March 23rd, 2021 1:13 pm

On Neurostimulation

By |2023-02-17T10:32:00+11:00March 23rd, 2021|Categories: About, My treatment|Tags: , , , , , |

Neurostimulation has been key in my management of pain. It's also satisfied my wish to find a way to be as self-sufficient with my management as I possibly can be. My first stim was a peripheral stimulation unit (leads under the skin) and that was implanted in 2011. I still have this unit as a backup. In 2015 I had a sacral stim implanted but that fizzed (in my opinion) within three years. So in 2019 I had the sacral stim removed and replaced with a spinal cord neurostim. WARNING: In the video, I talk about my experience and have a few Xrays pop up to demonstrate a little detail. If you're the squeamish type you may not want to see the images – they are small, however. Read key blogs about my stim implants experiences and adventures:

Pain management is unique to all of us and the key to navigating the complex journey (I believe) is gathering as much information as possible. I hope this vimeo is of great help.
October 6th, 2019 1:11 pm

It’s Been a While… So How am I?

By |2022-11-26T20:58:49+11:00October 6th, 2019|Categories: Blog, Living|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Being resourceful is what makes the difference — it is so hard working life out. But Theo and do it. We burrow down and we make it happen. There's no choice... or rather there was but I didn't want a fulltime WorkSafe paycheck. Of course, I think about that. And of course, I often call myself stupid for declining it – I was safe! I had that full-time paycheck for the rest of my life. But creativity and sharing the day with Theo is so precious to both of us. Even with the complexities and risks, it appears to be the only way Theo and I can live. For this, I am grateful! So I'll stop complaining now and go on with what I've been doing and what I am achieving. It's all good! I'm moving. Life is in forward motion after being so still for so long – a decade at least!

February 17th, 2019 11:41 am

Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 3)

By |2023-09-04T14:15:20+10:00February 17th, 2019|Categories: My treatment|Tags: , |

It will take one whole year until stim and I get to know each other. I've done this twice before, I know! There are programs to explore, capacity to pace, and sitting to try without the aids. I want to hop in a train and a tram, and hop off in the city without an agenda and limits. I want to catch up with my dearest friends, some whom I've not seen since I left Melbourne. We've been living off parcels, emails and the phone, and that really hurts.

February 6th, 2019 6:04 pm

Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 1)

By |2023-02-17T10:32:00+11:00February 6th, 2019|Categories: Blog, My treatment|Tags: , , , |

Then things got even more strange. There was heat, radiating heat where the IPG is, in my face and also other strange feelings that not only added to my pain issues but it made me turn my stim off, more than on! Weird.

March 30th, 2014 3:05 pm

My Peripheral Stimulation implant

By |2023-02-17T10:32:01+11:00March 30th, 2014|Categories: About, My treatment|Tags: , , , , |

I begged Professor Teddy to do anything, even to chop my coccyx off but he (and his backed up opinions) suggested not to go the invasive path just yet (removal of the coccyx had also not been very successful in treating chronic pain), we had an option for an implant, a treatment that was reversible, it made more sense. To 'qualify' for a stim you have to go through a trial first. The trial period was two weeks and in that time I had half of two leads placed inside my body (yes this is a full anesthetic/operation), with the remaining half of the leads hanging outside my body connecting to a temporary unit. It's a risky period, one very highly susceptible to infection but it allowed me to test the device and its impact before we implanted the $60k (or so) unit. Am I grateful I had private insurance? You bet! My WorkCover insurer certainly wasn't going to pay, eventually dismissing the surgeons reports as not having providing enough information.

May 22nd, 2011 8:36 am

The way relief continued…

By |2022-09-05T11:26:11+10:00May 22nd, 2011|Categories: About, My treatment|Tags: , , , , |

A few months into my implant and I felt like I was human again... my senses were back and it was incredible!! That thick pain fog was lifted and I could taste, smell, see, concentrate, focus, remember, listen, think, plan, dream, enjoy, laugh, read, oh what bliss!!!!

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