Two days after liberation


    So Ive now had the procedure. Really it didn't go that great. The goal was to bring the flow on the two jugulars to 500 and what was achieved was more like 320. I was a little caught off guard that the venography, a final

 imaging step used during the procedure, showed much different things than the ultrasound and mri done in the first two days of imaging. While lying on the table I was told that rather than a simple membrane blockage that

 could easily be cleared the vein on the left had significant stenosis. This is the narrowing that other ms patients have…They pumped up the balloon to open up this flow, only to have it close again. They tried again.  It closed

 again. There was a conversation about inserting a stent, where i told them they would have to consult with my wife doctor, and since the room was sterile they didn't consider this an option. (even though sue was just in the

 room next door and could have scrubbed up)

     so they tried a third ballooning and said it was much better, but in the morning an ultrasound showed only a slightly higher number. I guess I might have gone for the stent if Id been ready, and it wasn't over a valve. They

 need stents with valves built in...

     This said, Ive had some unexpected improvements. My neurogenic bladder that forces me to get up to pee several times a night seems to have calmed down. As I write I've just awoken from the longest uninterrupted sleep

 Ive had in months. This is really huge for healing. I attribute the fact that my numb right hand feels better to this better sleep as much as to liberation.

       So what has happened here is a good start in a longer process. Venous stenting is a new technique and still carries significant risk. Although there might be 1000 people who have now had the procedure, we all think of

 Radek who's stent flowed to his heart, requiring open heart surgery to repair. Unlike arteries veins get bigger as they flow to the heart, so stents are not trapped in place. Here in poland they use a massive 12mm gauge stent and

 quite long too..(zamboni  talked about 4mm vs 5mm gauges) so they are not going to slip, but the stress of such a large gauge on the delicate venous system is still unknown. It was just a bit too dangerous…

       Still Im more of a believer than when I arrived here. This works, and can offer relief. Small successes add up.