Hi Tara- Today has been such a wondrously emotive day for me too, singing for the memorial of an elderly friend who was taken by pneumonia VERY fast. Emotive, and yet good. Good, because again I was singing, and I so love to share that for others when they want it [Untitle Hymn again, and Amazing Grace], and Good, because continued healing is showing that this technology works, and works well.

I have paddles. YOU will be fully anesthetised if your procedure goes as did mine. I was out and they had begun to have a little worry I wanted to stay out. Clearly, I have a recollection of wanting not to come back, you know, I guess, because the pre-surgery pain had been so bad and in throes of anesthesia I was somewhere so much more pleasant.

Yes bone was removed at about T8 for the laminectomy part of the implant. A very sore upper incision that was, more so than the lower incision which was for creation of the pocket and insertion of PJ. Then the routing of those leads between the paddles and PJ were not fun either, but then this is a major back surgery. Felt just about as bad as when I had the ectomy of a bone growth protrusion of matter from my earlier fusion/lami/discectomy into the nerve pathway. NOT nearly as bad as the whole fusion process was. For months after, I felt as though I had been ripped in half and sewn back together again. The bone growth medium protrusion ectomy went a lot better. This I rate more severe than that process but NOT NEARLY as bad as the fusion whizbang workup.

I walked that same day, a lot, and they well, asked did I want to walk home or have Cleo drive me? No, not really, but they were pretty amazed at my performance in recovery once I did awaken.

First night after surgery at home was every bit as awful as any first night after major back surgery. I hurt like H&*% and slept very little. Oh, I was medicated to the limits, but still pain was HIGH that first night. Got better over time as with any major back surgery.

Healing, well, if you have followed my thread, you know I was in on 29 June and by now I am fully off of all pain management meds. I rely completely on the PJ device from Boston Scientific to do my pain management. I still am not sleeping well.... am weaning off of the withdrawal meds, taking less Librium and experimenting with less of the Compazine. I experienced a lot of withdrawal stuff, from insomnia, to diarrhea, to nausea so bad that I then, oh yes.... vomited.... a lot. I have had some irritability, and restlessness, but I think these symptoms are abating. Gee, this would almost qualify as my post for today, but it is over here rather than there, maybe I will copy it in and put it there too.

Since I have this awful neuropathy below the knees, I am unsteady without the trusty cane. I nearly fell face flat at therapy yesterday when I picked cane up and tried to balance. HA HA HA. Well, I won't try that one again. I feel my feet not at all, like they are biometric prosthetics or something, kinda quirky, I guess.

I am THRILLED to have paddles..... THRILLED. I even raised my arms above my head to hang my own suit back in the closet today after the funeral. No effect on the impulses. PJ sang right along and is still buzzing me.

Any questions at all, just tuck them in Rae's pocket for delivery to me [kidding of course] and I will be sure to chime in. Truly. I am happy for you that a solution is coming and soon for you. You have waited a long long time for this help. God is good!!

Praying still,
ASAP,
Mark56 PJ