In 1998, my life was drastically changed when I broke my right shoulder. I developed what was then called RSD. Over the years, I have had 7 orthopedic surgeries and 1 neurosurgery. Still, nothing made a dent in the day in/day out severe pain. T'was nothing I didn't try: injections of all shapes and sizes, nerve blocks, ablations, accupuncture, years of PT, ketamine infusions, prolotherapy, medications from anti-depressants to anti-seizure to anti-psychotic plus lots of narcotics.

Wait, you're asking yourself. How is this positive? Don't worry, there's a happy ending.

My pain management doc had been telling me I was out of options. Last thing that might help was a spinal cord stimulator. It scared me though; the thought of having electrodes against my spinal cord was terrifying. I waited 7 long months and took the plunge 6 days ago. I can't believe how much better I feel already! Why the hell did I wait so long?

My T has asked over the years what I liked to do for fun. I never really described what living with severe pain was like, so she was unaware that much of my unconscious reason for answering the question with, "nothing" was not just due to depression. Today when I walked in and she saw the big on my face, she yipped, "welcome back!"

I'm already started planning what I'll do next. I found myself saying, I used to love to do karate and was good at it...and I was a great volleyball server.... These are things I hadn't dreamed I could ever do again, so forgot I liked them. I can't wait to heal from the surgery so I can try to burn out my battery (J/K - they last a really long time)