This weekend our family traveled to Wisconsin Dells to spend a day at an indoor water park/hotel to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday.
When this trip was being planned I had no interest in participating in waterslides, but once I saw what we were paying for a room at the resort, I was determined to get my money's worth. It is very difficult for me to walk barefoot, but I walked everywhere and I did every waterslide I could find. I wasn't going to sit on the pool deck like in the movie Wall-E where humans are evolving into blobs without bones that are unable to stand up on their own (I saw evidence of this happening). Nope, I walked from one end of the resort to the other in only my official Star Wars swim trunks.
My biggest concern walking barefoot wasn't so much the pain, but worrying about contracting ringworm and/or athlete's foot. In fact, I brought along a tube of Lotrimin AF. At the end of the day I covered my feet in the paste hoping to stave off any fungus I may have come in contact with. Fingers crossed.
After six waterslides, four miles of walking and about 25 floors climbed, I couldn't go any longer. The DRG stimulator works, but it doesn't make me super human. To relax, I bought an aluminum pint of Miller Lite at the bar. It was $8, so once I finished it I left the resort and bought six more next door at the gas station for $11 total. Capitalism means I get to decide where to spend my money. This is goddamn 'Merica, right? However, one didn't have to leave the compound and mixed drinks like the one pictured above was only $40.
Even though we were celebrating my wife's best friend's birthday, she got us both a gift:
It has been nearly eight months since I had the surgery to have the DRG stimulator implanted into my back. It works pretty well for me and has improved my overall quality of life. I'd say before my surgery, I was at a constant pain level of 4.5 out of 10. Now, I'm about an average of a constant 2.5. I think weather is the biggest factor to affect my pain, but the stimulator does help some with that. Many doctors have told me to move south to a warmer climate, but with global warming, I can probably stay right were I'm at. Also, the tightness that gives me discomfort, feels like a high ankle sprain, seems like it is here for good. The dry needling helped, but was temporary. One major plus is that I rarely have the burning foot feeling anymore, so there's that. I'm still unable to stand upright in one spot for long. I've learned that I need to keep moving or I need to just take a seat.
So, unless anything of note comes up I'm going to step back from posting updates as much as I have. Now, of course if the stimulator breaks and I need surgery, I'll be sure to post. There's just no need to post anything if nothing is happening. If you do come across this blog and have any questions about the DRG stimulator, please feel free to email me, because I'd be happy to help anyone with questions about the therapy.
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