Reassuring the 'Cold Feet' B4 Surgery
 

I was so touched by this, I asked her if it would be ok if I shared it ...

I recently sent a message to a friend regarding being 'nervous' before my upcoming surgery. Being in the same boat and having her surgery recently, she had this to say:

I, too, was nervous before I had the surgery, but I made myself remember all the things that I have missed out on because of the pain......playing with my son, playing golf, playing volleyball, going on walks, being the life of the party, and the most important was I missed being me!!! Everything that I have been going through after the surgery will be well worth it if I can find myself again. I know this sounds funny but I really don't like the person that I've turned into because of the pain. I am not the happy-go-lucky person that I use to be before the pain.

I think if you can look at it from that stand point....what your life could be like after this.....it might help with your cold feet. This may seem silly but I've always loved this saying:

If you always do what you've always done,
you'll always get what you've always got!

I know there are always risks with surgery, but I tend to see the glass as half full. You will never gain anything if you don't take risks!

:circlelove:

You can bet I'll be taking these words with me to the hospital!

Thank you for letting me share this on our new forum Kzlrogue! I'm most certain it will touch many.

If anyone would like to add to this thread what has driven them to make the decision to take this step, it would really be a blessing to others....

I for one, simply want to be a 'kid' again! I have twin boys (15 yrs old)...I would love to ride our dirtbikes together again.

Rae
:Heart:

thanks for sharing this
 

i'm seeing my dr tomorrow and have decided i want the trial- one of the main reasons why is getting closer to my happier, more active life. i also want to get back to doing things with my family- including just having relaxed conversations, and not having to rush to ask my questions before i forget what i needed to say because of the pain meds. the next reasons sound really corny but here they are: i was scared to do the blocks and they've been amazing (just not long lasting). i'm lucky enough to have coverage for this and drs who understand rsd and are eager to help me get pain relief, so i want to at least see if it will help.

Sukadog,

Good luck with the trial! I totally get wanting to have relaxed conversations! Please know that the the SCS is not a cure for the pain that we feel but more like a band-aid. It can help reduce the pain so we can try and live a more "normal" life, but we will always need to pay attention to our limitations. If you push yourself too much, you will have setbacks! I've come to realize I may never be able to be as active as I once was but I've learned to accept that and am okay with that. However, I also am not going down without a fight!!! :) I just need to find new ways to become active and have fun!!!

Please continue to share your journey as it helps many with their own!

Good luck. May the Lord guide the doctors hands as you are getting this done. Many of us can say we have all been there, and for me prayer is what got me through. AND i had a couple movies I have been wanting to watch for a long time waiting for me at home :P we have to give ourselves some incentive right??

You are one step closer to pain relief, and I think I speak for most of us, if it doesn't work, we get right back up and try something else!!

Your Avatar
 

Rrae-

I just have got to thank you for the smile you placed on my face with something as simple as your Avatar. What a grin!

The heartening words of forethought and wisdom you share from Kzlrogue are for me, and I would imagine any of us who now consider and plan for the "trial" step are for me a great help! Knowing there are others before me who have not only endured the pain but have taken the pro-active step of reaching for the SCS opportunity to better control pain give me a boost.

I have friends who have wondered how my family and I have been able to endure the suffering this body has brought to my life, and all I can do is look to them and ask, "are you not one who has prayed for me?" Too many people are pulling for me and my family for me to fail to give this my full effort. I want to be ABLE again, and will like it if through this I may be one who no longer uses their DisABLED placard. Do I hope for too much? I don't know; however, from a view of pragmatism, I have never been one to accomplish goals without reaching for them.

Thank you all,
Mark56 :)

This is very inspirational, touching and true. We sometimes forget how blessed we are when we have our full physical capabilities. Take them away and leave us w/out control is so very hard to handle. The SCS for many hopefully is a way to get that back.
A similar quote I remember often is "The only things you regret in life are the risks you never take", it's gone through my mind many times when I find myself nervous about anything.

Cold feet eventually went away.
 

I had my first SCS trial (1 lead) in November of 2008. The trial went ok..I wasn't overly impressed but it seemed to help some so I scheduled the implant for January of 2009. I had reservations about the implant because I have horses and by the time January rolled around....I'd contacted the implant company with questions that they refused to answer so I ultimately cancelled the implant surgery.

In November of 2009, I had the SCS trial repeated on the recommendation of my pain specialist. He felt that I needed to repeat the trial using 2 leads instead of 1 so I agreed and the trial was much better with 2 leads. Knowing that I'd backed out of the implant earlier in the year, I insisted on being scheduled right away. My implant surgery was done on December 14, 2009 and while it isn't perfect, it does control one of my areas of pain by 70%. I still continue to take dialudid and norco for my other areas of pain.

If the trial went well for you, I'd go for it...even some small amount of pain relief is worth it. I've had my implant for 4 months now and am beginning to do some normal things. I still have lifting restrictions but keeping a realistic outlook has helped.

Best wishes for future pain free days!

Thank you HTB
 

Hello hicktomboy, and thank you for chiming in on Cold Feet. I approach Trial soon, at least I think so, as my psych eval is day after tomorrow, and earlier on in the thought process I was not much into having someone cut on my back AGAIN. Your inspiration after having been through two trials and the sharing of your ultimate result solidifies my resolve to push forward! Yeah, I know, there is no guarantee of complete relief, but anything over 50% such that I could reduce opiates would be a WIN.

HORSES, glad you can still ride with the stim! I rode a lot in my younger life and have gotten away from it, but still recall with fondness those times on horseback. Yeah!

:hug: Mark56

Diggin thru some good stuff here!
 

I'm getting all nostalgic reading back thru some of these threads....
but I really feel they'll help those who've recently joined.....

........ :grouphug:

amazing to read and really has helped me tonight!! believe it or not i thought i was the only one with Burning but cold feet!! my hubby laughs as my socks come on and on a hundred times an hour battling the cold and burning sensation !!

i am now full of positive posts and ready to go for my new life where i hope to maybe one day soon be able to :

• Go to playground with my kids
• walk down the beach with kids hubby and dog
• sit on my daughters bed and watch a dvd with her without the pain
• change my little ones nappy before she is potty changed next month!!
• go for a walk with the kids and their buggies around the block
• sit for a meal with my hubby ( a little more than an hour would be fab)
• return to my silly self who loved to laugh lots and do lots

Thank you rae for posting this !!:)