Until death do us part…

We celebrated 28 years of marriage this year! I hope my relationship with my new DBS device will be as long and as happy!

Back in 1995, in the weeks before my husband and I got married, every time he did something annoying, I’d hear this voice in my head saying “he’s going to be doing that for the REST OF YOUR LIFE.” And yes 28+ years later, he is still doing those same annoying things.

Well, that voice is back, and now it’s quieter, but it keeps saying “you will have wires in your head and a battery in your chest for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.” Honestly, it’s kind of comforting. Having put up with loved my husband for 28+ years despite his annoying behaviors, it seems to me that the forboding voice in my head is actually a good omen. It signals that this new device will at times be annoying, but for the most part will make my life better for the next 28+ years or so.

Now that we’re a week out from surgery, I am happy to be distracted with information on my new cyber-pal, the Vercise DBS from Boston Scientific. At least, happy as long as I don’t think too much about it all. The verbiage about the device is all sensible, logical, and optimistic - exactly as it should be. It’s a little unsettling to see photos of the device, the charging collar that I’ll be using weekly, the information on the various ways the device can be disrupted, and the remote control. But learning is good for the brain, so bring it on.

In a week, I’ll be Kate 2.0 Beta edition - full features will be available in early January once we turn on and tune the device. Kate 2.0 will have a battery pack in her chest and wires in her head - which is just weird. At times, it seems like nothing at all - after all, pacemakers are everywhere, and DBS is proven to help, and Science. While I’m excited to become Kate 2.0, it’s difficult to let go of Kate 1.0. That Kate is younger, fitter, and scampered through those forms at the Doctor’s office without having to check a single box, who could waltz through airport security, and was blissfully unaware of the ins and outs of the the role of dopamine in maintaining muscle coordination.

But - and only because there’s not a better alternative - I guess I’ll set up a welcome party for Kate 2.0 and see what happens next. Omens are that it will be good, or at least interesting.