InterStim Surgery - Part Two: Junk Is IN the Trunk. *GRAPHIC PHOTOS*

11:41 am.  Pain level: 8.

Wow.  What an experience!  I guess I'll just dive on in...

Just one of my lovely nurses on the left, and my Medtronic Rep on the right.

As expected, the worse part was getting the IV in.  Three attempts from a PRO (that I actually had months ago!) - she stops at two failures - but seemed confident of a vein in my upper arm.  Nope.  Vein blew, immediately.  Fourth attempt was a success.  I wish I could remember her name!   While This was going on, my rep from Medtronic explained to Rob how the remotes work.  It was very chaotic as the nurse was trying to get my IV in and situated while the rep tried to speak to me. Pleasant, but chaotic.  Pleasant because the IV was IN.

(Right now, I am hurting too much to do this.  I will resume soon.)

1:03 pm.  Pain level after Percocet 10/325:  4

Okay, feeling better.  Where was I?  Oh yes.  So my Medtronic rep went over everything once I was more calm.  I knew most of it anyway from my day at InterStim school with Sondra.    Soon it was time for me to get my happy juice and get to the OR.  As usual, Dr. Duncan came in to have me sign some forms.  And as usual, his bedside manner is just amazing.  Sometimes I forget that he is my physician and not a buddy that has come by to see me off to surgery.

I met my anesthesiologist and went over the usual stuff.  Soon he injected the stuff ( I don't recall the name right now) to make me happy.  This would be a general this time. The last thing I recall is smooching Rob.  A very nice way to enter the OR and leave my consciousness behind.

I recall screaming.  I woke up to horrible pain on my left buttock.  HORRIBLE pain. I got pain medication and fell asleep.  I woke up again, crying from the pain.  I was then given the max of Dilaudid that I could legally have.  I then had to urinate. I told the nurse and she asked me if I could walk to the bathroom. Was she kidding!?  She wasn't the kindest nurse I've had.  She seemed put out to have to get me a bedpan.  So sorry.  I cried as I had to be lifted onto it.  Then, I couldn't go.  Maybe the weird angle? I just told her to leave it there.

"Well, I have other patients.  It will be a few minutes before I can come back..."

FINE. GO.  Sheesh.

I finally went about 2 minutes later.  Blessed relief. Then I nodded off.

I woke up in pain again, but it wasn't as severe.  What I started feeling now was chest pain.  Every time I took a breath, my chest hurt.  I called to my nurse who I could see with another patient.  She yelled that she would be with me in a few minutes.  I yelled back,

"My chest hurts.  I'm having chest pain,"

Suddenly, four nurses were hovering over me, asking questions.  Within two minutes I was hooked up to an EKG.  I was a wreck.  Scared to ...  well, scared.  The EKG showed that everything was normal.  And suddenly, my nurse just left to go back to another patient. Seeing the exasperated look on my face, another nurse smiled and whispered,

"I'll stay with you.  I can pull my computer cart right next to you."  I was so grateful.  My anesthesiologist then came to me and told me that everything was fine with my heart.  He asked me if I suffer from any forms of anxiety and/or depression.  I nodded and said that I suffered from both and that I take Lexapro for it.  Nodding, he then told me that I was most likely suffering from a mild panic attack.  We talked a bit more and the more we did, the more he agreed that I was, indeed, having an attack.  I told him about my relaxation techniques that I use at home, and he told me to show him.  He told me to keep it up for a while.  Reassuring me that my heart was fine, he left.

Lips dry and cracking, throat also dry and really sore; sore from being intubated.  I was given some diet ginger ale and some graham crackers.  Diet soda is a no-no in my IC diet, but I wanted it anyway.  It was heavenly doing down.  I left the crackers as my stomach was still a bit queasy.  Anything with ginger in it is great for upset tums.

I had to pee, again.  This time, my nice nurse helped me to walk to the bathroom.  Though it was only around the corner, it seemed to take forever in getting there.  As soon as we closed the door, my bladder let go. I peed all over myself, and the floor.  Remember, my InterStims were not turned on, yet.  A good indicator to me that they do work!  I haven't done that since the trial began!  Never have I been happy to pee all over myself!

I vaguely recall Rob coming back and I vaguely recall getting dressed and I don't recall the drive home.  All I know is that I missed my boys and all I wanted was a gentle hug from each of them before I got onto my bed.  I don't even recall these moments.  I do recall that I had to lie on my tummy.  I mostly recall that once I was there and in position, my pain level went from an 8 to a 3.  And I fell asleep.

I woke up around 8pm sore again, but I wanted to take a few photos.  The following photos were taken by Rob and Conrad Duncan, M.D.

This is what I was given at the hospital:

Left and right programmers (I call them "remotes") and the empty boxes that housed my InterStim II neurostimulators, that are now implanted into each buttock.

The black part on the left goes over my bandages while I program the stimulator.  Soon the bandages will be gone and I'll put that black part on my skin over it.  This is also what turns off the stimulator.  This one controls fecal incontinence.

And the right side.  For urinary incontinence.

I spent a few minutes reading through the instructions and turned the neurostimulators on.  I had Rob help me as he too heard the instructions while I was distracted getting IVs.  I set each one and I was done.  A few tweaks here and there - the latest one just ten minutes ago - and that's it. I should not have to do that much, unless I travel, go to court, or the like.  I'm to take these to every doctor appointment I have, regardless of the field.  I can have an MRI of my head, but that's it.

Now, here are two photos of my bandages: the first one is just hours post-op, and the second is today.  I had liposuction to facilitate the neurostimulators going into the pocket that Dr. Duncan cut.  They are located in a fat pocket.  Lovely, I know.  Also, you will notice that I am incredibly swollen.  My leggings, which are loose normally, look very tight.  I normally have a very flat booty.  Too bad the swelling didn't spread and isn't permanent.  

Shortly after I arrived home from the hospital

Today at noon.  Those two needle marks are where Doctor Duncan used large needles to find the right spot on my sacral spine.  The left one was excruciatingly painful for about six days post-op. A single poke, but numerous re-positioning of the needle was necessary.  You can see the scar from my back surgery from 1988 between the black arrows!

And there you have it.  Right now, as I type, I am at a level 5 for pain.  I can feel my neurostims buzzing away but it's not bothersome.  Already, I see that they too are working!  I'm overjoyed.

I will keep this journal updated.  If I can help even one person decide to get this done, then I'll be a happy girl. I'll be an even happier girl when I can remove these bandages tomorrow and

TAKE. A. LONG. HOT. SHOWER.

In the meantime, I'm off to enjoy some blueberry tea with Aaron.

Until later on,

Peace.