Post-op, 1 week

Thought those that are thinking of going down this road of fusion might be interested in knowing where I stand after 1 week. For starters, don't expect to much. If you do, you will be disappointed.

1.) When sitting, it hurts a lot when you sit back for obvious reasons. My back is very bruised and sore where the incision is.
2.) The entire top of my right foot is numb and I have drop foot. This is most likely because of the nerves being moved around in my back. It's a weird feeling but doesn't hurt.
3.) Left foot is almost completely numb. I have next to no strength in this foot. Some of this can be attributed to nerves being moved around during surgery and some of this was permanent damage that I already knew about. I sure hope my foot gets back to the way it once was, otherwise I'll never be able to trust my footing again. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
4.) Both knees and pelvic area are extremely painful. Not sure why, but this is the source of most of my pain by the end of the day.
5.) Back pain beyond belief if you do anything bad, bend or twist. My back is extremely sore by the end of the day. I hate to think how it would feel if I actually did something all day.

It's very difficult to get in out of the sitting position for me. I can only sit for about 30 minutes per stretch and walk/stand for about 5 minutes. Lying down is by far the most comfortable position. I permit myself to lie down once in the afternoon and then in the evening before bed.

This surgery was my last option to return to a somewhat normal existence. Prior to going this route, make sure you have exhausted all other options. You can not change your mind once its done. In fact, I must now fuse my vertebrae because the discs between them have been removed.