Health Organization for Pudendal Education

Faith wrote:How much are you working now Violet? Did you have to take off a long time after your surgery?

Faith, I wasn't working when PNE hit -- I was homeschooling my kids. About 5 years after PNE surgery I decided if I ever wanted to get back into nursing it was now or never. Now I work full time and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to work again and to be able to maintain such low pain levels. I wish everyone could be this lucky.

Violet,

I am so happy you can work. This sounds crazy to some, but I wish I could work!!!!

AM

Violet,
I have mentioned that I had my SI joint fused, hoping that would alleviate the SI pain and the pudendal pain. My ultimate goal was also to return to work. The surgery helped the SI pain, but the pudendal nerve pain is worse. I was reading my notes from Jerry Hesch. He noted that my sacrotuberous ligament was very tight. It dawned on me that the surgery must have made the ligament even tighter, ie the extra pain. Do you know if decompression surgery would help a nerve that is stretched from a ligament? I don't know where to turn to next. Thanks!

paulette wrote: I was reading my notes from Jerry Hesch. He noted that my sacrotuberous ligament was very tight. It dawned on me that the surgery must have made the ligament even tighter, ie the extra pain. Do you know if decompression surgery would help a nerve that is stretched from a ligament? I don't know where to turn to next. Thanks!

Absolutely -- to relieve stretch on the nerve is one of the purposes of PNE surgery. Certainly there area no guarantees with surgery but ligaments can be one of the main culprits with PNE. I'm not sure a stretched nerve or tight ligament would show up on the 3T MRI either -- which may be one of the weaknesses of the MRI????

Thanks, Violet. You don't know how relieved I was to read your explanation. I feel like I have some hope to cling to. paulette

It is certainly interesting how many of us are nurses....I'm another one!
I was a gynae/urology nurse ( isn't that ironic?) for 5 yrs until PNE forced me to give up- funnily enough I didn't know that the Pudendal nerve could get damaged....now I want everyone to know!
I sent my old colleagues info on it, so they can learn from my experience...plus the urologists and gynae's I worked with had never come across a case of PNE before...
Hoping to get off strong meds this yr,so I can return 1 day a week to my old job- that hope of normality keeps me going- I sooooo miss work and caring for pts post op- just want my 'nurse' identity back- not just 'chronic pain patient' label....

Ness,

I found it funny when Dr. P (Pain Specialist) at King Edward Memorial hospital asked me if I was a nurse. http://www.pudendalhope.info/forum/post ... f=11&t=667# I took lots of notes with me on my first visit. He said I delivered my symptoms very well and had a great understanding of what was required at a doctors visit. My notes taken from the pudendal websites were extremely helpful to him he said. I felt quite chuffed that he thought I was a nurse. Anyway, I stake a claim in my husbands degree as I helped him do his assignments when he was studying. I think I can lay claim to 50% of his RN status. You are all awesome. I think there should be an 'International Nurses Day'
If the secretaries can get an official day then why not the nurses. You all deserve a great big thank you for the work you do.

Catherine

Mmmmmmm that was supposed to be a smiley face in there. What did I do wrong? See....... I would never make a good nurse.

Catherine

Catherine,

Here in the USA, nurses do have a day, in fact I think we have a whole week. It's in May, the first week I think. We always get some kind of special recognition from our employer. Your husband should make sure that they start this in Australia!

We do celebrate Nurses Day in Australia....in fact it is called "International Nurses Day"....and we used to get a free lunch/dinner at work when I was working!
cheers Vanessa