So this little box is pretty amazing. Unfortunately, I found out that the pain is still there, and it’s at the level it was almost 4 years ago. I used to be on 90 mg of OxyContin a day, now I’m at 15 mg! So that’s pretty awesome - as long as the stim is turned up enough. It can change as everything heals and the other night it just started going bonkers - like ramped up really high. So I turned it down. All good, could still feel it but could tune it out. Next day I was out at a certain home improvement store I hate and we had to wait almost an hour, so I ended up sitting down. I don’t know if the stim shifted or what, but when I got up the pain was so bad, I couldn’t walk. My leg didn’t even work because nothing but these damn pain signals were getting through. Instant cripple. It took me 10 minutes to get back to the car with my husband holding me up.
I was able to turn the stim back up when I got to the car, and just like that, pain gone. It really made me appreciate it.
My doctors told me that I should never ride again. So, I decided to take this advice very seriously.
And totally ignore it.
If I had a nickel for every doctor that told me not to ever ride again…Congrats!
Ok so I think at some point you were looking for tips to get back into the saddle? Here’s the thing there are several things you’re going to have to do, but if you do them you will find success:
- Give up all expectations of riding like you used to.
- Get a saddle that works for you and means you don’t have to struggle for your position.
- Start from scratch and listen to your body.
- Pretend you’re an 70 year old recovering from an injury and NOT someone your age (70 years old please don’t be offended). This is the key to success. Go slower than you think you should. Honestly get on and just walk, even if its only for 5 minutes. Gradually extend this to maybe 10 minutes then 20. When you can do this comfortably without any setbacks, add in posting trot. Its ok if you walk for a week or even months. Take it slow.
- Take your meds. (lol although I think you have this covered)
- Set up a plan for if you have a setback (ie. pain). Is it your favourite heating pad? Is it your favourite drug (medical of course…)? Is it a visit to the massage therapist? Chocolate? Have a plan so if it happens you don’t get frustrated.
- Get a coach who can work with your “challenges” so that when you say “I can’t do this because it hurts”, they help you find another way to do it.
I don’t know if you see a therapist… but I highly recommend it. A good therapist can you help set up plans to help you cope with flare ups. For example, today’s a bad day and you can’t ride… so maybe a walk on a local trail or coffee with a good friend? Mine also taught me muscle awareness/relaxation techniques and breathing techniques that help during flare ups (physicial and emotional haha). I got a lot more out of her than “And why do you feel this way?” because the simple answer is “Cause a deranged driver launched me off their windshield.”. Which really doesn’t resolve much… its a fact.
[QUOTE=GotGait;7283247]
My doctors told me that I should never ride again. So, I decided to take this advice very seriously.
And totally ignore it.[/QUOTE]
Don’t you look awesome!!!
I’m fighting my way back from 2 years of leg issues, and still get the best therapy just by being with the horses. Maybe I can’t ride all the time, but I can groom and wow has my core strength increased from mucking stalls. Went from just being able to rake shavings to full muckout on five stalls yesterday!
I have been doing therapeutic riding for a couple weeks now and it has helped immensely - much more than conventional therapy. I have a very sweet horse with a big swingy walk that helps release all the scar tissue in my pelvis.
When I first called them, I was in very bad shape but between then and when I finally started the program, I walked a lot and was, by outward appearances, pretty normal. I thought, these people are going to think I’m nuts because I’m much higher functioning than their other clients. Fortunately, I couldn’t get out of the saddle by myself thus proving that I’m a gimp. 
I did dismount by myself the second lesson, but it took me awhile. I also still get back pain, but I don’t know what to do about that.
It is possible that your pain is coming from the scar tissue being torn apart. When I first attempted to get back in the saddle, I was doing too much and thus pulling the scar tissue apart to quickly. When I did the above mentioned slow return to riding, it was almost as if the scar tissue stretched (I don’t know if it actually can) or at least tore apart at a much slower pace and it minimized after-riding pain. My scar tissue ran along my erector spinae (sp?) muscles… but hopefully this works for you 
feel the love!
So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend; remember please, that, friendship of that sort is a two way street; He knew and found comfort being with you; as you did with him; these animals are blessings in our lives:); the amazing unconditional love they give us I don’t know much about chinchillas but, I do know that he was very fortunate and blessed to have found you:):sadsmile:
At first I was like, “I lost another friend? Who?!”
Sorry, it’s been one of those days.
Yes, my poor chinchilla is still very missed. I’d love to get another one, but my husband is still building in the area we kept his cage and chins can’t be exposed to any kind of fumes. Maybe some day…
Might as well do an update. This is me on my therapy horse, Joey. Thanks to him, I can get on and off - and mount my horse from the ground - by myself, trot, and even canter a little. I can ride my horse now and she has been good for a horse that hasn’t been ridden much in years.
I still can’t sit in most chairs which is a problem.
Things went great with the spinal stimulator for about 5 months and then something went terribly wrong. It started with the area around the battery pack feeling bruised, but I didn’t think too much about it. I figured there was a chunk of metal under there and maybe that was just what it was going to feel like. Then it got to the point where I couldn’t touch the skin over the area without getting nauseous. And then it started heating up!
I had it reprogrammed which helped for a couple weeks, but it got worse again. When I turned it off using the controller, the pain dissipated almost immediately, but slowly returned a few days later. Now I have to turn it off using a magnet because I guess turning it off with the controller still leaves part of the battery active. Unfortunately, when it’s turned off, the nerve pain in my leg sends out party invitations.
The company that made the implant finally decided (after 4 months of back and forth) that it’s defective. I now have to have another surgery to replace the battery pack, but they are paying for it.
I found out after I started complaining about it heating up that they had already had a recall for the same issue. They claim they fixed that problem, and wouldn’t admit, at first, that there was anything wrong with my implant. My doctor told them to replace it.
At least riding helps my leg or I would be back to square one. With the implant off, I still can’t sit in a chair or car for more than 15-30 minutes due to where the damaged nerve is. I should have been back at work by now, but this stuff just never seems to end.
Oh well, here’s me on my horse. Since I was told I’d never ride again, I have had fun proving them wrong.
I am sorry you have to have yet another surgery. Do they think the recovery will be as painful as last time? It is worth it to get back on that nice horse of yours.
I was told it would only take 15 minutes to replace the battery - unless something goes wrong. (Because that never happens with me.)
If they can’t get the wires to detach or there is something wrong with them then it becomes a big ordeal where they have to “re-tunnel” the wires. That’s a really awful procedure and I do not want to go through it again.
Oh no, hope you catch a break this time around and it is an easy fix. On the plus side you have extra confirmation that when it is working it is working.
Good Lord - that’s terrible. If it was recalled why weren’t you notified?
I hope the procedure goes smoothly and is painless.
It’s nice to see photos of you on a horse. Kick on.
The recall was before I got the surgery. That’s why the company was arguing that there couldn’t be anything wrong with mine because they fixed the problem. I didn’t know about the recall until after I complained to my doctor about it heating up.
