Pam,

Hopefully much of this pain will be just a memory.

Glad you will be going to the 'celebration of life'; how beautiful. I can't imagine your circle of friends/famiy will see you as a wallflower; but caring enough to be there with all of them. Just be careful not to overdo.


Gerry

Can't face anyone today
 

I've cancelled the cleaner and for the first time in over 15 months put on a duragesic 50mg patch. Yes I will get an angry angry allergic reaction to the adhesive, but it's just too bad, to bear this pain in this relentless heat above 37c is more than a koala can bear! The frustrating thing is the duragesic fentanyl patches work, but, the side effects they give me in the long run are far too much. I will take it off tomorrow and be thankful for at least one day with moderate rather than severe pain. Very much looking forward now to seeing my rep and PM and getting this stim sorted. It's frustrating to not even be able to stretch or get relief by putting my arms above my head. Sorry, just feeling sorry for myself, for those reading this and contemplating stims, take heart, they do work, I've just had complications and all will get better.

Howdy Pam!
 

How I hope and pray your day out with the girls has been indeed refreshing to your spirit and that you were more involved and less of a wallflower. Golly, in your situation merely being there is far less "wallflowerish" than having stayed at home!!! :) It is cool your Mum could drive you!

I am glad you are blessed with caring family [inclusive of your angel dogs] who watch over you.

Give it time. Work the dickens out of that stim. Explore it. I was allowed to actually program my stim from the first day, and it has served me VERY well since mid 2010. You can get there! I have hope and share prayers for you in this regard.

Using my stim I was able to withdraw from every single drug which had ruled my life during medicinal pain management. I hope as well for you this may be the case for you.

CARING Pam,
Yup, :hug: :hug: :hug:

Pam
 

I am so very sorry you are going through such a bad time....and 'no' you are not feeling sorry for yourself. This pain you are dealing with is more than what most people could even conceive of!

You are a couple days away from seeing your initial neuro. Maybe he will have some words of wisdom or ideas of how this pain can be reduced.
How did it go with the duragesic patch? I hope you didn't suffer an allergic reaction. I know how helpful these patches can be, as I've lived off of them for 3 yrs now. I also know about the rebound/withdrawal, like you mentioned. I hope you aren't dealing with anything like that on top of this other stuff.

You are certainly being prayed for, dear Pam.
Please God let things turn around SOON.

Caring,
Rae

calamine lottion
 

PamelaJune,

I get a blistery rash when I burn myself or anytime I have to put on a band aid. Calamine Lotion is what works for me...dries the rash then I use Neosporin to soften the skin again.

I tried everything cuz it itches so bad and I will scratch my skin away!!

Let us know how it goes at your appointments...I am so sorry for your pain.

HB

i have been following for quite sometime now
i wonder why during trial things go much better
and when permanent is inserted there seems to be
more difficult
i opted not to get one
but have followed long enough to
say it is baffling
this is what i came to see
i remember Hanna
i am hoping as the persons
giving the device a try
are very brave
as it was said in my operative report
"there was a nerve running right across the
C 6/7 disk"
the body was talking clearly
was never told
but only for the report
always on guard
as only you know your body
keeping the faith

Eva,
Can't help but wonder if the biggest difference in the trial is the fact that you do not have an incision/pocket where the battery is put in and attached to leads being inserted (many seem to have a lot of pain from that particular site).

Also, the trial is usually only a few days and leads/battery have substance/tape, etc. very securely are not given much time for moving. Seems like when surgically implanted; while waiting for leads to scar in; sometimes leads begin to migrate and are no longer where they were when the trial was in for just a few days. I would think the migration might be one of the problems encountered. Once they begin to scar in and not in the right place; not good.

Yet it seems if you are one who does all the right "BLAST" that Mark so often speaks of; Success!!! Of course; this is just my observation/opinion. I did have an unsuccessful trial. Never did the implant.


Gerry

Wallflower
 

So I went to the girls celebration of life, my friend went all out. We had an Official photographer and then biggest limousine I've ever seen drove the 12 of us up and down the coast and then to a lovely restaurant at the marina.

At about 3 pm my back seemed to "crack" I heard and felt it and The pain instantaneous causing me agony and tears, my friends got me a taxi and to home I went, straight to bed with a bucket as the pain was making me so ill. Knocked myself out again with Xanax. I Had my appt with the neurosurgeon anyway today and he took an X-Ray and has put me straight into hospital. My back feels like it is collapsing, the double fusion of last year all looks good but the L2/3 above the facet joints have blown out and he believes its what the problem is. My PM is coming in tomorrow and I spoke to my neurosurgeon also about the laminotomy and the paddle as the leads clearly are not working. So, I'm in here to get the pain under control and it's possible I will have another fusion and or get the laminotomy done and paddle inserted. My rep is coming to see me tomorrow also.

There is a part of me that wants both done, the fusion will fix the lower back L2/3 and it's referred hip pain and the laminotomy and paddle insertion will fix the arm/hand and thoracic pain. I was so bad, I was crying and saying the taxi won't take me as they will think I'm drunk. But my girlfriends were splendid they waited with me, put me in and explained to the taxi driver to take me home, or if I changed my mind hospital. And the taxi driver even offered to walk me to my front door. I had no sleep the night before as it was paining me but I was determined to go and see the girls. And as much as I'm in pain, I would do it again, it was lovely to see them and we got some wonderful photos and created new lovely memories.

They've given me endone 10mg, oxy 20mg and pethidine as I'm allergic to morphine nowadays. At present it's not touching the sides and I will have to buzz them again.

Hugs to you all, a very sad and sorry Pamela

Pam, I am glad to hear you went to the "celebration". Your friend went way out to make everthing so memorable for everyone there. And, most of all, you will be present in the pictures taken. But.....

So sorry you had to leave in such terrible pain. From what you say, sounds like the fusion is a must. Even tho your neuro does not do the paddle; has he mentioned whether he feels the scar tissue might still be an issue possibly making the procedure unsuccessful??

Sure am praying you will be guided to make decisions that will work most to eliminate much of your pain.


Gerry

Neuro
 

Hi Ger, my neuro said the other neurosurgeon (Dr Holthouse) who is also a PM is a good bloke, but I said I would prefer him (Dr Malone) to do the laminotomy and paddle insertion and he has said he may be able to do it with my PM (Dr Finch) alongside. They want to get the pain under control first so on arrival 2 x 10mg Endone and 30 min later pethidine as I've developed an allergy to morphine then 4 hours later another 2 endone along with my night meds and then OxyContin at 11pm and pethidine during the night. I've just had another pethidine injection. So even with all those drugs my spine is weeping still. Any movement hurts and it feels like it's collapsing.

They are working hard to eliminate the pain, my husband visited last night and explained to the Dr that for the last three nights bar Saturday where I didn't sleep at all I've knocked myself out with Xanax and even though knocked out, I've been crying in my sleep and in terrible pain. I had no idea as I was non compos... I hope he managed a good nights rest last night with me gone as he looked shattered. He left work early so he could get here, dropped the dogs at home, quick water and food for them and came straight here. Funny how when people see the uniform they suddenly become self conscious. The nurses and visitors seeing him were all agog.

I so wonder what today will bring, I can't go on like this and in my own mind I think the laminectomy and fusion of L2/3 will fix the problem and while in there do the laminotomy and insert the paddle so I can get better pain control with the stim. The Mount hospital staff are splendid and nurses must all have caring as their middle name!

Well wishes:hug::hug:
Mark, I hope your recovery is still going well. Eva, I hope you can begin to say NO and find some inner peace. Becky, I hope your stim is still going well. Wingy, I hope you have managed some gentle journeys to the local pub. Gerry, I hope your stresses are abating, Nance, I hope post op is coming along well. HB, no falls or trips I hope and Rrae, life is being kind to you. So many other names to recall but the pethidine injection they just gave me is kicking in, ooh just remembered Pooh, hope the long drive back passed in a flash overridden by fabulous memories.
:grouphug: