Nan .. I'll be thinking of you and sending out positive vibes. I'm going to try to get to my stone circle (7 ladies) which is near me, as I always feel peace and calm when I do.

I feel a lot better having seen the Hospital and had my pre op and checked out the staff and how they manage you. I'm not nervous now at all. Either this will help, or it wont .. but I will give it a good try.

Nan .. sending you smiles x x x

Hi Nan
 

Hi Nan,

It's lovely to hear from you, i too am a newbie to this site I only logged in on Friday and everyone has been so nice to me and the wealth of information and support from these lovely people is really wonderful, there were many days when I was just looking to chat to someone in the same boat as myself and as supportive as my husband and family are it's not the same.

I had my Medtronic SCS implanted in December 2010 and I finally went back to my job two weeks ago. I work in a University as an Administrator so there is a lot of sitting involved and some driving to get there. I guess I'm lucky in my job that I have my own office so if i'm up and down from my chair or lying on the floor during my lunch break when I can and no-one is else will even know. I work two and a half days a week and I plan to build up to full-time if I can.

Before I had the SCS implanted I had spent 4 years in agonising, burning, chronic pain with tons of spasms and I did suffer from some depression.
Thankfully some of the meds my Consultant gave me helped immensely, I was taking some oxy and the Matrifen (Fentynal) patch and some antihistimene as the patch drove my skin mad with the itch.

Before the implant I was nervous checking in but on the grand scale of things I wasn't as nervous as I could have been, i trusted my Dr, he made feel comfortable and together with all the other surgeries I had I felt okay about it all. The hospital staff in the ward and in the theatre were so nice and they helped me relax my giving me a pre-med, I was fine. The surgery for mine was in two parts, the first part they put in the leads and an external box, a lot like the trial. A few days later the Dr put the device part in my abdomen and connected the wires so everything is now inside.
I guess I took me about 6 weeks to get over this initial surgery but I think everyone is different with this, what kept me from returning to work here was I was so exhausted from 4 years of chronic debilitating pain I was too tired to back.
My implant has so far been very successful, I had the scs implanted in my left side of my back for back and leg pain and it has changed my life beyond recognition, gone is the drawn pale tired looking person that was always in pain to someone that is now me! I’m walking two miles a day and doing what I can, I still have a serious amount of pain in my back and right side which needs to be addressed and my Consutant is considering putting in the Navro system in the right side.

It’s good to hear from and you and I look forward to chatting with you again some time.
All the best,

Sophie

to you all...
 

first to sophie, thank you so much for your candid, comments. its funny reading some of the post is like opening a book that someone wrote about my own life. to all the other friends i've made, your support has turned a very scary, lonely, difficult situation into an experience im walking into with optimism, and thats because of the knowledge you all have shared with me. thanks -a- bunch! @--------->-------- a rose for my roses!

Oh how sweet~
 

how very touching!
Indeed - being here puts a great optimistic twist on everything!
I told Mark that it's actually becoming quite 'FUN' to be an SCSer! :p
We all bond so easily....like real family
:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

Rae
:hug::grouphug::hug:

Nan!!
 

Know this, that you are in my prayers and my thoughts as you approach day of surgery. I pray that all will be well and that you may regain MUCH which you have purposely laid aside as pain overcame you.

Reading that INSPIRATIONAL post from Sophie gave much by way of indication illustrating how you, too, may resume some of lost life activity. Many among our SCS family have returned to work, taken up what had been put aside. YOU MAY ALSO find release as you heal. Be full of watchfulness to follow doc's recommendations for healing, ultimately leading to physical therapy to strengthen muscles which have need of use. Expect surgical pain, knowing it will abate, and rather soon. When I compared the post surgical pain of SCS to that of prior fusions, I knew the bounce back would go more easily than with fusion surgery.

Small steps lead to great victories. Allow yourself to conquer that which has held you down one bit at a time. Through this you will avoid overdoing while regaining strength and confidence. It has always been true that while a human may eat an apple casually one small bit at a time, consuming the whole; he who attempts to swallow all in one stuffing motion will die from choking. Healing from surgery and taking those steps returning to your personal measure of wholeness will bear sweet fruit if done one tiny step at a time.

I now sing with the worship team at our church, an activity pain had snatched from me. The face of joy which releases my voice is known by all who worship with us as a new face, no longer drawn by pain, and so many people share the thrill that I have come back.

Prolific writing has burst from me. I cannot contain myself. Joy at being released from pain is something about which I wish to shout praises around this globe. Poetry falls from my fingers inspired of God whom I credit with the invention that has been wholly restorative. Now I have again purchased a guitar, for I at one time wrote much music, and sharing it even for a few will be a joy.

Networking tremendously among my former colleagues may soon propel me to a resumption of my profession..... t'would be nice thusly to help put food on the table. Again, as Sophie has written, colleagues are astonished at the face no longer fixed in pain. I, too, was known as one who worked from the floor, lying there as pain overwhelmed before the trek of surgeries commenced. I was the ominous voice heard from the floor of a corporate boardroom, or the floor during depositions because it was only the floor where I could comfortably work. Now, I anticipate a chair may once again bear my weight once I secure work.

Oh, and guess what..... last fall, my wife purchased a new mountain bike for me to resume my rides which used to be 12 miles per day. So, while I may no longer slice beautiful s curves down a slalom slope and may not take up a back pack for miles of hikes into wilderness terrain there is much of life that I am now tasting anew. For you, this is my prayer. Look beyond surgery to striding toward your personal goals of recapturing life.

We are all capable according to our injury, illness, determination, and drive. I know I have it, and want to welcome you into the world where pain can be managed at least in great part by this miracle we know to be Spinal Cord Stimulation.

Praying blessings upon you,
Mark56:hug:ZZ

I'm Back!
 

Guys, i made it through...yes i'm sore, like for real. Everything i was told was true. although i have a ways to go, just wanted to thank everyone for all the support, and i'll be posting again as i can. "i did it!":p



Big Hugs, NAN!!!

Hurrah for NAN
 

:yahoo::You-Rock:Welcome to a new member of the SCSers, referred, as I recall by Rrae, as the Buzzers!! It used to be a bit more colorful, but we recognized the buzzers [well and with the Navro non-buzzing device] that some buzzers are located in the hip, some in the abdomen, some higher on the chest wall, so color lapsed to Buzzers. At any rate, WELCOME:welcome_sign::Heart::You-Rock::yahoo::circlelove:

Rrae has all of the BETTER smilies in her magical left pocket, so when she hops on here you may expect something way over the rainbow from her!

May your healing go well, splendidly in fact,
Mark56 :hug::hug::hug::hug:gently

Hi Nan,
I got your PM, so happy everything went well for you, in a few days you'll start to feel the benefit of your SCS and the surgical pain will ease, just take your meds, no point being a hero!
Take care of yourself and let your husband and family spoil you for a while with breakfast in bed and what not.

So happy for you.

Sinéad (Sophie) xxx :)

Yayyy! Positive thoughts for you Nan x x x x :hug:

Day 3!
 

Well, Nan, you're on day number 3! Just letting you know I've been thinkin bout you and hopin you're doin ok!
I layed on ice for the 1st 2 or 3 days, and it should get easier from here on out.

.....have I nagged at you about one of those reacher/grabber thingy's?
That should be No. 11 in the Book of Commandments, as far as I'm concerned. :p

Rae
:hug: