers throughout this process,
ASAP [Always Say A Prayer- I learned that from Calewark here on the forum],
Mark56 PJ
