Lumbar Vertebrae Fusion - 18 months Ago

Two years ago, I got out of bed one morning and my legs collapsed under me.  I grabbed the bed, to keep myself from falling to the floor.  From that moment on, it was difficult for me to walk and when I did, I walked with a limp.    A few weeks later I went to a Orthopedic Back Surgeon who wanted me to have an MRI but he suspected that I had a problem with L4/L5 disks.

I cannot have an MRI without being sedated.  My wife tells me I'm pussy but those comments don't bother me anymore.

My MRI revealed that my spinal stenosis was more advanced than first suspect and I agreed to spinal fusion surgery that fused L2-L3-L4-L5-S1 disks together.  It is considered the granddaddy of all fusion surgeries.

Many are opposed to a five level back fusion.

In 6 months, I was able to walk a mile in about 20-25 minutes.  My normal speed was 12-15 minutes.  I was able to walk without a cane but it took 6 more months of walking to eliminate the limp.

December 20 (tomorrow) marks 18 months since the surgery and I would assume that all 5 disks have finally fused together.  

• I can bend over and touch the floor with my
  
  fingers. 
• I can bend over and pick up stuff off the floor. 
• I still have a hard time stepping into my underwear.  
• I still have a hard time putting on socks.  
• My walking seems forced instead of natural.
• I can drive a car for 4 hours straight without back pain
• I have some difficulty stand up straight talking for over 30 minutes before needing to lean against something or sit down
• I still have no strength in my right leg to pull myself up steps - can descend fine.

Right after my back surgery, I was never in any pain which pisses my wife off whenever she thinks about it.  The day after the surgery I slept flat on my back in bed to sleep.

All in all, I would say I came out pretty good because if I had not had this surgery, then there was a high degree of certainty that I would have ended up in a wheelchair in the next few months for the rest of my life.

Therapy and injections would have postponed the surgery for a while, but surgery was the only permanent solution which is why I went with the surgery.

This is all part of growing old.