Stage III

It's a done deal! Stage III complete. What started as a nasty,rainy,Monday morning is now clear and Sunny, on the way home from  Vandy. Already seeing and feeling good stuff happening to my body. The honeymoon effect is alive and well, and the surgeon said it's usually indicative of the results when I'm turned on . Don't want to curse myself but I have a glimmer of a sunny forecast now.😎Emotions running high!😥It's been a couple days and my brain is a little fuzzy. I'll talk about the surgery when I'm clear. The doc said this would probably happen

I'll back up to Monday morning. I had a 9:00 AM show, so we went over to Nashville that morning and with traffic still got there a few minutes late. Vandy has a hurry up and wait mentality. I'm sure they've got burned a time or so from out of townee's, so they've built some extra time into their schedule. Ever since the Stage II surgery my meds have resorted back to hit or miss, and on this day, its more miss. I'm freezing in place, holding up elevators, people trying to go to the bathroom,etc.My third surgery at Vandy and my third different location to check in. Get checked in and they call me back, I know the routine by now. Strip,put their gown on, opening to the back, get in bed,wait for the doctors to come by. Dr Konrad did come by. He's a non-assuming kind of guy.You could assume he was a farmer, if you didn't know he was a brain surgeon. Anyway, he thought I looked good. He asked if I was  experiencing in any honeymoon effect? I said "I thought so." The Honeymoon Effect as it relates to Parkinson's is were they have completed the stages of DBS but you're not turned on yet. Just by running the leads down into the brain, it stimulates some areas. The big things I noticed was in the first couple days after surgery, my  meds or not as many were required also, I've been having trouble swallowing lately and this whole week I've done much better. It's exciting, Dr Konrad said the events I'm experiencing is typical to what may happen when I'm turned on. He explained the procedure that he would perform today. Channel the wires under my scalp, down my neck to wire up
to the DBS generator, that he inserted in the left clavicle. Sarge came by as well, I told her that stitching reminded me of First Blood and she said she remembered that movie and liked it.
When the nurse anesthetist comes around, its about time to go. It's a quick trip to the OR and I scooch  over onto the table I hope for the last time. The next thing I remember I'm in recovery. My nurse gives me my token 4 oz. of water and calls for Donna, my wife. Dr Konrad has spoke to Donna and again was pleased with everything. I get dressed, my wheelchair comes and out of there we go. During this DBS procedure Vandy has never been anything but professional, and always nice and understanding. They are efficient, and they have to be with the expense of these procedures. They are almost industrialized. So, don't take it personally. Here we go back towards Knoxville, and stop at Chic Filet again. I haven't had time to get on my meds and I'm freezing each step I take. I'm holding up the mens room, the drive thru, and traffic flow.With some luck, that will be the last time I embarrass myself trying to cross the parking lot.