The Ribbon of Road Ahead

Medtronic is a leading manufacturer of medical devices.  Their products include pumps and pacemaker type devices, including Deep Brain Stimulation neurostimulators. Other producers of these devices include Boston Scientific, Abbot and St. Jude.

I did not have a choice at the time of my implant.  The Medtronic Activa was placed in my chest, just below my left collar bone five days after the probes were placed in my brain.  The wires were positioned from both sides of my  head, run down the back of my head and side of my neck  and needed to  be pulled into place.  

In about a months time, I returned to the clinic for the device to be turned on, and set.  That was quite the experience. You can read more about that in my book The Ribbon of Road Ahead  to be released in early 2019.

I have had a total of four tune ups which have been successful in limiting my tremors and several other symptoms of Parkinsons Disease.  I was told the battery would last 3-5 years, depending on the strength of the voltage.  It   has been 2 years and 9 months. Mine was rather high on one side.  It has now drained to the warning level.  I hope to have surgery to replace it within the month.