Already home for four weeks …!!!

As already reported, after taking a shower in March at home the titanium body of my implanted drug pump suddenly peeped out of my belly. It broke through the abdominal wall and I had to sign myself into the hospital again – after only three weeks of “Home” – Holiday (see older blog).

This time I was in the room next door at the same station as three weeks earlier; they still knew me there.

One could have the impression that I like this hospital food. I do not know what you eat for dinner, but this chef salad that is served every evening as an alternative selection is delicious. We can therefore say that the food there is quite good.

After several days of unsuccessful attempt to change back to oral drugs to eventually get rid of the pump completely, the old and no longer sterile pump including lines was taken out. For two weeks an external pump supplied the meds until in a second surgery a new pump including lines between the vertebrae into the spinal canal was implanted – again at the left side.

(Not bad, that dope!)

Nevertheless, the visits from the hospital pastor, various anesthesiologists and several nurses in the intensive care station, who still knew me from eight years ago, got me thinking.

This pump change or better yet new installation required another five weeks of bed rest, but they went without major complications.

Now I am back home for four weeks and I am already looking forward to the empty batteries in 7 years. That is when I will receive a new pump and new scars. I hope that the location of the pump does not need to be changed. Otherwise, above and below the navel there is still some space left.

When I look at the numerous scars on my neck, belly and back, I should probably reconsider my desired profession as a top model.

Translator BW

You may well believe that I currently have become lazy about writing, or suffer from writer’s block. This is not the case, I have enough material, but I also have a relatively good excuse.

When I finally came home mid February after seven months of hospital-hopping, my implanted drug pump (see older posts) decided without asking me to escape from my body through the abdominal wall. And that after only three weeks of “homeland” holiday!

Over the years the skin around the scar got so thin that on March 5th after a shower at home the titanium body of the pump suddenly became visible from the outside. Boy, would I have liked to see my facial expression at that moment! The silver lining doesn’t always have to be at the horizon and a silver wire is not likely to grow out of the belly!

There I was with my non-sterile implant.

I immediately decided at the cost of my health insurance company to rent a hospital bed again. Maybe they haven’t changed the linens from my old bed?

I have always wanted to dial “112″.

It’s silly, but ultimately it’s just a laceration. Now I’m in the room next door.

It took two surgeries to replace the pump and the attached line that goes to the spinal canal and move it to the other side. After nearly five weeks in the hospital bed I’m finally back in my wheelchair.

What an uplifting feeling to finally have WiFi again in the sitting room and not bother the other fellows with my voice control. Although I’m back with my training where I left three months ago but I’d say:

“It could have been worse”

Translator BW

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Voodoo Magic … Aliens … help, my belly beeps … ???

Since yesterday my belly tries to communicate with me.

About every two hours I’m getting dubious messages from him that sound like a “Ping, … ahh … beep … !!!”.

For proof, I have turned on the dictation app on my smartphone and placed it on my belly, hear for yourself the 9 seconds MP3 …

What does he want? Cookies, beer, … or is it perhaps my drug pump screaming …

In 2008 a half year after my accident a drug pump was implanted in my abdominal cavity, that delivers the dope via a tube and a needle directly between the vertebra into the cerebrospinal fluid (see older blog).

Without this pump I wouldn’t be able to enjoy life anymore, but it also bears a certain risk.

There are medi pumps with battery or gas pressured. The gas pressured ones have a usability of allegedly 25 years.

Mine is a “built-in” battery-operated pump, the Medtronic Synchromed II type with a drug reservoir of 40 ml, small it is not …

It is implanted under the skin; similar to a breast enlargement I have a very visible belly enlargement.

The pump is programmable from the outside and needs to be completely replaced after 6-7 years, because by then the batteries are empty.

This is inconvenient, but new hardware every few years can’t hurt.

The alarm of the pump can be turned off with a programming device. Unfortunately, I don’t happen to have one sitting on my shelf.

Translator BW

Voodoo Magic … Aliens … help, my belly beeps … ???

Since yesterday my belly tries to communicate with me.

About every two hours I’m getting dubious messages from him that sound like a “Ping, … ahh … beep … !!!”.

For proof, I have turned on the dictation app on my smartphone and placed it on my belly, hear for yourself the 9 seconds MP3 …

What does he want? Cookies, beer, … or is it perhaps my drug pump screaming …

In 2008 a half year after my accident a drug pump was implanted in my abdominal cavity, that delivers the dope via a tube and a needle directly between the vertebra into the cerebrospinal fluid (see older blog).

Without this pump I wouldn’t be able to enjoy life anymore, but it also bears a certain risk.

There are medi pumps with battery or gas pressured. The gas pressured ones have a usability of allegedly 25 years.

Mine is a “built-in” battery-operated pump, the Medtronic Synchromed II type with a drug reservoir of 40 ml, small it is not …

It is implanted under the skin; similar to a breast enlargement I have a very visible belly enlargement.

The pump is programmable from the outside and needs to be completely replaced after 6-7 years, because by then the batteries are empty.

This is inconvenient, but new hardware every few years can’t hurt.

The alarm of the pump can be turned off with a programming device. Unfortunately, I don’t happen to have one sitting on my shelf.

Translator BW

I am used to quite a bit as wheeler and am usually under the impression that nothing can really distract me. Now it’s about time again.

Good that I can’t run out of my flat screaming loudly.

If you once listen closely you get really aware how often it is “beeping” in one day from somewhere.

There is the beep for critical program termination of Windows, the dead battery of a mobile or wireless phone, a new e-mail, or the washing machine or tumble dryer asks to peg out the laundry immediately.

The egg boiler declares the eggs suitable for Easter, the garbage truck is somehow always beeping, everybody knows about the light still “on” at a car, and when backing with your own car the beeping sound is only predominated by the sound of the back light when you are driving against a road sign.

Additionally I can offer my deep freezer with extremely loud changing beep if it feels too warm, and my standing chair (see older blogpost), when its batteries are dead.

Even the well-known primary school bell now has a “beep, beep”.

Furthermore we don’t want to forget the phone beep for a call, SMS, MMS, WKW, Facebook and the 1000 hertz which the microwave produces when the Ravioli are hot, etc. etc. …

With all the beeping you don’t even notice when your own body is beeping. Eh…

This morning 08:46 h I got for the first time aware of a beeping sound in my bedroom. First I had one of my beloved smoke detectors under suspicion which friendly, but determining call attention for a battery exchange.

For those who are now finally of the opinion that the Rollinator should go into drug rehab should be said that my body at the moment produces every two hours an about 2 seconds long beep, type “Meeehp!!!” in absolutely fine surround sound. I would even hear it naked alone in the sauna.

The answer is quite simple:

My medication pump implanted in my belly is running low on “fuel”!!!

(see older blogpost)

My alarm day was recorded incorrectly in my PC. I would have an appointment at my doctor on Thursday to refill my pump which currently doesn’t really help me on!!!
According to my records my pump is supposed to be beeping since three days.

I’m curious if I can find a kind filling station… ehhh… doctor tomorrow!

Fill ‘er up 600 €

Translator BL

With all my replacement parts in and on my body I have to apply for a passport as “Borg” soon if it is “going” on like this. But without all this high tech there wouldn’t be much going on with me.

It always makes me a little sad when healthy adults call each other a “spaz”.

I only think: If you haven’t got a clue simply shut up!

Click here on the picture!

Spasticity occurs due to neural damages. The reasons are various, e.g. genetic defect, stroke or as in my case an injury of the spinal cord.

My damaged nerve endings got bored in a way six month after the accident, and they decided to give my body, especially my legs, tremors.

There were such powers that I could unintentionally do a backbend where only heels and shoulders were touching the bed.

In that time the spasticity increased daily. Some day one has reached the end of the medication dose that can be delivered with pills.

There is an ingenious solution, an

Implanted Medication Pump.

This pump is “embedded” surgically under the skin in the abdomen. From there a tube (catheter) is going to the spine. There is a needle which delivers the medication into the intrathecal space where fluid flows around the spinal cord. Because the medication is delivered directly to where it’s needed instead of tablets going through stomach, intestine, blood…, only small amounts of medication are needed.

The pump is programmable from the outside. To refill it the skin and a small silicone membrane in the pump are pierced with a needle.

Such a refilling with the amount of three-quarter of a champagne glass is enough for around 6 months for me.

After 7 years the batteries of the pump are empty and I have to go under the knife again. But I don’t mind…!!!

Just in time for my last birthday the pump got additionally filled with morphine against the pain. What a trip, I’d rather be boozed!!!

Translator BL