The Permanent Implant

Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted. Figured I would finally update you all on how my surgery went. On July 19th, I went to Jefferson University Hospital in Philly to have my permanent nerve stimulator implanted. The surgery went well, although I was pretty sore for about a week afterwards. I have about 5 small scars on my head, back shoulder and chest where they ran the wires and installed the battery. Overall I'd say that the stimulator is helping, although I am still getting about 2-3 headaches a week that I'm unable to get relief for. This is definitely better than having a headache 7 days a week, but it's also a little frustrating since the trial stimulator did so well. I'm hoping that after the next follow up visit, I can get some new "programs" that will maybe help eliminate or at least control the headaches that do make it through.

RELIEF! For 5 days....

So after a few years of waiting, on 5/25/12, I went to Philadelphia and had a nerve stimulator trial implanted at the Jefferson University hospital. They put two wires in my head, one around the occipital nerve on the back of my head, and one above my left eye. These two wires talked to one another, and the stimulation covered the entire left side of my head pretty much. (notice the lovely haircut the gave me.... that was a joy to discover when we took the head bandage off when we got home!) I could adjust the frequency and intensity of the "shocks" as I needed to provide the best relief for my daily headaches. There were a total of 8 programs on my device, but I really only used 2 of them. The one that I kept going most of the time was a high frequency stimulation that felt a bit like a massage. If I felt a headache coming on, then I would switch programs to one that was like a gentle "thump", and it usually relieved the pain within a few minutes. It was really quite amazing how well this thing worked, especially after trying so many other things in the past. I did have one migraine during the trial period that the stimulator didn't really help with, but since I only get those about once a month, I think I could deal with that! As far as the normal daily headaches that I deal with, the stimultor lessened the frequency of those, and allowed me to control the pain of the once that did make it through. Unfortunately, the trial was only for 5 days.... I had it removed the next week, and the headaches returned. Now I'm just waiting for an appointment with the neurosurgeon to see when I can get the permanent one installed!

Half Frame 2

Half Frame 1

The next few posts will be photos I took with my half frame camera. What it does is take 2 photos on one 35mm frame, so on a 36 exposure roll of film, you actually get 72 photos.

Update from Philadelphia

Today I had an appointment with my doctor at the Jefferson Headache Center. Not much has changed as far as my headaches go, and they pretty much are down to their last 2 options.

They told me at my last visit that they wanted to try Botox injections. We ran it thru my insurance, and found out that they would cover 80% of the procedure costs, but 0% on the actual Botox medication.... which would cost me almost $1100. Not something we can swing at the moment.

At today's appointment she mentioned again the idea of the occiptal nerve stimulator. If you don't recall, this is a device that is implanted in me, and has wires that are attached to a battery and a control. When I start getting a headache, I can adjust the device so that it gives off little electrical shocks to my occipital nerve, and hopefully it would help my headache go away. She said that some insurances are starting to cover it, but that the surgery costs about $50,000. WOW! I thought I misunderstood and that she meant $15000, but Stephanie was in the room with me and says that she said $50K.

They gave me a referral to a pain management doctor there, who I'll go see about getting a trial version of the stimulator. I would wear it a week or so, and if it helps, then they'd implant the permanent device. This doctor is also who I'll find out from information on whether my insurance will cover any of the costs.

We're hoping and praying that insurance will cover the majority of the costs, or if they don't that maybe they can set it up as a clinical trial sort of thing that wouldn't cost me anything. I will keep you all updated as to what we find out from this visit!

Thanks for continuing to pray with/for us!

Setting up blog

Old Film 5

Old Film 4

Old Film 3

Old Film 2

Old Film

Sometimes people give me old cameras, or I find old cameras at the flea market, that still have film in them. Sometimes there are still some exposures left on the film, and so I use them. The next few days will be some pictures from a 110 film camera that Stephanie's grandmother bought me at an auction.

How To Make Apple Butter

I thought I'd switch it up a bit on my blog for tonight and share this from

my uncle Steve Custer, Enjoy!

How To Make

“Momma’s Apple Butter”

This description comes from the annual apple butter making

festivities as executed and recorded by members

of the W. Clinton and Eva Guilliams Custer

family at brother Carey’s lodge near

Ferrum, Virginia on October 13 and 14, 2011.

Participants – all siblings listed – oldest first:

Dan Custer and son Keith – Part Time on Friday

Loretta Sigmon – Thursday

Lorraine Roberts – Thursday and Friday

Cathy (Kitten) Guilliams – Thursday and Friday

Steve and Sue Custer – Thursday and Friday

Carey and Betty Custer – Thursday and Friday

Tony Custer – Showed up to collect a sample

Ann, Roger and Decon Sledd – Part Time Thursday and Friday

Day 1 – Thursday, October 13, 2011Two days, rather than trying to do it all in one day, adds to the fellowship and creates less of a strain on the body and mind (negotiation is stressful especially for older people).

Main Ingedients:

6 bushels Golden Delicious apples

2 bushels Stayman Winesap apples

Apples should be well ripened, but not mushy. Mushy apples make good cider but are extremely hard to peel for apple butter.

Sugar (to come later)

Cinnamon (last to enter)

Photo Captions:

I’ve tried to place the captions, as well as the directions and pertinent information, at the tops of the photos on the next few pages. (The inferred recipe and description are written and photographed by Steve….I really did do more than just sit around and take notes and photos!)

All participants noted, plus some additional “visitors” that had to get a hand into the fray, were peeling and cutting apples for 4 hours (1:30PM to 5:30PM) on Thursday. We delivered for the pot: 60 gallons (three [3] 19-gallon heaping tubs) of cut up apples.

We used Daddy’s 35 gallon copper kettle and provided all necessary heat for cooking using a 4 burner propane gas arrangement that Loretta’s husband, Bobby had fabricated and loaned to us. All this was set up prior to the cooking beginning on Friday.

Day 2 – Friday, October 14, 2011

Carey had the fire going at 6:00 AM, and brought 1 ½ gallons of apple cider to a bubble before adding the first apples.

Lorraine put two small kettles of the cut-up apples on the stove in the cabin and cooked them so as to speed up the cooking in the pot at the beginning of the process.

As the cooking began and continued, 3 – 4 people were washing and adding apples to the mix – here’s Betty and Kitten.

At all times while the fire was under the pot, someone was stirring the pot in a rhythmic pulsation. An old rhyme to help the stirrer concentrate on covering the bottom of the pot with the paddle goes something like:

“Two times round the edge and one up the middle

Every time you touch the bale you have to kiss the kettle.”

Everyone had an opinion on how much heat to use during the cooking – Kitten shares hers here. Consensus was to keep the mixture bubbling but not enough for the mixture to splash out.

All apples were in the pot by 8:45 ………………………and cooking continued....

Dan provided new help…………..and cooking continued…. Someone forgot to tell Lorraine, Carey, Kitten and Betty that a pot won’t boil if you continue to watch it.

Sue got into the stirring act …..and the cooking continued………………..

Apples were totally cooked up by 12:30, and we started adding the sugar. After we added 49 pounds everyone started tasting. Carey said “need more”, Kitten said “just right”, Lorraine said “too much”….everyone had an opinion. Finally everyone agreed to add another 4 pounds. After that was added Carey sneaked another 4 pounds into the pot!! We used 57 lbs of sugar total.

After all sugar was added we continued to cook/stir for another 2 hours….the dog (Gunner) was smart enough to stay away from the fire - don’t know what Debbie was trying to show Keith.

Applebutter was completely cooked by 3:00 when we took the fire off and added cinnamon. Kitten put in 5 ½ drams of liquid cinnamon – Carey said it was too much, Lorraine said just right, everyone else kept their opinion to themselves

We continued to stir for 15 – 30 minutes while the cinnamon propagated through the mix before starting to dip and place in the jars. Even while we dipped the apple butter out of the pot we continued to stir. Betty, Kitten, Sue and Lorraine formed an assembly line filling the jars and were finished taking the apple butter from the pot by 4:00 PM.

Carey finished “sopping” all the applebutter from the pot. Note: Ann continued to stir the apple butter until all had been removed.

All told, we canned 24 gal and 3 pints in quart, pint and half pint jars (some people are still complaining about having to fill the small jars because it took too much time). With the heat still in the apple butter the lids were self sealing as the lids “set” to the jars. You can note the color – see last photo – of the apple butter is a reddish brown not dark like some of the mid-west apple butter I’ve seen, and with the consistency of ……..well, apple butter. We like it almost pourable – not thick enough to have to spoon/dig it from the jar.

If you would like to purchase a jar (quart/pint/half pint) some of the same group annually makes a batch, using the same recipe, at the church where we grew up. The sale of this batch serves as a mission outreach at Bethany Church of the Brethren located near Callaway, Virginia. Selling price is less than $10/quart plus shipping. Contact Loretta Sigmon at Lsigmon@dishmail.net to see if any is available……just found out they sold out – better luck next year. Thinking ahead to next year you might be able to volunteer to help in the actual making and thus gain a front row seat to buy a jar. The fellowship alone provides enough inspiration to make you want to come back. I know I can’t wait until next year. Momma’s apple butter may not be what you’re used to but I promise you it is goooood!!!

Here is a photo of the finished product. I hope you get a chance to obtain a jar and enjoy it as much as we do…..you might even decide to partake in all the festivities and make a batch of “Momma’s Apple Butter” for you and your family.

For posterity, I include a photo of the immediate family at our annual reunion on the Saturday after making the apple butter.