Back Surgery Completed

[KirkV]

Well I have had pain in my legs and butt and hip for over a year. It was getting painful driving the cobra at the end of the season and the longer I drove the worse it would get. I had tried all of the conservative measures including Chiopractic, Physical Therapy, Pain specialist, and spinal steroid injections.

Finally saw a nuerosurgeon who did a new MRI and Bone Scan on me and said that the Arthritis in my facet joints in L4/L5 had made the joints twice the size they should be! His reccomendation was fusion of the L4/L5 joint.

I finally decided this was the last straw and did it two weeks ago on Tuesday. As soon as surgery was complete I could tell the butt and leg pains appeared to be gone!

Now it is just the slow physical theropy and rebuilding of the muscles that get stretched and damaged during the surgery. They basically put two Titanium screws into L$ and two into L5 and ran rods between them to support the spine where the facet joints were removed. Then they remove part of the disc material in front of the spinal cord and insert a Titanium cage with my ground up bone in the middle of it in it's place. This bone then grows to the bones above and below fusing that part of the spine.

Well right now it was the best thing I could have ever done! I am feeling great and almost all of the surgical pain is gone. Now I just have to build up my enurance for being on my feet for longer periods of time.

Can't wait for spring to get in the car and drive!

Happy Holidays folks
Kirk V

[blown871]

Wow!!
Do what they have you doing in P/T.. and don't overdue it.
--
I had ACDF Surgery in October.. .2 levels in my neck........

Talk about fun!!

[Jackit]

KirkV,

My prayers for a speedy recovery are with you. Growing up, my father had two back surgeries and one neck surgery. Take very good care of yourself and don't over do it. Follow the rules. Please send me your address and I will send you a recovery gift!

Jackie
Jackie@Finishlineaccessories.com

[Donunder]

Well done Kirk.
It's a huge decision to go under the knife and once the decision's made and the procedure's completed, the drop in pain levels and the feeling of wellness can be euphoric.
I worked in a rehab unit for many years and I have had my share of nasty back pain from degenerating discs. (Same area L4-L5-S1 -- it's a design flaw. We weren't meant to walk upright! ) I endorse the comments in previous posts -- easy as she does it, steady as she goes. Don't be seduced by how good your back is feeling right now. Stick to the program your therapists devise for you and all will be well.
Wishing you a blessed pain-free Christmas.

[Bernica]

KirkV,

All the best on a speedy recovery. I can relate to several of these posts quite well. If I can offer / reinforce one thing, it would be to DO YOUR PT! No exceptions. At times you may want to cry and die, but that pain is just weakness leaving your body!

My neck. Just some of the hardware I carry, so like I said I can relate.

You'll be sorted in no time.

[vatdevil]

Very glad the surgery worked well for you. I went thru a year of hell resolving issues with my neck. A very good physical therapist got me thru it and symptom free now for several years. I maintain with strengthing and stretching exercises.

[twobjshelbys]

I need something very similar. My team has told me to put it off for as long as I can. Mine will be l3-l4, l4-l5, l5-s1. Getting in and out of the Cobra was very interesting, and the GT is the same. It's a matter of time. Mobility is affected greatly.

[KirkV]

Thanks for all of the well wishes folks and trust me I am following the advice of the doctors to a Tee! The physical therapist will be followed as well. I only want to go thru this once.

Thanks again
Kirk

[madmaxx]

No doubt fusions work, how can they not you eliminate the impingement etc. once you are a 100% in 2 months and feeling great make sure you comtinue your core exercises, plank etc, not for the segment they fused but for the segments around it!!!!!!!!!! Do them forever unless you want to risk more fusions.