Saturday I was so annoyed with my stimulator I could have thrown the remote across the room. 9 programs and 0 working. Twice during the day I took the time to give each one a try again. Being a 9 on the pain scale day you just couldn't deal with me. My husband was tired of hearing me gripe about it. I think he was worried I'd really slam the thing across the room. It was just so frustrating. I sat down to text Mr. R and realized his number was one of the ones that didn't transfer to this temporary phone so I was in a pickle. I found his associates number and text her but by Sunday afternoon no word back from her. Finally I remembered I had his business card in my charging bag. I text him and begged to see him ASAP. He put me down for this am @ 9.
When he came to get me from reception area the first thing he said to me was an apology for not replying a couple of weeks ago. He fussed at me because I didn't bug him. I told him no worries it was just as much my fault. Desperate now, I was definitely planning to bug you, I told him. Within an hours time he had three new programs for me that I hope stick around for some time. One is the best I've ever had. Puzzles me why they just don't last. I asked Mr. R about this and he said everyone is different. He has some cases he programmed a few weeks out from surgery and never needed again. Some people call him once a year and a handful that he sees several times a year. He said my case was difficult from the start. We've always had trouble finding that "sweet spot" so it's not surprising to him that I continue to need reprogramming. I can live with that as long as we don't get to the point that we can't find a way to make it work.
He shared with me that St. Jude has a new battery coming out in 2-3 years. It's still in trial right now in Europe. When it is cleared to be on the medical market he said it will be perfect for me. You won't feel any stimulation at all. It will just work without the stimulation. When you turn it on it just blocks the pain but you don't feel anything. So if it's zapping me in my stomach it wouldn't matter because I won't feel it. This news gives me hope that things can get even better.
The bad....on the scale today I'm UP half a pound. 139 I started weighing everyday the day I started the new water drinking method. I wanted to see if it was making a difference. Everyday that I weighed I was 138 which was half a pound down from last week on Tuesday. I started weighing everyday on Thursday. So how shocked was I when I weigh today thinking it might even be lower and bam it was up! They recommend you shouldn't weigh everyday for that reason. Your weight can fluctuate day to day when dieting. If I wouldn't have been doing that I probably wouldn't have been so disappointed because I would have looked at it as up half a pound and not a whole pound.
So needless to say I did not feel the need to snap a picture of this "weight gain". Figured you all would take my word for it. I've been pushing myself hard in the pool since I can't do anything more than I already do on my recumbent bike. Previously I mainly was doing PT exercises and stretches. I've been swimming laps and water jogging so maybe I've put on some muscle? I was shocked at the calories you burn water jogging. In 10 minutes it is as much as I burn 30 minutes on my bike.
The bursitis in my elbows and knees is giving me heck. I really thought the additional time in the pool would help but it seems to be making it worse. My elbows are keeping me from sleeping. Every move I make wakes me up. I've been staying off the free weights to see if that would help but it's been a month now and seems worse. I have an appointment with my rheumatologist next month hopefully he can give me some advise.
I've had my feet up and on the heating pad while typing this post. Time to get up and get something done around here. I want to try and pickle some of my banana peppers. To many to eat. I've been putting in everything from my salad to on my sandwich.
Hopefully next post I have pictures again. I haven't tried to put pictures from this "other" phone onto my computer. I'm afraid it won't be as simple as with my iphone. It takes awesome pictures though. 13 pixels. I took a picture of my husband in the pool last evening from some distance. My dog just happened to be on the steps of the deck. I noticed when I zoom in to just him in the photo it doesn't even get blurry. That part of the phone I love. It takes better quality pictures than my iphone.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Not giving up H.O.P.E.
Theresa
Six steps to successful communication
Think of the word "ladder" to help you remember
L ook at the person speaking to you
A sk questions
D on't interrupt
D on't change the subject
E mpathize
R espond verbally and nonverbally
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