I tried to edit the title of the "What do my family need to know" thread, but couldn't .. I don't know if that can be incorporated in this one?

1. What do you need to take into Hospital with you?
2. What sort of clothes are comfiest?
3. When you come out, what clothes did you find the best to wear?
4. How did you manage to wash your hair? I would usually bend over the
bath but obviously that's not going to be possible.
5. Did you get frustrated at not being able to clean the house?
6. Did you have help in the house when you first came home? Should I ask
my husband to take some time off work?
7. Can you never bend repetatively any more? I.E. Fill shelves .. I used to
work in retail and my position is one where there is only one person ever
on duty at any one time therefore if milk crates need lifting or heavy
bundles of newspapers, there's only me to do it.
8. Why do they need to know what side you sleep on? I'm all over the
place .. tummy, both sides. (Never on my back though)
9. How do you know if a lead has become misplaced?


That's it ... for now

Saffy well I will try my best to answer your questions...well how I managed anyway ok so here goes:

1. I was in hospital for 3 nights. So I took loose fitting pj's , dressing gown, slippers, wash bag(and all that goes in it ) towels, bed socks.....then some magazines, ipod, mobile phone, puzzle books?! (if you them) and anything else that will wile away the time for you.

2. As I said in hospital I wore pj's which I did wear a lot when I got home too. As for the first couple of weeks I didnt get dressed much just sat around in my pj's and dressing gown. But also sweatpants are great or leggings too. Anything that is loose fitting and isnt too tight on the incision sites.

3. Anything loose is great. I couldnt wear my jeans because for the first few weeks I was swollen a bit around the incision sites and I was afraid to put any pressure on it. So pj's , sweatpants, leggings, shorts......anything loose.

4. When you have your SCS implanted you cant shower for about 3 weeks well at least until the stitches come out. Like that if I wasnt having a shower and wanted to wash my hair I would also generally bend over the bath. But this time I got my husband to do it for me. I made sure I knelt on the ground and as close to the bath as possible and a quick wash did the trick. I didnt care what I looked like tbh. He also blowdryed (blowdried SP?) it the first couple of weeks too.

5. YESSSSSS is the answer to not being able to clean the house My hubby was great but it just wasnt the same. SO.....YOU HAVE TO LOOK AWAY!!!! you really do need to turn a blind eye and just relax and wait for the initial 'waiting' period to be over.....SO no housework.....I was told that for 6/8 weeks I couldnt lift anything heavy, even the kettle......no bending, stretching, stretching over your head either, twisting....its just basically all the things you do instinctively but have to make sure you dont.

6. My hubby was at home for the first 10 days or so. For that time, well depending on how quickly you heal, you will need help. Cooking, helping you up the stairs, even helping at times in the bathroom. The first few days can be quite painful, because afterall you have just had surgery, so the incision sites will be painful. But it wont last forever it does heal up. So as the weeks pass you will feel a bit more 'yourself'

7. Like I was saying earlier, in the 'waiting period' you must not do any of those things I mentioned. Now as regards getting back to work etc and the amount of work you do ie, bending and lifting, that you should really discuss with you doctors. You will know how you feel when the SCS is implanted and what relief you will be getting, hopefully LOADS but I do think that when the time comes its something you will need to discuss with your team.

8. Im not 100% sure why they ask the question about what side you sleep on. I was never actually asked. I generally sleep on my back, as I cant sleep on my left side, the side thats the worst. Again Im sure someone here will have the answer, but if not ask your Dr why he would ask that question.

9. Well when the leads are placed and they set them up you will have the sensations where you need it, hopefully. If at some stage, and HOPEFULLY not.......that they move, I believe the sensations will be completely different, maybe in a completely different area, or worse still you cant fell anything at all. Hopefully nothing like that will happen. I know a few of the posters here have had trouble so they will be best able to help you on that one more ok.

Well I hope I have given you a small insight. Im sure others will come on and give you their experiences too.

Jackie

......is basically a 'courtesy question'......thinking in terms of where the incision will be for your battery pocket..
Some people have a favored side they sleep on, so the Dr will do the incision on the opposite side so as not to have to sleep on the 'ouchy' side

Hmm .. do you think I will be able to handle a motorboke / scooter when it's all done and settled.

YOU GUYS ARE SO WONDERFUL. Saffy, you asked great questions! and I am so impressed by your desire and drive to be able to go back to work and ride a scooter!!! when is your surgery? I have a couple more questions for the all knowing ladies and gents on this forum:

1) Did any one have bowel/bladder or sexual issues from your injury or related to your nerve pain? if yes did the SCS help with that at all?

2) Did anyone have neurodeficits associated with your pain/injury and was it changed by your SCS?

3) Did anyone have an inhome nurse after the surgery?

I think that is it for now, and as always thank you all for being so wonderful!!!!

My pleasure twinmom ..

Goodness knows when/if my operation is going to be. I'm off to Sheffield tomorrow to see the Nurse Specialist who looks after all the SCS patients. She will fill me in on what system they are using I guess and answer "any other questions"

Questions I have for her so far are;

1. What system will it be?
2. Can I choose where to have the battery placed .. I'd quite prefer it to be in my
stomach area so I can keep an eye on it.
3. After the Physce Evaluation on the 16th November, how long will it be before the
trial.
4. I know the stimulator has settings, but can I choose the one I like rather than the
one the rep thinks will work best? I hate the gripping sensation on my Tens Machine
and usually keep it on the full buzz with the sensation going from low to high.
5. Will my stim be affected by a thunderstorm?
6. Will my OH feel it if it is on whilst we are err .. *cough* ...

I think she will cover the rest .. who to contact should anything go wrong. (I believe it's her)
Whether it's percutaneous or laminectomy?

All that sort of stuff.

I need to ask her about work. Will I be able to to bend low to fill shelves, carry heavyweights .. i.e. a crate of milk, bundles of newspapers.

I've lost the letter telling me which Hospital is. THough I'm pretty certain it's the Northern General in Sheffield .. or it may be the Hallamshire .. though am pretty sure it's the Northern General. Ooops !

Hi Twinmom, I wanted to reply to this because I have dealt with these issues. I have bladder disease (IC) and my stim has actually helped with this pain a bit. I used to have to be on cathether treatments that I do myself but now I am on meds and my stim helps a little especially because I do not have to get up all night to go to the bathroom. I know it does help me because when it is shut off I have way more symptoms Also, I had sexual problems prior to stim surgery and it helped me in my case but I should also say that I had a total hysterectomy in 05 and still have weird pain from that so that is a separate issue. I do have to have stim on if and when are together though or I am in a lot of pain in my back and legs Hope this information helps! Oh yeah, I also did not have an in home nurse but my mom and grandma (or husband) helped me out and they are going to help be helping me out for my surgery in November. Like I said, I really hope that helps and that I did not offend anyone, if you have more questions feel free to ask take care and good luck! 'sTara

Saffy, I am glad your doctor appointment went well! I was going to try to answer some of your questions too...even though I am very late Are you asking about the permanent stim or the trial? Sorry, I just wanted to clarify before I talked about the wrong things.
1. For the permanent surgery I only had the clothes I was wearing and went home that same day. This surgery is going to be different though because I am having the other leads put in.
2. I like to wear warm up clothes or sweats(things with elastic bands not buttons or zippers)
3. I pretty much lived in my sweats or warm ups for awhile until I went back to school
4. I bought this stuff from the hair salon that you spray in your hair or I would just put my hair in a ponytail since I was not going anywhere
5. I stayed at my mom's house for a few days and my husband did the chores which did not frustrate me at all. For this surgery coming up I am staying with my family again because I heard I will be more sore and need more help.
6. I am not sure about the bending but you are on restriction for awhile.
7. I am not sure why they ask probably your comfort level.
8. I have had my leads move twice and you can tell the difference because it either causes you pain to use it when you turn it up or it no longer covers your pain areas properly. Its important to always tell your rep when things don't feel right because it could just mean you need to be reprogrammed. The first time my leads moved, we don't know why but the second time was due to a fall.
Also, no one can ever tell you have it on and no one else can feel it but you, no matter what you are doing and also thunderstorms don't affect mine but surround sound in the movie theater does and I always have to turn it down when I am watching a movie. And they did not give me a choice about where to have it but it is in my lower back on the right side Hope that I could help some too, and if you have more questions feel free to ask! Good luck and take care 'sTara

Thanh you. It was a bit of an emotional day yesterday - I had to go to bed aftercsome meds because of the journey and because I'd got myself so worked up.

Donna, my nurse, was lovely. She really understood what it was all about and likened the process of losing your "old" life as a bereavement, in that thou go through the same stages

I was really glad mike was with me though he admitted nearly fainting when she told him I would be sat up and awake during the trial.

I got to handle the medtronic controller - which is exactly the same size and shape as my tens unit! She showed me the programmer and two different sets of leads. And of course the battery which Mr. Roe likes to put in your front.

I think what I am going to discuss next week is
.... What if they say no and what if it doesn't work. I have to admit not to really thinking about that as why worry if it may not happen but in this instance I think it wise. How were you guys with this

Thanh you. It was a bit of an emotional day yesterday - I had to go to bed aftercsome meds because of the journey and because I'd got myself so worked up.

Donna, my nurse, was lovely. She really understood what it was all about and likened the process of losing your "old" life as a bereavement, in that thou go through the same stages

I was really glad mike was with me though he admitted nearly fainting when she told him I would be sat up and awake during the trial.

I got to handle the medtronic controller - which is exactly the same size and shape as my tens unit! She showed me the programmer and two different sets of leads. And of course the battery which Mr. Roe likes to put in your front.

I think what I am going to discuss next week is .... What if they say no and what if it doesn't work. I have to admit not to really thinking about that as why worry if it may not happen but in this instance I think it wise. How were you guys with this