I'm sorry I didn't post sooner, but I was busy enjoying my week with reduced pain!
I've been surrounded by my friends who have been here to help me out with meals, etc. and I'm glad that I felt so good they were mostly social visits with a few tasks here and there. My cheeks actually got a bit sore from smiling yesterday.
As far as the details of the trial...I know that it isn't placebo because of Sunday morning. I woke up about 6am to use the bathroom, and went back to bed because I was still a bit tired. I woke up around 10am with my usual headache at about a 4-5 on the pain scale. I didn't know if it was because of the program I was using so I pulled the control out of my waist pack (which I forgot to mention was another item my St. Jude rep gave me for the trial to hold everything comfortably) when I checked it, I realized the battery had died while I was sleeping! I changed the battery, and about an hour later, I was good again.
I've had some mild (2-3) headache pain on the right side above my eye, which changing the occipital stimulation would help sometimes and not really help other times. This may also be rebound headache from the narcotic painkillers I'm taking for surgical discomfort. Either way, I'll take it gladly over what I was dealing with before.
THE BIG TEST
I was given homework by my rep, to do a few things that would normally exacerbate my headache. One task Aaron and I chose, was to go to our local pub for a drink (non-alcoholic of course) and conversation with friends for about an hour...with live, albeit acoustic, music in the background. This experiment went well, as we left because of somewhere else we needed to be and not because I was in too much pain to stay!
The second test was one about which I am very excited...I was able to read a couple of chapters in a book! "Makers" by Cory Doctorow for anyone interested. I only had the slightest bit of eye strain headache, which a friend pointed out could even be lack of practice. :) I was so happy to be curled up on my couch with a cup of hot tea, a blanket, and a book.
Today is trial removal day. Not looking to forward to saying goodbye. Specifically, I've gotten spoiled to waking up in the morning without a headache. I just have to focus on the fact that it puts me one step closer the the permanent.
Wish me luck.
That is so great that the trial worked like it did. Hope you aren't in too much pain now that it's out.
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