One Year Vasectomy Reversal Anniversary

It was one year ago yesterday, that I had my vasectomy reversed for congestive epididymitis. I haven't had that problem since then, thank the Lord, but I have had nerve pain. People on the vasectomy pain forum think my nerves became hyperactivated after my reversal surgery. Apparently that can happen. Nobody told me that was a risk for the reversal surgery.

I thought I was having this nerve pain because the old vasectomy scar tissue was not cleaned out, so when my body healed, I developed more scar tissue which involved my nerves some how. But I doubt I'll ever really know why I have nerve pain.

Perhaps, I'll have targeted denervation to give me permanent pain relief. But there are even risks with that. So, I think I'll just keep the status quo. I've been taking tylenol quite a bit this last week to help with the right sided inguinal nerve pain.

It seems like since I posted that my nerve pain had improved and I wouldn't be adding to my blog anymore, I've had more pain than before. So, who knows what the future holds. I keep praying and hoping that Jesus will just come back and take me and others out of our pain. That would be pretty cool. But I guess there are still people who don't know Jesus as their savior yet, so he's probably delaying his return so more people will come to accept him as their Lord. I guess the pain I feel is an okay sacrifice, if it means more people will have their souls saved.

After all, that's what Christmas is really about. I mean, why would you celebrate Christmas, give gifts to people, if you didn't believe in the birth of Jesus, God's gift to us, as savior of the world? Sorry to digress, but again, it is my blog, so I suppose I'm allowed a degree of lattitude here.

I still don't know what I'd do if I didn't have Jesus in my life. So, thank you God for sending your only son to pay the price for my sin. I don't deserve the gift, but you gave it anyway. So thanks. Merry Christmas.

11 Month Post Vasectomy Reversal Status Update

It was 11 months ago that I had my vasectomy reversal for congestive epididymitis related to my vasectomy 6-7 years ago. Prior to my reversal, I had what amounted to a third testicle from August to December. It was very uncomfortable and fairly painful. Then I had my reversal, because there seemed to be a 75% chance I would get better. During the surgery, my urologist told me that sperm filled liquid oozed out of my right vas deference for about 15 minutes during the surgery. That tells you how much congestion I had prior to the surgery.

Since my reversal, I haven't had congestion. But, I started getting nerve pain. The best guess is that scar tissue is rubbing against some nerves causing pain. The other idea is that my anatomy is different in the scrotum which also rubs against nerves and causes pain. The last idea is the doctor damaged my nerves during the surgery.

My nerve pain has improved every month since then. Now, I have intermittent pain that seldom requires any tylenol. Interestingly, tylenol helps a lot, but ibuprofen doesn't. I usually have 1 bad day a week. The biggest problem is the fear I get when I do have pain. My mind starts racing, thinking the congestion is coming back. But so far so good.

My faith has surprisingly been strengthened as a result of this vasectomy challenge. I wished my faith could have been stronger and I could have simply foregone the pain and congestion.

Next month will be my 1 year anniversary. I hope the pain is even less of an issue then. Lord willing, I'll continue to improve.

So there's the status update. As far as this week goes, I've had a little nerve pain on the left side, but nothing too difficult. My sleeping has been poor, but that could be because I've had a cold. I hope to get a gym membeship tomorrow so I can start walking regularly again on the treadmill (the cold has made it difficult to go outside to walk).

Distractions Can Be a Good Thing

Woke up early for a men's bible study and am just now getting to bed. I've been awake almost 18 hours. It has been a long day. But a day where I actually felt normal. We went on a little hike at 5000 feet. My son got a headache and had some chest pain. As if I didn't have enough to worry about with my health problems. So we came back down to sea level and went on a day hike. We set up camp, had a campfire and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. All the time, I didn't really notice any pain.

I think being busy doing something you like to do helps with the pain. You probably don't notice the twinges as much. I'm sure I probably had them, but I didn't really dwell on them if I did. I've experienced this similar phenomenon before. If I'm really busy doing something, the pain doesn't seem to bother me as much.

This just goes back to the idea of how chronic pain can play mind games with you. That is, if you keep yourself occupied, the little things aren't noticed. Now, I will say this...the knifing nerve pain is always noticed, no matter what I'm doing. I've heard men report making love with their wives and then being in incredible pain with PVPS. Now if you were to be distracted, being intimate with your wife would do it.

Anyway, I enjoyed today's distractions. It helped me feel like a normal person today. Oh and by the way, today is my wife and I's 17 year wedding anniversary. I've enjoyed almost every day. The PVPS has created challenges, but the good Lord has helped both of us through them.

So a shout out to my wife...I love you darlin'. Looking forward to another 17 years, this time hopefully with less PVPS symptoms - Lord willing.

It's Good to Have a Mentor

Big Brothers knows it. Corporate gurus know it. Everyone should know it by now, having a mentor is a good thing. Even for those of us who suffer pain. I spoke to a gentlemen from my old church in Texas yesterday. He is the one who suffers level 7-8 pain every day. He's the one who told me that he doesn't remember what it was like to not feel pain. This has been going on for over 12-13 years. He's seen all the doctors, done all the home remedies and still he has no relief.

One day I went up to him with tears in my eyes and asked if I could talk to him about what I was going through. He immediately sat down and began listening to me, even though I could tell he was in two or three times the pain I was in. He counseled me for several weeks before we moved to the NW. He brought me out of a very dark place, one that he was all too familiar.

It was so good to speak with him yesterday. I told him how indebted I was to him, but he just told me we all need help and he was just glad to be someone who could help me. He's kind of like that, just very self-effacing, humble. But he knows what I'm going through, so you'll have to pardon this post as I go on and on about what a great guy John is.

Sometimes it helps to talk in person with someone who knows something about what you're going through. It also helps to talk to anyone, for that matter, but in particular a person who has experienced what you are personally experiencing. Online forums are great and all, but there is no substitute for this face to face interaction. In my case, there was just something about sitting across from someone who knows what pain is. Who knows how pain changes everything in your life. How you relate to your kids, wife, friends, self, etc.

I thank God for sending John into my life. I think he knew I needed someone before I left Texas. I still have a long way to go, obviously. But John was there again last night to help me. His familiar, calming, instructional voice giving me guidance and direction. He is my pain mentor. I know it sounds weird, but that is what he is.

So if anyone has pain and needs help, find someone at your church or someone who you know that has gone through what you are going through. You'll be amazed at how quickly the walls of solitude and isolation come down. It could be the most special non-family bond you've ever had.

My symptoms today are about the same. Just a little twinge on the left side, but nothing too serious. It's my 9 month vasectomy reversal anniversary today. We'll see how it goes. I didn't walk yesterday, but plan on it today. I've got a stye on my right bottom eyelid that is bothering me pretty good. I need to get that taken care of, probably with antibiotics. So, I'll be curious to see if that has any affect on my PVPS.

4 Month Vasectomy Reversal Anniversary

It's hard to believe it's been 4 months since my reversal surgery. I have to say, I feel better today than I did on my 1, 2, and 3 month anniversay. I hope my 5 month anniversay is even better! Lord willing, Lord willing.

Anyway, I don't get those knifing pains too much anymore. But I still get that racking feeling on my left side. Again, I think it's because of the spermatocele. My right side is still unpredictable. I'll have days where it doesn't hurt, aches just a little, hurts pretty decently or has that sharp knife pain. I'd say it's more in the ache realm more often than not though.

So am I glad I had the reversal. I think it's still too early to say. Give me a couple of years and I'll let you know. I hope the spermatocele goes away on my left side. That's a real bugger. It's basically like having this something extra in your scrotum that doesn't belong.

Today I woke up feeling pretty good. I didn't have any real pain, except for maybe a slight "sensation" on my right side. So I started in on my chores to get the house ready for sale. I sanded some drywall mud in our kitchen and did some painting. Nothing too strenuous. I was even sitting down while I was doing the sanding.

Then it hit me. I started having some sharp right-sided inguinal pain. It was in the same place that I had my hernia repair almost 20 years ago. The pain stayed with me and I figured it wasn't going away, so I took two tylenol. That seemed to do the trick for most of the day. I was able to keep painting (touch up work really, while my wife and mother-in-law did most of the real painting). The pain came back for a second or two on the right side, then went away.

It seems like the tylenol helps with the nerve pain, while the ibuprofen seems to help with the racking pain. I wonder why the difference. Anyway, I've still been stretching out and doing some very light - and I do mean light - abdominal strengthening exercises. Basically, 10 leg lifts while I lay on my back. I've also been trying the pelvic tilts exercises where you lay on your back, raise your hips in the air and tilt your pelvis. Kind of like you're pelvic thrusting the air above you. You see a lot of this exercise in women's aerobics classes. Anyway, I may have to back off on that one. Maybe do only 10-15 tilts, rather than 30.

Easter is tomorrow. We went over Jesus's Resurrection with the kids. They like the story and it reminds me that my little problems are pretty insignificant compared to what Jesus did for me. Helps to have an eternal perspective sometimes. We talk to our kids a lot about how we'll  have new bodies in Heaven. The kids are excited because they know I won't have to worry about my "boo-boo area" anymore. It kind of gives me a little peace too.