Ok here are my settings

OK....i finally looked at the paper and here are my settings...

.25mAmps in and outbound
500 pulse
on for 30 seconds and off for 5 minutes

WOWSA>...my singing voice is MIGHTY rough...and where it once was smooth i now have vebrato[ which i never really had before i had a smooth voice ] it kept cutting out.

Once tonight while sitting in church listening to the sermon my vns went off and i had trouble catching my breath and kept coughing that was kind of scarey....wonder if this happens to others???

off to la la land

One full day ON

One full day on now..and the area of my incision which has been numb is a tad tender--the area all the way up to my check is still numb though. I have sugar free candies to suck on to deal with the gagging and coughing feeling.

My one friend[[[[HI DIANNA]]]] said last night it sounded like i was straining my voice...wondering about that...hope i don't lose my voice..how am i gonna yell at my kids JOKING>>>>sort of LOL

I don't get it adjusted again til the 26th of April....which is almost a month--I do have the settings written down but they are down stairs...dang it's dark i will bring them up tomorrow
HEHE...
it's still pretty low of course...
i will take pictures in the future but not much to look at now...just color and swelling changes...

My youngest two learned how to trigger the vns today--my daughter is kind of freaked by me having something IN my body--WELL DUH--i would rather have a couple new cars instead haha...but i wanna be able to LIVE!!! the dr is praying it works for the depression..Last night i had dreams that it didn't work at all..for either--and i was so down..i can't think that way
Ok off to LA LA land...hope i sleep better tonight

well i am ON!!!!!!!!1

Well at 4 pm EDT today....i had my VNS implant turned on....

it's weird....makes me gag and choke..i am on .25 every 5 minutes for 30 seconds...
it doen'st really change my voice it just makes it sound strained...the coughing is NOt fun but there is NO pain thank goodness.
I will be at this rate for a month and he will UP me...as he thinks i need to be over 1 before it will work

questions???justask

A forum with Information..

I belong to a forum called VNSdepression.com....As you may or may not know...vns is also used to treat depression.... A great guy named herb is there and periodically reads my blog..He posted a link in comments on the healing process.....Mainly referring to the part where....Armpit vns implants take longer to heal and do bother women with bra straps...
it also has great questions on what to ask your Dr PRIOR to surgery...
sharing the link here to help everyone out. I was approved for vns for epilepsy AND depression...One of the lucky ones??Depends on how yah look at it..Would've been nice NOT to have had either in the first place!!!
http://vnsdepression.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=215

On another note I slept like CRUD last night...It seems the more the swelling goes down in the armpit region the more the rubbing of the implant on he inside of my body KILLS>..took me til after 3 am to get to sleep. Up getting the kiddos to school--one is out the door for his weekly HIGH SCHOOL Church breakfast[ youth ministry on a weekly basis ] and two are getting up..I will then be heading back to bed to catch some more zzzz's with pain meds in tow...Then I hope to feel well enough the rest of the day to do some cleaning chores--As per the Dr I am still on NO heavy lifting til I see him again on April 6th where he will re evaluate...
He says---the pain is a sign to take it easy when it comes to lifting so that I am....
I do journal on paper and write a great deal more...So if you read this and have questions PLEASE email me...I would be glad to try and answer them for you...Can't imagine you want every detail of my epilepsy and depressed filled life!!!

Surgeon Visit and Update

First off if you scroll down I have posted the images from 3 weeks post op. FUN HUH LOL

Today I saw my surgeon again. He prescribed MORE pain meds..As the area under my armpit is EXTREMELY sore and well----men drs don't seem to think about things like BRA's when they put that thingy in me...When I mentioned it today he was kind of like OH YEAH!!!
and did say when he opened me next time to change the batteries---in 5 plus years....He would move it up and over a bit if her could.

So I am bra shopping gonna have to do a sport bra I guess...Most comfy on the spot I hope.
He cut the stitches that were popping through and told me he would see me April 6th about a week after I get my gizmo turned on.

he said the location of UNDER my arm....Makes it a more difficult heal---grrr...as that area you move more and the vns in implanted into muscle area...

I am gonna have to do more reading on the armpit option and see what I come up with.
Hoping that the soreness will go away SOON..He told me to wear my bra more often so my body gets used to the implant and the bra...SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN>>>>>NOT I don't like hurting but I will do as he says----

Off to bed LA LA LA ZzZzZz{{{snore}}}} ouch don't lay on your left side that HURTSSSSSS

It's been a few days

I am still having pain---i see the dr tomorrow...I haven't been posting because until this thingy or GIZMO is turned on....nothing new to report...except i STILL HAVE PAIN..and stitches that keep popping haha.
What a pain for SURE!!!!
I see my surgeon tomorrow and i will let ya know then what he says and go from there--ON STITCH__-a clear one on my neck got caught in my hair several days ago and popped off---it healed FINE but the new stitch that popped out is black--my concern is that the clear one was an ANCHOR stitch for my leads or electrodes..
PRAYING it's not caused damage
HUGGLES

3 Weeks Post Op

Well in general I feel ok...I am not tiring as much--BUT>>>>the pain is still more than I think it should be. I am back on night time pain meds beginning tonight...Hoping that I sleep like a baby all night long!!!!
The incisions are doing alright--I still have a stitch in each one that I have to keep covered most of the time since the popped out..
I also am showing some NEW bruising at my armpit incision...Guessing it's the swelling finally going down and the implant settling into place...

I will be turned on 3,27....til then not much to report---well except I am having evening seizures again---I haven't had those in FOREVER!!!

To the left is my Armpit incision at 3 weeks POST OP ugly huh LOL several spots have stitches starting to poke through...ON the right is my neck incision 3 weeks POST OP! You can see three black dots which are all knots that are picking through...Not fun LOL

Another day another pain in the ....

Ok so i ran out of pain pills...i hae been using them only at night...the drs finally called me 15 minutes before my pharmacy closed to refill me....i am good at stretching the meds--5 days worth lasted me 11 days last time..but since i live 25 minutes from the pharmacy i have to well.....wait til today....
i see the dr weds...i am very concerned that i am still so sore and tender...i have a high pain tolerance so this bugs me...remember to check out the links on my side panel--i have added a few...
Huggles
KIM

Well its' scheduled

I will be turned on 3.27.06....WEEEEEEEEEEE.....
I am still searching for answers on the numbness in my neck....MMMM
huggles

I am frustrated

Well i am officially frustrated...I now have a stitch that's BLACK that has popped up in my arm incision--but the one on my meck that's clear is bigger as the top of the incision is opening more...Called the dr---he said to keep it covered and put anti biotic cream on it twice a day and he will see me in a week...he might have to then RE stitch me in that area if it's open too much...wondering why one stitch is clear and one is black...wondering if either are NON dissolving and are there to hold something in place---WISH I KNEW WHO TO ASK now that it's the middle of the night

I also have an issue....with the feeling in my neck--it's still numb to mid chin and partof my check and such---but it seems i am getting some feeling internally but it is hurting my ear and my jaw and my teeth and there is a feeling like when i move its pulling and tingling---VERy annoying...it is NOT on yet--as the surgeon wants to make sure it's all healed well first..
I don't blame him for that at all--patience is what i need--and well i have no more pain meds but i am having trouble getting comfy when i sleep---i am 2.5 weekspost op and want to fell better physically---maybe i am expecting too much

has anything changed..

NOT YET>>>i had a seizure tonight--and nightly seizures are NOT MY NORM...and it was a good one...needless to say i now feel like crud---hoping i will sleep well which i imagine i will

2 weeks post op

I kept thinking my incision sites would start to feel better. I overall feel better until i try to sleep. Sleeping for me is still very difficult. I can't sleep on my left side--although i have for a bit and it makes me so sore...which is why i don't sleep well i guess. My incisions have some really red spots....and the one on my neck still has stitched sticking out--but they have gotten smaller so they myst be dissolving.

I think if i could just go to sleep and sleep each night all the way through i would feel so much better. i toss and turn and the thing isn't even on yet...

I have to call my Nuero and get it scheduled to be turned on. My seizure rate is therefore the same...

13 days.....

Well i went to ASH Weds church last night nad byt hte time i got home i was wiped out. I am still sore today---i can't wait for the day i don't hurt in some way or another. My stitch that popped out is OK...Dr said to keep it covered to prevent infection but he didn't want to cut it as it's at the end of the line at the top of my neck and wants to keep it closed. It's a slow dissolving stitch but should dissolve. it's tender when it's caught on things--like my hair...
Tomorrow i will take pictures for my 2 weeks post op...aren't you all excited...

I also found a neat site for those who wanna know more about types of seizures
http://www.epilepsyontario.org/client/EO/EOWeb.nsf/web/Seizures+Main

Enjoy