Friday was my two week post op appointment with the surgeon's office. I wanted to wait to update until then, because, well, I wasn't really feeling the updating, if ya get me.
Things are going beautifully. I have a restriction to drive for the next 3-5 weeks, and I also can't swim until next week (baths in my own bathtub are okay). I have a 4 inch inscision on my lower lumbar area (epidural space area), and a 3.5 inch inscicion on my upper left butt. In the butt area, they created a pocket in which to put the battery; I opted for the smaller battery that requires a more often charging, because I (being a girl) didn't want the larger battery (which was massive) to stick out. The doctor used internal sutures and Dermabond (the Super Glue for Surgery) on the wounds; they are both healed (for the most part; I do have one little internal suture sticking out of my butt inscision, hence the swimming retriction) and the Dermabond has come off the spinal wound completely, and is starting to come off the butt wound.
My pain med usage is down drastically; I only take oral meds at night now. Now, granted, this isn't a cure, so there are days that my pain levels just can't be helped by the stim, and I have to take some oral pain meds. But considering where I was, well, this is amazing!
It really hit me how helpful this is and how blessed I am now last Friday after my appointment. We got back, and mom and sister drug me to the mall, to Forever 21. We walked the entire mall- and not only did I not use pain meds, I didn't need my cane at all (it was left in the car, just in case). It finally hit me that in 6 weeks, my dream of walking down the aisle/dancing with my husband with no meds, no canes, no wheelchairs is going to come true. And I am so incredibly thankful for that. Not only that, but I am so incredibly thankful for my family, my friends, and my fiance- none of them have stopped fighting nor have they stopped believing that I would get this. Brian has never known me "not sick"- and yet he sticks by my side faithfully and lovingly. Some couples go through life and never have to go through anything like this; others go through it time and again. Some make it every time, others break up after the first experience. I am confident and have faith we will be able to make it through anything after this.
The company rep for the stimulator was there, and they added more programs (ie, how the stim runs, what it feels like pulsing versus steady, etc). They added these two really awesome programs that I love (in addtion to others). The one stays on for two hours, then turns off automatically- I love it for bedtime. The other, good for long days, is on for 2 hours, turns off for 15 minutes, then turns back on for 2 hours, and so on. He added that one specifically for the wedding day :) Whenever I want a change in program, or want to add more, all I have to do is call the rep and they will meet me whenever at my doctors office 15 minutes away, which is pretty awesome!
Oh, and I forgot to mention waking up after the surgery. Apparently, I was hollering so loud the other patients were like WTF Mate? I was yelling for FI and water. Lovely.
So, all in all, healing is coming along nicely. We have charged in once, and that went well considering it was our first time doing so.
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