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Interstim Diary -- Day Fourteen, Less than 24 hours to go!

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  • #1

    Interstim Diary -- Day Fourteen, Less than 24 hours to go!

    Less than 24 hours until I'm put out cold... and when I wake up, I'll have a new body part made out of metal, one that works on one of my nerves so that I (hopefully) don't have to pee as much or as urgently.

    With the way the trial has gone, I have a lot of hope, but I know there is still a long road ahead... full of healing, reprogramming the Interstim, getting everything just right and hopefully back to some kind of normalcy. I hope it works, I hope it works...

    It's my pre-surgery jitter time now. It began when I slipped some of my metal body jewelry out of its place and slid in silicone replacements... when I do that, when I start thinking of things like "no metal allowed in the OR" and actually DOING something about it, that's when the jitters begin for real. Because now the surgery isn't just some vague thing that is happening in the future ... it is something that is happening TOMORROW, for real.

    I am home alone today, as I've taken time off from work and hubby has gone back to work after his illness for one day to clean up the mess his co-workers inevitably made in his absence -- before taking tomorrow off to transport a nervous, then loopy me to and from the hospital. That means it's quiet and I have only my mind to listen to at the moment... the worries come to the forefront then, but I do my best to close my eyes, relax, and enjoy the feel of my cat's fur on my body. Paddington senses a need in me, and curls against me wherever I sit or lay, and the feel of his thick winter coat and lion's purr is just what I need.

    In about 45 minutes, I will be leaving the house to go to my pain clinic appointment, and hopefully this time, since my appointment is the day before surgery, I will be able to obtain better pain control for my post-surgery days than last time. While I do believe in pain contracts, sometimes they can be a real hassle, since my urologist can no longer prescribe anything for post-op pain -- it is up to the pain clinic. Let's hope they deliver, since I'm having something shoved in the fat and muscle in my butt tomorrow, and if my suspicions are correct, that might hurt a little.

    Right now, I'm just going to breathe in, breathe out.........
    ****
    Jen

    *Diagnosed with severe IC in 2004
    *Also diagnosed with PFD, fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain, IBS, migraines, allergies/asthma, dermatographism
    *Kept trying a million different treatments for all these things until I found what works, and I am doing okay these days with the help of a cocktail of medications and the InterStim, which was first placed in 2007. [I have had 2 revisions - one in 2010 when my battery died and had to be replaced, and one complete replacement (lead and generator) in 2012 after a fall on my stairs caused my lead to move.]
    *Current meds include Atarax (50mg at night), Lyrica (150mg twice a day), Xanax (0.5mg at night and as needed), Zanaflex (4mg at night), hydrocodone (10/325, every 6 hours as needed), Advair, Nasonex, Singulair (10mg at night), oral contraceptives, home instills containing Elmiron and Marcaine (as often as I need to do them).

    **I am not a medical authority nor do I offer definitive medical advice. I strongly encourage you to discuss your medical treatment with your personal medical care provider. Only they can, and should, give medical recommendations to you.
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  • #2
    Jen, please know I've been and will continue to think of you and your hubby right now. I'm glad to hear he's feeling well enough to go back to work. Wishing you the best of luck tomorrow!
    *IC-- Summer 2004; PFD--October 2005
    *Fibro--Fall 2000; CFS-- Fall 2000
    *MPS--Fall 2000; Crohn's disease-- 1997*IBS,GERD, *Migraines, hypothyroidism, GYN problems *Degenerative Disc Disease/scoliosis

    Total Abdominal Hysterectomy--adenomyosis--9\08

    04/17/09 Crohn's disease almost killed me with a combo of extreme constipation from pain medications. My bowel ruptured, I almost died from peritonitis and spent several days in the ICU then more in a private room on the floor. If you have any questions about severe constipation from pain meds please don't hesitate to send me a message.

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    • #3
      Jen...I am sending you a very big (((((HUG))))) right now.
      Sharon

      Shopping??? Did someone mention shopping? I'll get my hat... ;-)

      Where I can be found most days.



      Link to the ICN Patient Handbook:
      http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/

      Link to the IC Diet:
      http://www.ic-network.com/diet/


      IC Volunteers are not medical authorities nor do we offer medical advice. In all cases, we strongly encourage you to discuss your medical treatment with your personal medical care provider. Only they can, and should, give medical recommendations to you.

      Comment

      • #4
        Sending a 2nd hug from your old neck of the woods!

        I am glad that you have your cat. You are right...I am still so thankful that I had my "Penny" during that time in my life. He was always with me whether I was in bed or in my fav chair when I was hurting. People always say that cats can be so on their own terms, but when I am in a flare now I really miss that soothing purr!

        Hugs, Tracey

        Comment

        • #5
          Thanks gals

          My pain doctor delivered and prescribed a few extra pills for me to take after surgery, so I am more confident in the pain control department. However, if it is not enough, I will have to call... or better yet, bring out Angry Husband again. Angry Husband seems to be able to leap pain clinics in a single bound and get doctors to call his wife after-hours to take care of her pain when she has been ignored previously!

          Tracey, I know what you mean. When we got Paddington at the Maine Coon breeder, she said he may follow me around like a dog, but he would not be a true lap cat... but he manages to get all 22 pounds of himself onto my lap, or between my legs, just about every single time I get in my recliner these days. And, he sleeps either right next to me or on top of me all night. So much for not being a lap cat! If you can't tell, I am happy the breeder turned out to be wrong about Paddington -- but then again, there was something special about him that day when we went to see the kittens, and that's why I chose him.
          ****
          Jen

          *Diagnosed with severe IC in 2004
          *Also diagnosed with PFD, fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain, IBS, migraines, allergies/asthma, dermatographism
          *Kept trying a million different treatments for all these things until I found what works, and I am doing okay these days with the help of a cocktail of medications and the InterStim, which was first placed in 2007. [I have had 2 revisions - one in 2010 when my battery died and had to be replaced, and one complete replacement (lead and generator) in 2012 after a fall on my stairs caused my lead to move.]
          *Current meds include Atarax (50mg at night), Lyrica (150mg twice a day), Xanax (0.5mg at night and as needed), Zanaflex (4mg at night), hydrocodone (10/325, every 6 hours as needed), Advair, Nasonex, Singulair (10mg at night), oral contraceptives, home instills containing Elmiron and Marcaine (as often as I need to do them).

          **I am not a medical authority nor do I offer definitive medical advice. I strongly encourage you to discuss your medical treatment with your personal medical care provider. Only they can, and should, give medical recommendations to you.

          Comment

          • #6
            Okay, Jen...I am having a hard enough time trying to keep from getting another cat since we had to put Penny to sleep. I just know that God sent that cat to our house since he was not the usual kind of cat. He never needed a litter box. He asked to go outside (yes everytime) and was like Paddington and would always find someone in the family that he wanted to be with. Such a loving cat!!!! I miss him everyday. I have a picture of him on my desk and it looks like he is just looking up at me with that sweet face!

            I took Mollie to the vet the other day for her shots and to get her "nails done". A friend of mine that works at the vet told me that one of her co-workers found a little puppy that someone dropped off by her house and she was looking for a home for him. She said that he resembled Mollie so much. Of course I had to see him, so she brought him out. He was a black fuzzy fur ball like Mollie as a puppy. They thought he was about 3 months old. I even took a picture of him with my phone.

            I called my hubby on the way to work and "mentioned" him even though I keep telling him it's nice to have sweet Mollie that we can take everywhere with us. It was so different than having 2 dogs. When it was time to go pick Mollie up from the vet after work, hubby said that he wanted to go with me. I was teasing him that he was making sure that I didn't "accidentally" bring home the puppy, but I am sure he was just a little interested as well. When we got to the vet. Barry did look at the puppy and we asked what type of mixed breed he was. He said that he had alot of Great Pyranese (spelling?) in him and would probably be close to 100pounds. I quickly changed my mind. The vet did tell me that they had a couple clients that were interested in him, so I felt good that he would find a home.

            Mollie is such a mommy/daddy girl that I am not sure that she would appreciate if we showed any attention to another dog. While I know that I will always consider getting another dog, I have to remain strong!

            I am so glad that you got your pain meds! Let us know how things go!

            Hugs and prayers! Tracey

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            • #7
              Good luck Jen!!!

              ~Claudia

              "A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others."
              ~ The Wizard of Oz

              "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own
              back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with!" ~ Dorothy

              Comment

              • #8
                Good luck, Jen, I'm sure you'll do great.

                Tracey -- When our daughter was nine and had been asking for a dog for, literally, eight years, we decided she probably meant it. Picked out a puppy from a rescue group who had pulled him out of a kill shelter. Our daughter named him Frisco, and he's the happiest animal alive. A litle hyper, but always happy. We never thought about getting another dog. Then we went on a vacation, and we boarded Frisco with some friends who run a pet care service. When we went to pick up Frisco, he was playing with another dog, and we casually inquired if that dog belonged to them or was being boarded. Turned out, they were fostering the poor thing, who had been removed from an abusive home after living the first 18 months of his life there. Our friends couldn't find anyone to adopt him, and were beginning to think he was theirs for life.

                I knelt down to greet Frisco, and the other dog (named Rusty for reasons that are unfathomable; he is not rust - colored at all!) came bounding over and started licking my face. That was it. He came home with us that afternoon, and we've had him about a year and a half. Frisco is so dumb, he probably doesn't even remember that Rusty wasn't always here, and anyway, it's all good in Frisco-land.

                Where Frisco is a bouncy dog, Rusty is a cuddler. He has turned out to be my companion and my comfort through this rotten illness. I sometimes wonder where I'd be without him. So, you never know...

                We always tell people that we had Frisco on purpose, but Rusty was an accident It garners us a share of odd looks, but it's basically true.

                Turns out both dogs are happier to have a "brother." Dogs are pack animals and they really, really need to be around other dogs. People are a good substitute, but not perfect. So, that was just a long-winded way of saying, I'd stay open to the prospect of a second dog if I were you!
                Je vous souhaite de la joie, de la bonne santée, et tout ce qu'il y a de bon dans la vie.
                Wishing you happiness and good health, and all the best out of life.

                Peace, Carolyn
                ___________________________________________________

                Laura (11), Susannah (12 1/2) and Maman (that's me!), North Wildwood NJ, September 2007


                On the Beach with IC

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                • #9
                  Jen, I'll be sending positive thoughts your way tomorrow --- and a prayer that the permanent interstim works as well as the trial.

                  Sending warm hugs,
                  Donna
                  Stay safe


                  Elmiron Eye Disease Information Center - https://www.ic-network.com/elmiron-p...mation-center/
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                  Click on ICN Shop at the top of this page. You'll find Bladder Builder and Bladder Rest, both of which we are finding have excellent results.

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                  I am not a medical authority nor do I offer medical advice. In all cases, I strongly encourage you to discuss your medical treatment with your personal medical care provider. Only they can, and should, give medical recommendations to you.                   [3MG]

                  Anyone who says something is foolproof hasn't met a determined fool

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                  • #10
                    Good Luck tomorrow Jen. I will be praying for you and thinking about you as you have your surgery. You are going to be o.k. and now that the pain control situation is taken care of it will be even better. I have to type really fast here because my ambien is setting in.....will be asleep here very soon Can't wait to hear about your great outcome
                    Miss Bessie

                    Galatians 6:2 - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

                    Hebrews 13:2 - Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

                    Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life

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                    • #11
                      I'm thinking about you today Jen....please let us know how you are when you're up to it!!
                      *IC-- Summer 2004; PFD--October 2005
                      *Fibro--Fall 2000; CFS-- Fall 2000
                      *MPS--Fall 2000; Crohn's disease-- 1997*IBS,GERD, *Migraines, hypothyroidism, GYN problems *Degenerative Disc Disease/scoliosis

                      Total Abdominal Hysterectomy--adenomyosis--9\08

                      04/17/09 Crohn's disease almost killed me with a combo of extreme constipation from pain medications. My bowel ruptured, I almost died from peritonitis and spent several days in the ICU then more in a private room on the floor. If you have any questions about severe constipation from pain meds please don't hesitate to send me a message.

                      Comment

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