For Anonymous & Wife

Anonymous,

I am sorry to hear you and your wife have been struggling with this for a decade. I'm happy to answer questions about the surgery. Dr. A did mine the way he did because he thinks that entry point (through the buttocks) provides the most unobstructed view of the nerves in question.

The surgery was 18 months ago, and while what I call my "background pain" (the constant pain that is livable, I guess, with pain meds) remains mostly unchanged, the horrible, make-me-holler-and-lose-my-balance, sharp electrical-type pains have reduced from multiple times a day to once or twice a week. That's a big deal, but not nearly enough. I am still at a 6 or 7 on a pain scale where 10 is "kill me now" on the oxycontin and oxycodone and a 9 without it. Unacceptable.

At my med appointment today, my NP asked me to think about the Medtronic implantable neurostimilator. He said what we're doing now isn't good enough, and that it's making him tired to watch me. (I like him, he's funny.) I'll try to write more about this soon...have videos from the clinic to watch about it.

I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier. I have ambivalent feelings about blogging (see my comment to Pearl on the last post). My husband said to me tonight that I should read my blog - people are talking to me. Hi, People. I am glad to find you here. Or, rather, I wish none of you knew to look for blogs about this, but given that you do, I am glad you are here.

Kate

Decompression Surgery

In April, I had pudendal nerve decompression surgery via the transgluteal approach. This link states that the incisions are 2-3 cm; mine are nearly 5 inches long, with one-inch incisions above those, where the drains were for the first day post-op. Dr. Stanley Antolak performed the surgery. He says it went well. I remember his disembodied face floating over me as I came out of anesthesia after three hours under, telling me that I had "really needed this surgery" and that it had gone very well. By this, he meant the procedure had gone well; we don't know yet what the ultimate results will be.

More when I can. I keep trying to write about the surgery and recovery...this is as much as I can do right now. It's also time to leave my office and go see my analyst.