I know it's been a while.

So I met with my doc yesterday to talk to him about my pain and the high level. He stated that a second block would maybe give me less than a month (if that) of relief and that we should just go straight to the SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulator). I have a DVD to watch on the process.

Apparently what happens first is a trial period of a week, then installation (sounds like a car) of a permanent device.

I am looking forward to the relief. I informed him about how much fun the boy and I had for the couple of days I came down to a level 2 on the pain scale. We laughed and joked and goofed off making fun of songs and we drove wherever he wanted to go. It was GREAT.

Some info:
"Spinal chord stimulators are surgically implantable systems used to treat a variety of chronic pain conditions, including RSD/CRPS. Through low-voltage electrical stimulation of the electrodes, the normal pain signals which travel through the spinal cord are altered to provide pain relief."

"Candidates for this treatment undergo a trial consisting of temporary implantation of an electrode over the spinal cord. If the temporary electrode alleviates pain by at least 80% compared with the patient's starting perception, then a permanent stimulator and pulse generator is implanted under the skin. When connected, the stimulator is connected and implanted surgically, much like a heart pacemaker. The surgical procedure involves placing a compact generator in the lower anterior abdomen wall and connecting a wire to a strip of electrodes placed adjacent to the back part of the spinal cord. Modern spinal cord stimulators are programmable externally by computer for optimal pain relief, so further surgery is unnecessary once implanted.
Objections to this treatment for RSD generally focus of the implantation itself, pointing out that, for some RSD sufferers, any surgery is likely to aggravate the symptoms."
"http://www.rsdalert.co.uk/treatments/Spinal-Chord-Stimulator.htm"