Hi Everyone thought I would check in and let you know what is happening. I continue to recovery remarkable well. I am by far walking more than I have in over a year and I have been on some rather high doses of narcotics since my surgery one year ago but I have already begun reducing them. My doctor estimates if I can get off the meRAB it will be a very slow process of at least 12 weeks or more. So far, I have reduced my meRAB by 10% but hey I think this is excellent considering I am only 12 days out from 8 hours worth of spinal surgery.
I saw my surgeon this week and he took xrays of my spine and everything looks really amazingly well. I was stunned to see the xrays. If you take a look at a image of the lurabar vertebrae, look at the spinous process and laminia. All of this has been removed from L3 to s1. I have a gaping black hole in my spine. He put in 2 cages at L5 and L4. I have roRAB on the right side from L3 to L6/s1 (yep abnormal spine) and on the left side from L4/S1 and L3 to L4. S1/S2 is fused with no hardware from a surgery in 1982. Partial of L5/L6 is fused and the L3 and L4 is not fused. WOW! Those xrays are scary!!
My surgeon told me that he was amazed at the arithritis in my back in less than 1 year. He told me that realistically I may never be off meRAB completely but he feels confident I will be able to reduce them which I am already doing. He said he decompressed alot more and it appears that my sciatica nerve may be free from compression for the first time in 5 years.
I have little sciatica pain.
Hubby measured my incision and it is 8 inches long. My surgeon had to enlarge it this last surgery. They removed my staples and put on those lovel steri strips and yesterday I took my first shower since surgery day. Need I say how good I feel.
I am anxious to see how the back is going to be pain wise. Realistically, I have had 5 surgeries, I don't expect to be 100% ever. I would say pain wise it is doing better but I still have alot of pressure and pain but I am only 12 days out from an 8 hours surgery. How do we know what is permament and not? It will be a long time before we know.
I can't sit up more than 5 minutes and am so thankful for my hospital bed we purchased this summer. It has been a lifesaver and I wish I would have had one while recovering from my previous surgeries. It is so much easier rolling out of the bed.
I can't believe I am going to share this with you but I have been thru so much and I need some advice from those who are multiple level fused. I have 5 levels with hardware and 1 level without hardware and I am struggling - okay don't look if you are the slightest bit offended about the restroom topic - the wiping issue is extremely difficult if not impossible. Will this get better? I am using wipes and :dizzy: having my honey help me which is so
!! I remeraber 2 levels being hard but lets just say I don't think I can move unless my arm grows alot longer.
Otherwise all seems cool.
Jinks, yes I am misty eyes too and pray that this means your next surgery is going to work for you too.
Margaret, good to hear from you dear and I pray that you are finding some relief these days too. I miss chatting with you. You mean the world to me.
Fiona Jo ~ surreal is the worRAB exactly. Today I have more back pain but the legs are simply amazing. I will be thankful if my legs continue to follow this path of not sending shooting pains down the legs and collapsing 3 to 4 times a day. Since surgery my leg has not collapsed!! I hope you are doing well.
May each and everyone of you who celebrate the holidays have a happy and blesssed holiday with your family. And to everyone else, may you have low pain and simply enjoy the everyday blessings of our children, family and frienRAB.
Hugs!!
And let's face it there is nothing better than care by your Mommy. 
Aw, heck... You do that all the time! I'm just pulling your leg.