Thanks to Russ (Rusty PW) I had a good conversation. (Brain surgery appears to have gone well)

[legacy_etu]

Feel great. Blood pressure is steady. Everytime it gets checked. It's been around 110 over 70. Go up and down stairs without getting winded.
I normally would get a heart beat around 33 bpm when I first laid down to bed. I could feel my heart beat slow down and beat harder. Sometimes it felt like it would flutter too. Last night it was just steady.

Awesome Man. Glad to hear it.

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[Rusty PW]

That is crazy stuff. What is the life span on the device?

5 to 15 years. Depends on how much it has to do. Easy to replace.

 

[Hootbro]

5 to 15 years. Depends on how much it has to do. Easy to replace.

Another stupid question, does need recharging and if so, how?

 

[Rusty PW]

Another stupid question, does need recharging and if so, how?

Stick my dick in a 120v outlet once every 6 months. No recharging.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Crazy. You can't feel any of those wires?

I could feel the wires coiled up under the scalp.

Today was phase II - pull the wires down to the right side (new incision in scalp), behind the ear (another incision) and then over to the right chest area, yeah, another one there)

Extreme pain - aches with this. It's as if they stretched my neck as far as they could - tilted perhaps, or around to the left and right? It's like a severe muscle ache and pain aside from the other pains.
Now on a super-dose of ibuprofen, oxycodone and super-acetaminophen.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I could feel the wires coiled up under the scalp.

Today was phase II - pull the wires down to the right side (new incision in scalp), behind the ear (another incision) and then over to the right chest area, yeah, another one there)

Extreme pain - aches with this. It's as if they stretched my neck as far as they could - tilted perhaps, or around to the left and right? It's like a severe muscle ache and pain aside from the other pains.
Now on a super-dose of ibuprofen, oxycodone and super-acetaminophen.

Home stretch!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Feel great. Blood pressure is steady. Everytime it gets checked. It's been around 110 over 70. Go up and down stairs without getting winded.
I normally would get a heart beat around 33 bpm when I first laid down to bed. I could feel my heart beat slow down and beat harder. Sometimes it felt like it would flutter too. Last night it was just steady.

Like the nurse said when I mentioned a friend had a pacemaker inserted without opening the chest - amazing what they can do with a catheter and so on - I mean, incision down in the groin area to insert a wireless/leadless device and connect it directly to the heart - inside

 

[Rusty PW]

I could feel the wires coiled up under the scalp.

Today was phase II - pull the wires down to the right side (new incision in scalp), behind the ear (another incision) and then over to the right chest area, yeah, another one there)

Extreme pain - aches with this. It's as if they stretched my neck as far as they could - tilted perhaps, or around to the left and right? It's like a severe muscle ache and pain aside from the other pains.
Now on a super-dose of ibuprofen, oxycodone and super-acetaminophen.

I bet they twisted your head around to make sure you had enough slack in the wire so that you wouldn't feel it when you move your head around.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I bet they twisted your head around to make sure you had enough slack in the wire so that you wouldn't feel it when you move your head around.

I totally agree with that assessment.
I had wondered that as it's a similar feeling to have over-extended things, or "slept wrong" on my neck. Yes, it's that exact sort of feeling, and when I turn to extremes, I don't feel anything that might be the wire.
I told my wife it was likely so they could move my head as far in each direction as it would go.

I also believe the one doctor involved likes to sign his work with markers. He's not the primary guy, but the one who put the halo on my head a week ago. Hispanic name, and there was another mark on my forehead when I woke up - with his initial V and a Z. In the OR, everyone there introduced themselves and waved. He was sitting working at a desk in one corner, didn't turn around, just raised his hand and waved and said "he won't forget me" (he's the one who clamped the shit out of that halo into my skull with 4 pointed, sharp, thumbscrews)

OMG - the equipment I have to keep track of now, and travel with.
A "Programmer" - looks like a Samsung phone (the charger says Samsung), on the back of that is what they call "the communicator" - to me, a network person, I'd call it a bridge.
It allows the phone (ok "Programmer") to communicate with neurostimulator in my chest.
The bridge/communicator is attached to the back of the "programmer" AKA cell phone.
Too bad they can't just use my own cell phone, as it means another bulky device to have around and keep both parts charged.

There's a charging dock that recharges the charger.
The charger itself that goes into a sling you wear over the shoulder and holds the charger in place over the stimulator for charging. That way you don't have a cord hanging around or on you when charging. You charge the charger, then unplug that and slip it into the sling thing and use that to charge.

Any time I go for a weekend car show or whatever, more stuff to carry, and more important to have tons of USB charging ports with me - so I think I will modify the 12v panel I had in my other JT, move it over to that other blank panel.

Luckily most hotels have charging ports, and my son's house in Florida is equipped with USB ports at almost every outlet.

 

[Rusty PW]

I totally agree with that assessment.
I had wondered that as it's a similar feeling to have over-extended things, or "slept wrong" on my neck. Yes, it's that exact sort of feeling, and when I turn to extremes, I don't feel anything that might be the wire.
I told my wife it was likely so they could move my head as far in each direction as it would go.

I also believe the one doctor involved likes to sign his work with markers. He's not the primary guy, but the one who put the halo on my head a week ago. Hispanic name, and there was another mark on my forehead when I woke up - with his initial V and a Z. In the OR, everyone there introduced themselves and waved. He was sitting working at a desk in one corner, didn't turn around, just raised his hand and waved and said "he won't forget me" (he's the one who clamped the shit out of that halo into my skull with 4 pointed, sharp, thumbscrews)

OMG - the equipment I have to keep track of now, and travel with.
A "Programmer" - looks like a Samsung phone (the charger says Samsung), on the back of that is what they call "the communicator" - to me, a network person, I'd call it a bridge.
It allows the phone (ok "Programmer") to communicate with neurostimulator in my chest.
The bridge/communicator is attached to the back of the "programmer" AKA cell phone.
Too bad they can't just use my own cell phone, as it means another bulky device to have around and keep both parts charged.

There's a charging dock that recharges the charger.
The charger itself that goes into a sling you wear over the shoulder and holds the charger in place over the stimulator for charging. That way you don't have a cord hanging around or on you when charging. You charge the charger, then unplug that and slip it into the sling thing and use that to charge.

Any time I go for a weekend car show or whatever, more stuff to carry, and more important to have tons of USB charging ports with me - so I think I will modify the 12v panel I had in my other JT, move it over to that other blank panel.

Luckily most hotels have charging ports, and my son's house in Florida is equipped with USB ports at almost every outlet.

Wifey has the same stuff. It's a Samsung cell phone. It's no big deal. Day to day stuff, don't bother with it. The only time we deal with it is when she goes back to the doctor, takes a trip just in case she needs it, or she has a medical procedure where they have to turn if off. And sometimes when she thinks she needs to up the setting. And you are limited to how much you can change it. When they first set the parameters. It's going to be a bit painful. They slowly crank it up until you say uncle. They want to see how much you can stand, and your reactions. Parts of your body will feel like it's either on fire, or electrical shock. That's the wifey's description.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Wifey has the same stuff. It's a Samsung cell phone. It's no big deal. Day to day stuff, don't bother with it. The only time we deal with it is when she goes back to the doctor, takes a trip just in case she needs it, or she has a medical procedure where they have to turn if off. And sometimes when she thinks she needs to up the setting. And you are limited to how much you can change it. When they first set the parameters. It's going to be a bit painful. They slowly crank it up until you say uncle. They want to see how much you can stand, and your reactions. Parts of your body will feel like it's either on fire, or electrical shock. That's the wifey's description.

Mine is a rechargeable battery, so I can also use it to check the battery status, if it's worth charging or skip it a couple of days - rather than run out and think - oops, it just died.

Otherwise, I don't really see a need to keep it handy. I'll use it to track battery life for a while after it's turned on on the 19th of November, but once I learn how long the charge lasts, It won't get used much.

I have a charging dock for the charger that charges the batteries in my chest - charge the charger in its dock, then take it out of that and put it in a sling and sit and watch TV or something for a while. So I'll have to take that charger and charging dock for the charger anywhere I go to keep the battery pack charged inside me.
I opted for the rechargeable battery because it's thinner and is a 15 year device as opposed to 2 to 5 years then back in for replacement. With luck, 15 years on 68 means I'll be over 80 before they need to cut me open again.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Wifey has the same stuff. It's a Samsung cell phone. It's no big deal. Day to day stuff, don't bother with it.

Just out of curiosity, is it Medtronic by any chance?
I noted when poking around in the book it came with and then even in the app, there was another section for Parkinson's treatment - won't apply to me, but like there was some other adaptive setting or something, so that, along with how you describe things.

You and one other person are the main reason I decided - relax, they do a lot of these short term pain, longer term gain, and it was only going to get worse without any treatment at all.
So a lot of thanks goes your direction.

 

[Rusty PW]

Just out of curiosity, is it Medtronic by any chance?
I noted when poking around in the book it came with and then even in the app, there was another section for Parkinson's treatment - won't apply to me, but like there was some other adaptive setting or something, so that, along with how you describe things.

You and one other person are the main reason I decided - relax, they do a lot of these short term pain, longer term gain, and it was only going to get worse without any treatment at all.
So a lot of thanks goes your direction.

That name sounds right.
What you have is real close to Parkinson's. The treatment is almost the same. Be some difference in drugs and such. That why I can relate to it. Once they have the settings dialed in. You'll be a very happy person. All of the shit they put you through will be worth it.

.....and you are WELCOME. Glad that I could help out.

 

[Stan H]

I could tell when he was attaching the plastic caps to my skull with the screws...........

I hadn't looked at the scans until tonight. I figured since they showed me little short leads that went into the brain ,they might be like a couple of inches wrong. Uh, no. when they say DEEP, they mean DEEP.

I wonder if I need a firewall on this thing......... maybe like the SGW?

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Glad it worked out for you.

Definitely.

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