I love my therapist. She is the second one, things just didn't work out with the first one I spent 6 months with. A very smart, wise person told me it was ok to leave and find a new one. He would understand. And he did. So I brought my stimulator with me because I know she sees others who deal with chronic pain. I showed her how it worked and we talked about where I go from here. She seemed very pleased at how I'm handling recovery and waiting. I won't get into the other reason that keeps me seeing her but more time was spent talking about that than my surgery/recovery. A family matter. One that seems to have no end. One that definitely effects my pain. Both in my heart and my back.
I turned on my stim the moment I got out of bed this morning and has not stopped running since. I only changed the program once. Speaking of changing the program, my dog absolutely hates the sound when the unit is locating the IPG. It makes a sharp beeping sound until it finds it then one long beep. He now recognizes it and runs for cover when I get it out of its pouch. One other thing scares him so and that is the vacuum.
First day with no pain medication. No side effects. Just the big nasty demon back there. Its a different hurt now. Kind of like before surgery maybe? IDK. I turned my stim off after getting in the car to drive to therapy and right back on before I got out. So I am having an opportunity to feel thats its working. No way I could tolerate without something for pain if this stimulator wasn't working. By tonight watching tv it was starting to get annoying. You kind of get tired of the buzzing, or whatever you want to call it. It feels good but even a good feeling you can get enough of. But you turn it off, you have to pay! Maybe I won't be able to be med free. But I want to try. Even though I woke up hurting just like every other day, I had more energy and didn't feel so fatigued. Most days I plead with myself to get up because I know if I stay in bed I don't have to deal with the pain. I've accepted the fact that I may have to stay on it, maybe take less, but I have this mission to find out if a little more in tense pain is worth the other nasty feeling the pain med was causing. I didn't know until now how it was dragging me down with side effects. I have more time to heal, no rush I'll figure it all out.
My card from St. Jude came in today. I'm supposed to carry around at all time. Just means its stuck in my wallet with all the others. If I'm at airport or any other place they want to scan me this card will save me. I spent an hour searching for the "perfect" bracelet on line. Med Alert bracelet that is. They're all UGLY! Don't like 'em. Besides my dear husband gave me a tennis bracelet that is PRETTY for Valentines day this year. So here is my plan. The UGLY bracelet will stay in the car and I just slip it on when I get in and take it off when I get out. My husband says, that won't work. ( me only wearing in the car) What if something happens to you here at home alone, or when your shopping? He knows I hate shopping. I'm just trying to get out of wearing the darn thing. Hence putting off choosing one. It can wait.
I'll have guests for the week end. Going to try cooking. It's been tv dinners during recovery. I may not be back until Sunday. Just have to see how it goes. My son has requested chocolate cake for Father's day and D wants the Nutella cookies he saw me pin on pinterest.
I've got my work cut out for me. I'll be cruising with the IPG on high! Lets hope its enough.
Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there. Including mine. He's not here with us but he is definitely in our hearts.
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