Update - And I'm Going to Be Wet-Wired (Surgery Involved)
So, I'm sick again. Less than three hours from getting home from an appointment at the pain clinic, and it's starting all over again. I've had maybe three hours of sleep together in a row. Same as before... I'll probably be at the ER in a day or two. Fun, fun.
However, at said appointment at the pain clinic, I was told what the next step toward treatment is going to be. I just hope that they get it approved and scheduled fast, especially since I'm having attacks now.
Neurostimulation Therapy. That's the big word for what they're going to do.
I'll get an epidural inserted into my spine. Then they'll take two wires and run them through the needle into my spine (well, whatever the space is called between the actual spine and the nerve bundle that runs down it). Thread them up my spine until they get to the spot that makes my 'tummy tingle' (I really HATE doctors that talk to you like you don't know shit, I really do), so I have to be awake during this procedure.
Once they've found the correct location, then a series of three electrodes will be inserted under the skin at this location. I'm assuming that the current has to jump from one electrode on the left to one on the right to induce the shock. All of this will be hooked up to a pack a little larger than a pager. Then I get to go home.
Then the hard part. We pray like hell that I have another attack. During the attack, I use the electrical stimulation to hopefully shock my gut back to normal. If it works to keep the attacks under control, and they're 100% convinced that it's working for this, then they will remove the temporary device, and insert a permanent one.
Here's the kicker. If after it's inserted, and we leave it in for two weeks or so, if I don't have an attack, we won't know if it's a viable option for treating this. It may work perfectly, but if I don't have an attack for it to be tested on we won't know.
If this doesn't work... They have no idea what the next step is. So, wish me luck (no, I don't know when they're going to schedule the procedure).
The bizarre thing? I remember having a conversation back when I was working IT in Greeneville. We were talking about getting 'wet-wired', basically, having something electronic plugged in to your body (I think we were talking about the Matrix is how it came up), and I was the only one of the group that would want it done. Granted, the biggest argument against it was, 'Think about how many times a day you have to reboot your computer. Do you want to have to continually reboot yourself?'
So, now it's happening. At least for a few weeks anyway.
._._.
However, at said appointment at the pain clinic, I was told what the next step toward treatment is going to be. I just hope that they get it approved and scheduled fast, especially since I'm having attacks now.
Neurostimulation Therapy. That's the big word for what they're going to do.
I'll get an epidural inserted into my spine. Then they'll take two wires and run them through the needle into my spine (well, whatever the space is called between the actual spine and the nerve bundle that runs down it). Thread them up my spine until they get to the spot that makes my 'tummy tingle' (I really HATE doctors that talk to you like you don't know shit, I really do), so I have to be awake during this procedure.
Once they've found the correct location, then a series of three electrodes will be inserted under the skin at this location. I'm assuming that the current has to jump from one electrode on the left to one on the right to induce the shock. All of this will be hooked up to a pack a little larger than a pager. Then I get to go home.
Then the hard part. We pray like hell that I have another attack. During the attack, I use the electrical stimulation to hopefully shock my gut back to normal. If it works to keep the attacks under control, and they're 100% convinced that it's working for this, then they will remove the temporary device, and insert a permanent one.
Here's the kicker. If after it's inserted, and we leave it in for two weeks or so, if I don't have an attack, we won't know if it's a viable option for treating this. It may work perfectly, but if I don't have an attack for it to be tested on we won't know.
If this doesn't work... They have no idea what the next step is. So, wish me luck (no, I don't know when they're going to schedule the procedure).
The bizarre thing? I remember having a conversation back when I was working IT in Greeneville. We were talking about getting 'wet-wired', basically, having something electronic plugged in to your body (I think we were talking about the Matrix is how it came up), and I was the only one of the group that would want it done. Granted, the biggest argument against it was, 'Think about how many times a day you have to reboot your computer. Do you want to have to continually reboot yourself?'
So, now it's happening. At least for a few weeks anyway.
._._.