Hi Pam, sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it at the moment. Words seem so inadequate at times like this. We will be thinking of you, and you are welcome to yell at me loudly an time you like.

Phil

Folks, I've opted for the less intrusive option and going to have an attempt at getting the 2nd lead threaded in with hope it will give more coverage. It's definitely the better option, the other being a fusion which will leave me with one only flexible disc and at high risk of further deterioration. Yay yay yay, I can't tell you how relieved I am that the option for a 2nd attempt at threading the 2nd lead in is available. Will find out in a few weeks when that will be happen. Feeling relieved and happy today

Pam,

Praying the additional coverage will really improve much of the pain. Glad the option is open for the 2nd lead .
Hopefully the surgery will be soon. I'm sure you are looking forward to having this all behind you.


Gerry

Pam,

PTL that they are going to be able to do the 2nd lead, as opposed to a fusion - that is awesome!

Praying for you as you continue your journey!

=Becky

That is definitely great news!!!!!! Not only less intrusive, it would have to be way less painful too. Does this mean you will be having a "BLAST" for 12 weeks again? So glad that you've had some good news for a change, can understand you feeling relieved. Party time!

Phil

Such good news...less surgery...less pain...options that give us the hope of more control and ease anxiety.

I am joyous for you!!!

and so nice to see you buoyed back to a bit of yourself.....you are cherished here and at home.

Keeping your spirit in the Light
HB

Yup I'm gonna be having a BLaST of a time in the lead up to Xmas by the look of it. Still I will be very happy to be blasting away in recovery post lead threading, once you have done it before, you have a better idea on how to handle it

Wish I could find energy to appreciate life and all it has to offer. Tired of feeling flat and washed out and wondering how much longer this apathy will continue. Perhaps it's different this time because I'm not working and in work I was able to lose myself in what I was doing. Feeling blah!

I'm having the 2nd lead implanted this Wednesday under my new pain mgt doctor. He seems very nice and was completely understanding of my pain.

I'm feeling quite nervous about the procedure given the last attempt was a failure with a 1hr procedure becoming 3 hours and the struggle to get the lead inserted in the spinal canal due to floating bone fragments blocking its passage. I worry the dura could be pierced again or worse, damage caused to the spinal cord itself. That said I'm less nervous about this than if it was a fusion instead, so I'm working on finding some positives and to be grateful for.

My poor husband has been seriously ill with Legionnaires disease (again) and it's been a very tough 6 weeks. He will not cope well if something unexpected happens to me.

I'm still cutting down on various meds, down to 10mg SR oxy, but been put back on a Norspan patch 20mg and already suffering the dreaded severe itch allergic reaction. The skin underneath the patch is red raw and looks like a burn mark. I Was prescribed also a new drug tapentadol 200mg a day. In the same family as tramadol apparently but supposedly better tolerated.

Took the prescription off to my regular pharmacy and had it filled on Tuesday afternoon, luckily I thought 4 tablets of 50mg high to begin with so I only took 1 on Wednesday morning. I began to feel a little nauseous but then got a phone call from a stranger saying my mother had collapsed at the shopping centre. I dashed off down there and saw her into an ambulance, went home and fed her cat and then down to the hospital emergency where we waited for 4 hours before she was seen, I was further ill and put it down to stress. They allowed mum to go home providing she see her GP the next day, so took her home and my sister and I got her settled and my sister stayed with her overnight, I went home and was ill again, still didn't think much on it. Thursday am took my morning tablets but not the new drug as I completely forgot it!! At noon I went to mums and took her to see her GP. I got back home to find urgent calls from my pharmacist, it turns out they had dispensed the wrong medication and what I was given I'm highly allergic to. How lucky am I that I only took the one tablet and forgot the next day, my old dad must have been up there looking over me I'm sure of it. I never forget to take my medication. I'm building up to taking 4 of the new drug tapentadol took 2 today and will do 3 tomorrow so by weds I will be up to 4 a day.

Anyhow it's been an eventful week with mum, Lyndon and me so this coming week just has to be better....

Never a dull moment on your side of town is there Pam? Glad your guardian angel kept you intact. That's a bit scary when you sit back and think about it. Personally, I'll be glad to see the end of my Norspan. The plan is to start reducing it in the near future when everything has settled down. At least that was the PM's plan, haven't seen the GP yet.

Keep that smile on your dial,

Phil