I have had 4 spinal surgeries, including Fusions,over 100 trigger point injections. 16 ct guided nerve root blocks. Trial internal CNS stimulator insertion (and removal...didn't work). experimental procedures. Shoulder reconstruction. 69 urinary system operations including a urinary tract transplant in Sep 05......Lets just say I been through a lot.[X(]
I am on disability. Have been on and off since Sept of 1997. I HATE IT. I am bored, depressed, and feel about about as useless a screen door on a submarine. But I fight it all day everyday. I am "clinically addicted" to oxycontin (that just means they told me at the pain clinic they would place me on a controlled addiction) I guess that just means I don't need to go looking for it. [8D]
HOWEVER. I must say that drug did give me what life I have back. Without it I am in bed. I am off all antidepressants right now by choice. They only work so long then the body fights back. [:@]
On top of all this, I was in a bad car accident which everyone (including me) was sure would paralyze me for good. It never bothered my back a bit. I was rearended at over 70mph as I was sitting still. I went through the back window of an ex-cab pick up headfirst. then pulled back in by the seatbelt. My Left shoulder was demolished (which is why I have a new mathews low draw wt bow for sale on the classifieds) and I had a severe concussion. I later found out that it damaged my pituitary gland and now I have to take hormone shots to stay a man.
But on the bright side....My BP is good!!! LOL

I can still walk without a cane for the most part. I can hunt a little, I can drive, I can sit in front of this glowing box for short periods and I can eat....way too much! That is my life.

NOW, as for you Byrd.....LISTEN AND LISTEN GOOD. You have some wonderful advise. Do what you are told. Walk, walk walk walk walk walk walkwalk walk walk......you get the point??? and when you get tired of walking. put on your headphones and go walk some more. It is the ONLY way someone with a bad back can build muscle in the low back. If you don't keep them up, you will lose stability. Fusions are the best of the options as you will not be in near the pain as those of us that didn't have the fusion. GET OFF ALL MEDS FAST. Let me ask you a couple things. Can you walk now? Do you walk bent to one side or the other? If the answer is yes, then once you take your pain meds to leave the hospital, only take them BEFORE walking. The only pain you should have is SORENESS from the surg. itself....UNLESS you are bent to the side bad now when you walk. That is due to constant spasm of the paraspinal muscles, strongest muscles in the body. When these finally start to relax.....O MY GOODNESS does it ever hurt. But again it is SORENESS...not PAIN. Treat these discomforts as SORENESS. Heat/Ice/Anti-inflamatories (advil) NOT NARCOTICS. Get off that stuff ASAP. You should be in less pain when you wake up than when you go to sleep....PAIN that is. Remember buddy, there is a big difference. If you still have PAIN...the sharp stabbing, tearing, radiating to the butt or on down the legs then you got a problem. It is quite possible to have the same pain as before until all the swelling gets out there (2 mos or so max)

Now some advice I don't think you got. YOU NOW HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL HAVE a comprimised low back. This means no matter how good you feel,you can't go doing stuff like you did before. No heavy lifting, no hero acts and leaping tall buildings in a single bound. You know, pain is our friend, it keeps us from overdoing something while a body part is comprimised or trying to heal. I didn't listen....I kept working and working hard. Now I am in a mess. As far as the cane it will be allright to carry with you to lean on when you stop but using it will only keep one side of the back weak. I wouldn't recommend it. Slip on shoes are great for a couple weeks but then you need to be tying those shoes up for the flexibility. I would buy the best walking shoes you can afford. I personally like Rockports...the GOOD ones. Go to a good quality shoe store, not a discount place, and buy the thickest soled pair of Prowalkers you can find....not the ones like tennis shoes, but like good sturdy shoes. When you first put them on they will feel like crap. They form toyour foot and give you EXCELLENT support. I would buy them now and wear them around and get them formed to your piggies.

This is a BUNCH of info I know, so I will stop here. Read this through a time or two, and then ask me all the questions you want. I likely have been there and done that.

GOOD LUCK, I will be praying/pulling for you,

Dave in WV

PS: I was a RN for 14yrs before I finally had to hang up my stethescope. So, I know a little about this from all sides. Oh, and one more thing. INSIST on getting warm water and washcloth at least once, maybe even twice a day. Man it will make you feel SO much better if you just stay clean. The hospital care is bad for the most part anymore. They are shortstaffed and the Gov. has made it so that nurses spend 6hrs of an 8hr shift covering everyones butt on paper.