Author Archives: jaymac5

Apparently, my stimulator battery is similar to a car engine and needs an oil change about every 6 months. Since this form of maintenance was never laid out for me, my last ‘oil change’ was 18 months ago. The difference is night and day with regards to before and after the oil change. I’m certainly …

Continue reading “Got the 6 month oil change.”

What are you supposed to do when your pain gets so intense that your stimulator medication do absolutely nothing? I’ve spent my morning crying and dealing with left leg pain that feels like a heart beat of shooting pain down my leg. I know this will eventually pass but it’s hard to see the future …

Continue reading “What to do?”

Last October, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Since there’s not a test to figure out what medication to take, it’s just all trial and error. Six months into this, I still don’t have the right medication. What I do have are horror stories from the two most recent meds: First one made so sick, …

Continue reading “Boy, arthritis is fun!”

Years ago I had a stalker living in Budapest named Charles. To give you a date range, I still had a land line and the Patriot Act was pretty new. I realize it’s not easy to have a stalker living so far away but he was persistent. He called all the time, wrote multiple letters, …

Continue reading “My Hungarian Stalker”

I started studying Spanish in March of 2018 but started Duolingo last summer. Today marks one whole consecutive year doing lessons on the app. I’m extremely proud of myself for sticking with it.

I haven’t written in awhile because blogging was making my pain worse. It was reminder after reminder of the pain I live in. I’ve had the stimulator for almost 3 months and it’s working fine but my old back pain is back and back worse than ever. What do you do to manage it? Please …

Continue reading “My constant pain”

I’ve been studying Spanish for a little over a year now but started using the Duolingo app last summer. Today, I hit 300 days in a row and I’m super proud of that.

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a bit but I think I needed a little break. The reason for the break is that having the stimulator implant isn’t going as well as the trial did. I had about 80% relief during the trial and maybe about 30% with the implant. Plus, no one can really …

Continue reading “It’s been awhile…”

Here’s another video about what’s going on. Trying to stay optimistic.

I’m at Northwestern now about to check in. I’m excited but want this day to be over. It’s been a great week during the trial period but also a long week. I’m just ready for the final steps and recovery to begin.

I’m heading to the hospital in a bit to start the spinal cord stimulator trial. I’m nervous and excited but also hopeful. Wish me luck!