Stim Jim

As the months went on and the hospitalizations and ER visits became more frequent I knew I had to do something.  It was taxing on not only me, but my husband.  It was routine imaging, IV steroids to bring down the inflammation and pain control.  By this time, I was in touch with Dr Taro Kaibara at Barrows and felt comfortable with his expertise.  I had my pain management Doctor who I trusted.  By this time, I had probably had 20 different imaging scans ranging from CT, MRI's, bone scans, and xrays.  I had the answer, it just wasn't the answer I wanted and there wasn't a cure.  So, I had to move on to the next step... a plan. 

I was experiencing severe fatigue driving Phil to work after his seizure.  This was a 3 month ordeal. I was driving from Surprise to Phoenix to Wickenburg and back.  Driving was flaring up the Pudendal Nerve causing spasms in my pelvic floor again.  I made an appointment with Dr Hibner.  I had been symptom free for a year and a half.  I figured I was so fatigued from the pain I was in, my body didnt know how to fight it.  I was having to pull over in parking lots to rest my eyes.  The drive became more and more difficult and unsafe.  I had to go out on FMLA/Short Term Disability for the second time. I decided to move forward with the Spinal Cord Stimulator.  I chose the one from Medtronic.  My pain Dr did the trial in his office, I wore it externally for 7 days, I thought this was a great option and moved forward with the decision for a permanent one.  The process did take a couple months.  My pain Doctor told me "Its like wearing a new pair of pants".  He said I will be able to walk better, my legs won't feel so heavy.  This comes from the Arachnoiditis (the clumping of the nerve roots in the lumbar spine). The inflammation is severe at times, any standing or walking causes the lumbar area to become inflammed and it affects the legs.

I had the permanent SCS placed, I named it "Stim Jim".  I was able to return to work, I was out a total of 5 months.  When I returned, I blessed to return to the same team, although I was not given back the Wickenburg territory that I had previously had for 10 years.  I grieved that loss, but it ended up being a blessing because that was an hour and a half less I had to spend driving every day.  Also, I was close to home and able to stop in during the day to tend to my bladder/bowel issues.  My territory was literally in my neighborhood.  This ended up being the biggest blessing. 

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