Post-op Fusion, 45 weeks (10 1/4 months) - Hardware Removal, 1 week

Its been a good week on my road to recovery. Returned to walking 5 miles a day 2 days after surgery. I could easily have gone back to work today but decided to take the extra week and let myself heal. Sitting in a car is very uncomfortable still. Hind sight being 20/20, I should have gone to work. I have contractors putting in a new deck at my house today and saw an opportunity to tear out the old swing set and let them haul the wood out for that also. Like I said hind sight being 20/20, left and right SI Joints are not pleased with my actions. My spine being stiff now, they picked up the slack for my activity and are very angry. I was actually down to 1 perc before bed, and have had to take the max dosage the rest of today cause I exceeded my limitations.

The good thing is that I have established a baseline to what I can physically do. It sucks that I will never be able to just let go and live life without any worries. I guess this is a small price to pay to live life without pain.

Post-op Fusion, 44 weeks (10 months) - Hardware Removal, 1 Day

Hardware is out !!!!!

I survived the surgery yesterday. Looks like the drop foot in my right foot is gone. My surgeon said it will probably take a couple of months if the other issues in my legs are going to clear up. Back to the waiting game again. This surgery is much easier than a fusion, but still don't like being sore. I didn't get dis-solvable stitches this time, ugh. Went for a mile and half walk this afternoon.

Post-op, 43 weeks (9 3/4 months)

Had my surgery preop appointment today. I'm only having 3 procedures this time:

1.) Instrumentation removal
2.) Revision lamenectomy
3.) Refusion. They will be packing the vacated screws, adding to the bridge on the right side and repacking the left side of my L4/L5 disc space with cadaver bone.

Post-op, 42 weeks (9 1/2 months)

Had my 9 month check-up today, couple weeks late due to scheduling. My CT Scan came back showing that I am completely fused at L5/S1 and only half fused on the right side at L4/L5, plus the bone bridge on the right side is solid. All in all, I am fused. I did however grow a new bone spur in the vacated area that is pressing on the L5 nerve root which might explain the problems in my legs. The nerve issues were also verified by the dreaded EMG test a couple weeks ago which left me with a huge charlie horse in my left calf for a couple of days.

The prognosis is very upbeat, I will be having my hardware removed on June 16th which should alleviate the minor back ache I get in the evening and the occasional pinch I get from the hardware. My OS is also going to do a revision Laminectomy, so I'm hoping that will clear up the remaining issues with my legs, and fill in the holes (a little spackle never hurt anyone) left behind by the screws. There is no guarantee on the leg issues but I'm determined to be optimistic.

I'll be glad to hopefully get rid of the remaining issues that I have even though I have not let them put a damper on my life to this point. For the record, I rode every roller coaster at Busch Gardens a month ago and had absolutely no problems. I don't recommend the 4D rides for those with back issues, man did that hurt and I couldn't wait for the ride to be over. I played my first round of golf a week ago and for the first time in my life I broke a hundred with a score of 95. My goal is to play bogey golf which would be under 90.