Hey Everyone,

Not much news here....still waiting to hear for sure if I can do the "test drive" Boston Sci. Precision SCS in a few weeks. It's scheduled for July 24th, but I had an abnormal EKG during the pre-op exam, then they thought I might have had a heart attack in the past, but now I've seen a cardiologist and he's not so sure. It's been a busy week with EKGs, echocardiogram, and a 2-day chemically induced stress test (because I can't do the treadmill due to nerve damage in my legs/feet). I'm hoping to hear very soon that everything is A-OK and the SCS surgery is a sure thing! I have high hopes of getting rid of some of this unrelenting pain and being able to walk more than a block and maybe even getting rid of The Cane....lol. I wanna go fishing and hiking again! Or even just be able to get some housecleaning and yard work done without paying for it big time later.

Keeping Mark in my prayers as he goes through so much trauma and drama with the whole pain thing. Mark, you continue to encourage and uplift us with your faith and honesty....thanks so much. Also praying for the folks in Colorado who are in the midst of those horrible fires. Hope you are all having a less-pain night and snoozing peacefully by now.

Hugs all 'round,
Jan

I pray you are able to have your "test drive" just as planned. I think I referred to it as a test drive in the article I wrote for my Doc to place in a med journal..... yeah, I think that was the case, alluding to the patient taking the wheel at the stage of permanent implant just like I was allowed to program the device under the watchful knowledgable gaze of the Boston Scientific rep as my Precision Plus SCS was given over to me to fine tune it to MY BODY just like the product branding says..... Precision Plus. How more Precise can the programming be than to have the patient FEEL exactly what happens with each program tweak they initiate????

For me programming was that ultimate God Sign this was absolutely right, as thusly programmed I have now gone two years without any tweaking sessions or revisions surgeries at all because the Precision Plus is finely tuned to my very personal needs. Maybe when you get past the test drive with hopeful outstanding results, you will face the permanent and be allowed to sit at the computer to manipulate the keys. It was not a frightening or overwhelming process at all...... quite natural actually, as though one is sitting at the edge of their bathtub drawing water for a relaxing bath, testing teh temperature..... needs a little more hot.... evening out, testing again and noting the water is just right before you shut off the water and go AHHHHH because you have drawn a bath which is as YOU like it.

Even so with programming the stim under the practiced supervision of the rep, you are not engaging in a guessing game with the rep at the controls... instead, the rep makes sure you are not hurting yourself as you cause stim to flow within your body knwing full well exactly how it feels. A little too much there in the lower leg, and not enough up higher? You vary the signal yourself to fine tune according to your subjective feelings, and finally you arrive at the AHHHHH moments of selecting each of several programs necessary to allow you the care you need with the device.

I am so glad to have it work as I needed it, and I know Coral Toe is the same! We are a small club, self programmed unit holders, but it just makes sense. Hi Ho Boston Scientific for allowing us to program it for our needs!!!

Fires down near Colorado Springs have been devestating and disruptive to so very many, among those friends of ours as well, one of whom I have knewn since we graduated highschool together. He also a lawyer has done well in practice, and has a fome for his family in the very heart of where fire has stricken in teh hills to the northwest of the city. I wait to see, not wanting to burden him with a call at this time.

Prayers for all so affected are definitely appreciated!

Jan, you are keenly in my prayers as you approach the Trial/test drive as I hope you are able to get instant relief such as I knew the day the Trial unit was inserted for me.

Praying,
Mark56

Mark, it's SOOO good to see you typing again and sounding like your good ol' self. I hope the pain while typing has settled a bit? I agree with everything JavaJan said and am praying just the same

Jan - keep on hanging on to that hope of being able to hike and fish.
Despite all the testing they are doing on you and the bumps along the way, it sounds like you've got a great medical team looking out for you. Everything will fall into line and you'll be doing your test run before you know it.

This will be a very exciting time for you (and the rest of us!) as you seek improved pain management and to get your quality of life back.
You have a very positive outlook, and this will certainly work in your favor.
We're all pullin for ya!

Rae