So Hard to Believe....

It's so hard to believe that it's been 9 months since my Stage 2 InterStim was completed. I am resting better and not making nearly the trips to the bathroom that I was doing just one year ago.

As we go into the holiday season and especially Thanksgiving....I don't want to let this holiday slip me by without being greatful for the change in my life that the InterStim has brought. Of course I have many 'other' health issues to deal with...but having to visit the restroom 50 times a day and night, relentlessly, is no longer one of them. Thanks to my Dr. and to Medtronics...and to the people that developed this technology so that I could live a better life. Happy Thanksgiving everyone....all the best!

Wow!!!!!

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted an entry here! My how time flies when things are going well for a person. If only my health were cooperating as good as my InterStim has been!

I wanted to stop by and say hello to those who read this blog and to let them know that having the InterStim HAS changed my life. From the moment the temporary was set in place I noticed immediate relief from the relentless urgency that was like a monkey on my back that would NEVER go away! My body functions much more normally and I am greatful.

I will be seeing my Dr. in December for a cysto and a biopsy, as I have blisters inside the bladder related to my IC, but thankfully under no serious pain yet from them.

I am greatful. If it weren't for the fact that I keep my controller in a little purse and around my neck ANY time I leave home, I would pretty much forget that I even had the InterStim. It does it's job quietly and consistently morning, noon, and night, so that I can get on with the business of the things I need to do each day.

Yes, I am indeed greatful and thankful for my InterStim!

One thing's a given....

If there's one thing that the InterStim recipient needs to understand it is that just because you have the InterStim for bladder control, you will still have to pee. As warped as that might sound, I can remember the instant relief that I felt as soon as I got up after my stage one procedure and that I casually walked to the bathroom to use it before the drive home. My thinking was so weird that I thought, 'geeze, I'll never have to go much anymore again.'...but that's not true.

I have had stage two since February 10th, 2010 and over all I am very pleased with the results. But I still have to pee. I have gone from 50 voids a day to the very most being 12 or 13. Often I am around the 10 times a day range. Peeing is a part of being a human and we have to do it.

I still take things easy and I don't do alot of heavy lifting or straining, but that's just me and my choice. Over all I am very pleased to have gone through this procedure. I no longer wet all over myself because I can't make it to the bathroom.

Each of us is different and will have different results. Explore your best results! Hopefully for anyone having difficulty they can work with their Dr. to make this experience as positive as possible.

Bitter or Sweet?

Two people walk side by side on a quiet beach. Sharing similar chronic health problems they begin to share with each other about how they are feeling. One person seems to be worsening in mind and spirit and in physical condition, while the other, although still very ill, seems happy and upbeat.

When I went to my Urologist today for a test, I was talking with the nurse about how I am doing so good with my InterStim, yet someone else yesterday decided to try and tear me down because of it. This nurse was very nice to me and said, "You know, some people are just bitter people." I thought about it and decided that she was right. I am an InterStim success story. I should not be sad about that fact. If anything I am trying to share my joy with those who come here to read and to let them know how much further a person can go with a sweet attitude instead of a bitter one. I'm not well. As I type this I am so physically exausted that I'd love to go to sleep, but it's only 4:30 p.m. I slept really well, but I have a feeling that my vitamin D is very low again...so I am tired. It's okay. I will still do all I can to be positive and giving and kind. I will never walk away bitter or let myself get so sad that I want to give up. No matter what my pain.....I walk through it with everything in check....and not an ounce of bitter in me!

No Apologies

This morning I woke up greatful. Why? Because I slept 9 full hours. Since having the InterStim I have gone from having to go to the bathroom every 45 minutes (or less), to getting up once or twice at night...and now last night to sleeping nine hours. I will not apologize for the positive results that I have had from my InterStim implant. For me it is working, and working great. To have someone send me emails saying that my BLOG was not genuine or not telling both sides to a story was very hurtful. This BLOG was created to tell MY story, and should anyone like me to share their positive story as well, I will do that. I don't know if you ever noticed, but when things are going well for a person, you don't much hear about it. But the minute things aren't going so good, all they do is complain and bicker, and feel sorry for themselves. I have plenty of health problems that could cause me to sit in my corner and ask God and the cosmos, "WHY ME???" but I choose not to do that.

As you know many people contract cancer. They go on treatments such as chemo and radiation. Not everyone who subjects themselves to these treatments will do so well. Some will become very ill, while others will fare pretty well. Some people will find their cancers getting better while for others, it will be worse. There are NO GUARANTEES in this life.

I truly hope and pray that the person who treated me so horridly last night will continue to read my BLOG and to realize that each person who gets InterStim treatment may very well have a different story to tell. And that's okay. Just because I choose to take the positive approach to my health problems does not mean that I am not very compassionate and concerned for those who aren't doing as well. I do care. I care very much. I probably care too much sometimes. But at the same time I am going to continue this BLOG and share MY story. I kind of believe that there are thousands of people out there that have had a positive outcome with their InterStim, and for whatever reason, they do not take the time to sit down and share their story like I am taking the time to do. Maybe they are out there getting on with their lives and appreciating what has happened to them, for the InterStim is a great gift, and I cannot be the only person that realizes that.

I will not talk about this person who hurt me yesterday any further on this BLOG. I will not go into the dark pit of negativity where people are so blinded by their problems that they couldn't see so much as a glimmer of light shining on them. I am done with this conversation and am moving on. People don't have to read this BLOG if they don't want to. If I have any problems with my InterStim, I will talk through them and fix them, and move on, because things could happen. I could take a fall one day and damage a lead wire or something. I pray that doesn't happen, but I know that I would get through it if it did. I will make no apologies for being a success story.

The Lone Approach

A couple of weeks ago I recieved a shocker. My oldest sister is heading to prison. She has never portrayed herself to me for her entire life as anything but an extremely religious person, so imagine my shock to have to come to terms with her not being who she let me believe she was. And, as if that weren't enough, a few days ago my daughter's community of Wadena, Minnesota was half blown away by a tornado. The high school is completely gone. Half of the businesses and homes are gone. In a matter of moments everything was destroyed. As well, tonite I was viciously attacked for the approach I am taking on this BLOG. I will not repeat the unkind words except to say they hurt me very much and were unwarranted. I have created this BLOG for the purpose of sharing my story and the stories of anyone who would like me to share them. This is not a forum for the debate about the pros or cons of the InterStim, Medtronics, IC, or ANYthing. This is simply my story and how I choose to tell it. One of the nicest things the person who attacked me said, and still it wasn't very nice, was that I was not genuine because I didn't tell all sides of the story. She went on to cite some of her negatives about her experience. Well, to that I say, you are more than welcome to create your own BLOG and rant until the cows come home. We all have that right. Personally I choose to take a positive approach, whether she or anyone likes it or not. It's the only approach that works for me, and I know it is helping me on my solitary walk though this life. We each have a right to express how we feel in whatever format we choose. This BLOG is my lone approach to my experience with Bladder issues and the InterStim. If it doesn't jive with someone elce's approach that is nothing I can do anything about. I choose to be positive and to find the good. Life is not easy. No matter how together we are with other people and with the world....when it comes right down to it, we are each very much alone in our bodies and have to deal with things in ways that no other person might have to. My lone approach is to walk the solitary beach of life with as much positive energy as I can muster....until I can muster no more and shame on anybody who has to make an issue of that. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Retraining Our Mind and Spirit!

Hello Friends. Before you read the post about 'Finding Kate' please scroll down to the post just below it and read 'Retraining Our Mind and Spirit'.....it is the beginning of Kate's story....and in the future I will be sharing more about Kate...but for now...do read the second posting first. Thanks. Your comments are always welcome. We are in this jouney together!