![]() “He said, ‘This is going to be how you react to it and what you do with what we’re offering you. Afterward, he helped Kay learn to use the device to manage her pain. Fischer talked through all the risks and benefits. Spinal cord stimulators allow patients to adjust certain aspects of the stimulation using a small, remote-control-like device, commonly carried in one’s purse or in their pocket. Kay did experience some discomfort as she was recovering from the surgery, but she took it slow and felt better within the first week. The outpatient procedure took an hour or two, and she went home the same day. In June 2022, Kay underwent surgery to have the spinal cord stimulator implanted. She knew right away that she wanted to proceed with the surgery. The goal is to provide long-lasting relief.ĭuring her trial period, Kay experienced significant pain relief. Typically, a 50% or greater reduction in pain is considered a successful trial, and implantation of the device is recommended. This gives the individual time to test the device and evaluate its effectiveness at managing pain both at rest and during activity. Fischer says.īefore implanting the device, the patient undergoes a stimulator trial, which typically lasts five to seven days. “One of the nicest parts of the spinal cord stimulator system is it’s something you get to try first before you have it implanted,” Dr. It uses electrical signals to cover up the painful signals, but the signals are imperceptible to the patient. What do you do? You rub the area to cover up the pain with something that’s non-painful,” Dr. “I think of it kind of like if you’ve ever hit your funny bone. The device uses electrical energy to communicate to the nerves as they’re coming down into the spinal cord. The electrodes are connected to and powered by a pulse generator system that is implanted beneath the skin, similar to what you might find in a cardiac pacemaker system. The spinal cord stimulator system consists of electrodes, or leads, placed in the epidural space behind the back bones. A spinal cord stimulator is a device implanted beneath the skin that’s used to treat certain types of chronic pain by sending low levels of electrical stimulation toward the spinal cord. Fischer recommended a spinal cord stimulator as the next step for Kay. “He was very professional and took the time to explore the best option for me.”Īfter conducting several tests, Dr. “He talked with me and my husband about all the alternatives we had,” Kay says. Matt Fischer, a pain management specialist with ThedaCare Orthopedic Care, everything changed. “There was a point where I didn’t have a quality of life, and I just couldn’t sit back and say, this is what it’s going to be for me the rest of my life.” Skeptical to Believer “I wasn’t me anymore, and I had to do something,” she says. Finally, her primary care provider suggested she see a pain management specialist.īy that point, Kay was frustrated and skeptical about trying another option, but she finally decided to go for it. She’d also tried lidocaine patches and pain medication, to no avail. They weren’t working, and the cost was adding up. When she and her husband visited their daughter in Florida in fall of 2021, she could barely enjoy the trip because she was in so much pain.īefore Kay came to ThedaCare Medical Center-Orthopedic, Spine and Pain, she received twice-monthly back injections at another orthopedic facility. She describes herself as a positive and optimistic person, but she found herself becoming depressed. The pain was also affecting Kay’s mental health. Eventually, though, the discomfort in her lower back made it too difficult to sit at her sewing machine. “It hurt just going out the door to go to the store or sitting at home and watching church on TV.”Įarly in the pandemic, Kay, who loves to sew, teamed up with her sister to make face masks. “Even trying to tie my shoes was a chore,” she says. It reached a point where she had to use a walker or motorized scooter to get around. For a time, she even hosted her own national radio show, “Kay, the Consumer Crusader.”Ībout three years ago, Kay began to experience chronic, debilitating back pain. Between 19, Kay lived in Florida and worked as a producer for a radio-TV show host. Outside the home, the Neenah resident worked for several years on the staff of Wisconsin State Sen. In her younger days, she and her husband raised four children and took in 34 permanent foster children, many of whom were mentally or physically challenged. These days, Kay relishes her role as a grandmother to seven and great-grandmother to five. Kay Reetz, ThedaCare Patient and Back Pain Sufferer ![]() I’m doing things I hadn’t been able to do for years.
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