Went under the knife on the 4th. Spent 1 3/4 hours on the table. What was supposed to be a minimally invasive procedure apparently turned into a real 4-level horrendoplasty. Instead of 6 one inch incisions I have one 8-10 inch incision with 35 staples. Pain level is impressive. From reading the operative report I get the impression that I'll be in good shape after Physical Therapy and adeqauate healing time.
The nursing care I got was excellent. Food was pretty good as well. Had surgery on Friday, went home on Sunday. Fortunately, I got decent supply of pain meds. I'm trying to get the surgeon to call me back and let me kmow what prompted the change of plan. I'm sure there was a good reason for it.
Good luck with recovery. My wife wore a brace, kinda like a turtle shell for several months after her back surgery but then she was under for 9 hours. She runs 5k races now.
Thank you all so much for the kind words. I'm really looking forward to doing the things I've missed so much over the years. I remain cautiously optimistic.
Learn to enjoy life in the Torture Chamber, aka Physical Therapy. The end result is worth it. And if you keep telling yourself that while the therapists are torturing you, you may even come to believe it!
Went under the knife on the 4th. Spent 1 3/4 hours on the table. What was supposed to be a minimally invasive procedure apparently turned into a real 4-level horrendoplasty. Instead of 6 one inch incisions I have one 8-10 inch incision with 35 staples. Pain level is impressive. From reading the operative report I get the impression that I'll be in good shape after Physical Therapy and adeqauate healing time.
The nursing care I got was excellent. Food was pretty good as well. Had surgery on Friday, went home on Sunday. Fortunately, I got decent supply of pain meds. I'm trying to get the surgeon to call me back and let me kmow what prompted the change of plan. I'm sure there was a good reason for it.
I can hardly wait to go fishing!
gunnerdave...glad your ordeal is over other than waiting for the cuts to heal and then rehab. You went through a very tough thing and apparently you withstood all the stress and pain ok. Good to hear you're on the mend now.
I can relate, bro, I can relate! I had back surgery in October, and again in March. The second time, they didn't *****-foot around, they cut the centers out of L3, L4 and L5. Did some other grinding and trimming here and there as well.
Looks like this, only they did L5 too, the one below, cut where the red lines are. The worst part is all the muscle they had to cut through to get in there, and then sew all that back together. Been two months now, and I'm getting better all the time! Still pretty sore and have to be careful not to overdo it.
My wife has 4 titanium screws and two titanium rods in her lower spine, plus a fused L-4 and L-5. She went bear hunting in the mountains in Maine 11 months after surgery. She always has pain, mostly from the donor site on her pelvic bone where the Dr took some bone for the fusion procedure, but it is nothing like it was before surgery. Plus, she can walk again and like I posted earlier, she runs.
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Positive Surgery 
very very good
