I just wanted to give you a Howdy from Colorado where it is snowing today.

I truly hope your wife will eventually find it in herself to do the PT part of recovery because it does help. I also know there are other users here who have done well with Medrontic, such as Rrae, Pooh and others like Jackiey, and Tchr012 who had hers replaced. Pooh is on her third, not because they are lousy, but because she has used them until the units needed to be replaced.

Prayin all will be well,
Mark56

Gonna pass this group on to her when she gets in tonight.......
God be with all of you!

Sorry but have to inject the memories of the F-100's and duty at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nv back in the 50's. Nothing like the sound of the afterburner or the experience of a sonic boom. wishing you all a pain free day

The afterburners and the boom. The cool thing which came later with advanced photography was the photographic illustration of the push of the craft surrounded by the vapor vortex of transition. One picture worth so many words..... and THANK YOU for your service and reminding us of experiences now only reserved for at sea and outside continental U.S.

Mark56

I'm baaack with messed up back and all. Thanks Mark and Andy for your input. Pain Dr. did another nerve washing? and it worked for about a day and then back to same ol' same ol'. Weird to say the least but, I use to find relief from the pain be laying down; now I have less pain standing up or sitting than I do laying down. I take my pain meds just before bedtime and soon as I lay down, it hits and the pain start going steadily up to an 8. I have to grin and bare it in a fetal position and it starts easing up to about 5 and I' finally doze off and pain comes back and wakes me up in about 2 hr.'s. I get up, hobble around a little or sit and watch T.V. till it's time for pain meds and then the process starts over.
I'm seeing the surgeon tomorrow A.M. and I have some questions I want to ask but, I've had two failed back surgeries, 2 yr's physical therapy, cortisone shots, etc. etc. plus Dr's have told me I'm pretty much out of options at age 68 yr's old and with the "very bad back you have", I'm at a point where I have nothing to lose. At least I don't think I have!
Anyway, I will touch base and compare notes with you guys after my appt: tomorrow.
Thanks again for ya'lls prayers, support and shared information.
Larry

Bless yer heart, Limpin Larry!
Can you sleep in a recliner or somethin that wouldn't be laying down or does that help at all?
So sorry you're dealing with such misery and I hope and pray your doctor will have some direction for you. From what it sounds to my non-doctor ears you may be a perfect candidate for the SCS trial.

Prayin that Dr appt tomorrow provides direction! We will be happy to compare notes afterward, guy.

Caring,
Mark56

Thanks again Andy. Yep on the recliner for sure. Last Nov. when I was fixin' to have my back surgery my wifey bought me one of those electric lift chairs so's I wouldn't have to strain getting up. As it turned out I had heart surgery and was really glad I had that chair during that ordeal. No way I could lay in a bed for about a month. It took me a couple of nights to figure it out but I finally did. It helps with some of the pain better than the bed but I still have to have my morphine E.R. and morphine IR for breakthru. I'll be glad to stop that stuff if the implant works.

You guys are truly appreciated and if'n we all lived a little closer I'd let ya'll buy me a good ol' steak so's we could sit and chew tha fat. Mark, I think about reading your threads and the problems you had regarding all the pain meds, sleeping all the time and the constipation, all of which I can relate to, and that alone would sell me on permanent implant, even if the trial run was a bust.
I'll get back with you later.

Saw the neurosurgeon this morn and he said although I had an extrodinarily complicated bad back with lots of stenosis and bone spurs he would be able to do the paddle implant. He was very upbeat saying that where the "paddle" needed to go was clear and unobstructed. He said I was a very good candidate and he was quite sure he could get me off of most of the drugs I'm now taking. I told him about a previous temporary implant I had about 6-7 years ago that didn't give me any relief and he said todays stimulators are far more superior than they were then. He said with the paddle he would be able to place it EXACTLY where HE wanted it to go, thereby getting the stimulation exactly where I need the stimulation. With the temporary a month ago, the PM dr. had trouble getting the leads to the level they needed to be in order for me to get relief so I ended up with sensations on right side instead of on left side where I needed it most. He said the paddle implant would fix that problem Sooo, I said lets go for it. Oh, and he said I was pretty much out of options so that helped me make up my mind too.
I'm gonna keep prayin' real hard about this and pray that The Good Lord bless this surgeons hands and mind even more than what he already has so's I get SOME relief out of this procedure.
Later,
Larry