Programming the Programmer!

8/16/2015

On my best day, I have a lot of difficulty following instructions and/or directions.  Because of this, it is always helpful to have Jeff, if he can, come with me to appointments.  I believe at least one of us should be able to understand and the real biggie remember what is being said.  So, without Jeff, I'm alone to try and remember things that a doctor says.

Last week, I met with the representative from St. Jude's to program my programmer that runs the nerve stimulator in my back.  I listened intently, I really did, to everything that was being shown and told to me.  And I had it - sort of.

The representative set up three different programs for me, but for the life of me I can't remember what each program is supposed to do to which part of my body.  Once at home, I am eager to try and find one of the three programs to see if I could do it for myself.  Problem was - not so much.

I knew which buttons to press, but clearly forgot the sequence of pushing buttons. Last night I gave up trying to select program 2 or 3 and was happy to just get the basic program running!  You can increase or decrease the stimulation, but you can't be around any electrical (i.e., the computer) to work the programmer.

I'm 65 and you would think that by now I would be able to follow, what looked like, very easy steps.  Sadly, with my short term memory issues, I couldn't keep the instructions straight in my head.  Tomorrow, I'll put out an "SOS" to the St. Jude's representative and ask for a refresher course.  Till then, I'm happily buzzing along on the default program.  It's good enough for now.

P