My Experience with the Reed Procedure

The "condition of being unable to do things in the normal way" is how the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines disability.

The first time a doctor applied the word disabled to me was at the age of 18.  I went from being excited about adulthood and ready to take on the world to being a different person in a matter of 3 phone calls and one very formal letter.  I was accepted to my Sam Houston State University in March of 2011, and that is where it all began.

I had been struggling with migraines from the age of 12 on, so at 18, it was finally time to be diagnosed with "chronic migraine".  Basically, I am in pain a lot.

I've tried hundreds of different pill, missed a lot of school and work, and lost out on quality relationships because I cannot be there for people the way that they need me to be there most of the time.  After 11 years, and more than 30 medications that haven't work, I have now been cleared to get the Reed Procedure done to treat my migraines.

On August 5th I went to a medical center in Dallas to have the trail stimulator put in to get a sense of what the Reed Procedure could do for me.  It was quite a journey.

My mom and I arrived in Dallas at roughly 7AM for check in to get me prepared for the outpatient procedure.  Even the trail procedure required a team, I have: a doctor, a St. Jude's Representative/Nurse,  an anesthesiologist, and a small team of nurses that helped me through this procedure.  It was a bit over a hour and by 11AM I was back at home.

It is the WEIRDEST feeling in the world to have a neurostimulator in your head.  If you have ever used a TENS unit, then you are a bit familiar with the feeling.  If you haven't, it reminds me a bit of my phone vibrating against my palm, but it is on my forehead and in the neck across my occipital bone.

The procedure is intended to be long term therapy against migraine pain by creating a sensation that block or stops the feeling of pain.  The implant had an incredible impact on my life for those short five days!  I had headaches, but they were only at a 2 or 3 on a pain scale instead of my 6 or 7 average.  It was an incredible improvement and I was ecstatic!

During the five days that I had the implant in, I got to: stay up really late and not get and excruciating headache; drink my first glass of wine without a migraine; and go to a live concert.  I was living a full life for some of the first times in my young adult life.