The Faux interview

The interviewer in the blog that follows is fictional.  It is a tool to get the information out that I   survived dbs  surgery and that I continue to recuperate and wait to see the full results of the series of surgeries to place leads deep in my brain where they provide selectrical stimulation that works with conventional meds and provides a substitute for some the stimulation provided by natural dopamine.

In the short period of time that my  mind has been focused on dbs, I only felt let down personally by my beloved MAC computer which committed suicide after 6 years of service. For now it has been given new life with a new hard drive.  However,  the trust has been lost and I am afraid that our relationship will never be quite the same.

Interviewer: Time has passed and there are more than a few people who at least care enough about you to be asking.  How are you doing after surgery?

John:  I can say that I have been through 3 surgeries each associated with dbs or deep brain surgery.  The First surgery was intended to be the last surgery as far as placement of the leads but it had to be cut short(March 4), due to respiratory difficulties.  At that point a second surgery was scheduled for April 25. The outcome from each of those surgeries was fairly difficult to assess but every word I have to date indicates perfect placement of the leads. I then waited for a 3rd surgery to place the batteries and then turn-on the system.

Interviewer:  Was this interruption or time time delay to the surgeries difficult?

John:  I would have to say  yes.  In addition to the physical discomfort, there is a psychological component.   I found myself wondering if I Had subjected my brain to considerable risk with little chance of real gain. 

Interviewer:  What if a cure for Parkinson’s is found within the next 10 years? That would be the real gain and then what have you done to your brain?

John:  The surgeon has told me that if a cure becomes available that they can simply pull the Leads out and go back to square one. permanent  damage to the brain is not a part of this process.  Do not get me wrong.  There is risk of adverse outcomes.

Interviewer:  What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of the dbs series of surgeries.

John:  I Believe that it was the fact that I had to stay quiet for at least three weeks after each one of them.  I Found it difficult to stay close to home and not do things that were more strenuous and demanded more energy than I had at the time. I would cheat and do things that I knew not to be wise such as bending and pulling weeds on our place.

Interviewer:  Tell us more about that final or 3rd surgery?  

John:  The third surgery included surgical placement of the batteries and the powered  stimulater in the chest wall.  The leads which had been previously stored beneath the skin of my scalp after surgeries 1 and 2 were now fished down along the neckline and connected to the batteries. The batteries and the controller were placed just beneath the collar bone or the clavicle on each side of my chest.  Powering it up and programming the device began a few days later.  Just an initial energizing of the system to get things going.   The surgery itself created pain and soreness and since it was day surgery the lingering presence of the anesthesia was still pretty fresh when I left the hospital.  I am still in recuperation from the third surgery. It was probably the most painful surgery of the three. It left my shoulders sore and my body weak. I will not soon forget walking away or staggering away from the hospital while relying on my wife’s strength to hold me up. 

Interviewer:  Would you say the surgery has been a success for you?  

John:  As far as the actual surgery is concerned I would have to give it a yes with some qualification.  In my mind success happened last Monday morning at 8 o’clock. at the point the system was powered on. Now things are running in reverse and which means,  we were not talking about adding more drugs,  either to treat the disease or dealing with side effects of drugs previously used to treat the disease.  We  now have a new tool and are talking about the use of less or no drug and how I might react to that.  The qualification is there only because we are so early in this process.  The full outcome is a separate piece waiting to be written.

 I would like to say thank you for the support and prayers of my friends.  They held me up at a time when I may have,  on my own, have given up.

Less shaky in Coupeville,

John C.