Here's a link to the best site on the web for the info that you are looking for.
Wonderful medical info, forums to read and post with questions and a chat to talk talk to people that can provide with first hand information

Good luck in your recovery

Fran

Here is a link that might be useful: spine-health.com

My 22 year old daughter just had her 2nd spinal fusion on Dec 19. Her first
one was when she was 17-- it was l5-s1. This time they removed the old screws
and replaced them with larger screws (the original were pediatric screws);
they fused up to l3--and added 4 more screws plus the rods. They also
put 'cross bars'. She is getting along wonderfully. Her pain level is down to
3 or 4. A lot of that may be because of her age! Also, the surgeon didn't
use bone from her hip this time. My daughter says that made a big difference.
Because of her previous surgery, she was a candidate for a 'miracle-gro' type
of artificial bone that insurance companies don't pay for over 99% of the time.

By 3 months out on her first surgery, she was back to practicing varsity
basketball. By six months, she was at 0 pain level and playing varsity ball. I am sure this time will
be very similar. We have heard all the horror stories about how she will
never be pain free. She will have all sorts of limitations, blah, blah, blah
by having surgery but it just hasn't been true. The surgery was the best thing
we could have done for her.

Getting active as soon as you are physically able will help. I think she is
walking well over a mile a day already. She walks and then changes to the ice brace to help keep the swelling down.

She has a condition called spondylolisthesis, which is the cause of her
problems.

Good luck!

Iasheff, glad that your daughter is doing so well. I'm going to see a neurosurgeon tomorrow - not sure what he can do for me.

Can your daughter put her shoes and socks on OK?

After her spinal surgery, my mother couldn't, but she also had bad hips.

Bmurphy, sending good thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Yes, my daughter can put her shoes and socks on now. The first couple of weeks, one of us or her siblings would have to help her but now she does it on her own. Again, it may be her age too.

The thing that she can't do that drives her nuts is pick up her 10 month old son. That has put more limitations on her than anything else. When her fiance is at work, one of us has to be with her all the time. She does all the care for the baby, it just takes one of us to lift him up and down on the changing table, in and out of the high chair, etc. The baby learned how to climb on the couch really quick to get up on Mommy's lap when he figured out that she couldn't lift him up. They are in the process of purchasing a home so they moved in with us until the home is completed so it has worked out really well. Between her fiance, her dad and I and her 3 siblings, someone has always been around to help her with him.

She also can't drive LOL And she has a new car that she hasn't driven yet... she has sat in the driver's seat and that is it LOL

Good luck at the neurosurgeon. Hopefully they will find something to help you.

Thanks Iasheff. It's great that she as family to help her.

I had a two-level (L4/5-S1) fusion 13 months ago (12/04/06), as well as a laminectomy. I was lucky that I was not in much pain afterwards, and stopped all pain meds by two weeks post-op. I did find that several weeks of physical therapy at three times a week loosened me up - I'm able to bend over and touch my toes! I was about to turn 55 when I had the surgery.

I am 19 days post op on l4 to s1 fusion my first surgery 35 days ago l5 to s1 fusion didn't hold. I am happy with results so far walking further than before surgery. After 1st had lots of pain and was walking very little. I got to go to rehab after 2nd surgery they taught me how to care for self. I have a baby I can't lift but am blessed with help and creative mind. It is hard painfull and I would do it again.