Fear And Loathing In Columbia **Graphic Suture Photo**

Pain Level: 7


Today marks exactly two weeks since my two InterStim devices were implanted.  They're both working beautifully, still.  That's the good - no - the great news.

Now, for the bad...

My right implant is still extremely painful.  My left one is great.  I don't have pain.  I can't even tell it's there.  My right?  It's not as deeply implanted.  It hurts to sit.  It hurts to walk... when I do walk, every time I take a step, I can feel it burning. I haven't slept well in two weeks.  I can't find a comfortable position to sleep in.  I still can't sleep on my back. I can't sleep on either side... it either puts pressure on it, or gravity makes it heavy if I lie on my left side.  I have to lie on my belly and that hurts my bladder.  If I touch the area over it, it's very painful.

I put in a call to my doc, but he was in surgery so Sondra called me back.  After a little Q&A, we both decided to just turn the right one off.  One of two things would happen:

1. My pain would decrease over the course of a few hours.  If that happens, it's just a matter of re-programming the device and doing a trial for a day or so. Or...
2. My pain won't decrease.  It will stay the same.  In that case, I will have to go back to the OR and have my device "Pushed in further."

Just the sound of that made me want to throw up. *shiver*  I told Sondra that this is going to suck because, again, it's working beautifully.  Already, I've had to urinate four times in just 70 minutes.  NOT good.  My average time between trips to the potty to urinate are between four and five HOURS... with the right InterStim turned on.  Again, It just shows that it's working.  Now I just pray that once it's re-positioned, it still works.

Here is a photo, taken this morning.  You can clearly see the difference in how each side healed.

Right side is still very sore and swollen.  It's hard to see, but it's also not as deep in my body as the left side.

So, tomorrow will tell the tale.  I am never one to be pessimistic, but I can already  tell that this placement is not a good one, and that I'll have to have the right side redone.

Crap.

*sigh*

In the meantime, I'm taking it real easy... still.

I hope to make it over to my Aunt's house on Saturday.  I miss my family.

Until tomorrow,

Peace.