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Post-op Laminectomy. Week 2. This recovery is hard. Should it be?

Spine Health | Last Active: Jun 2 9:46am | Replies (55)
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@denman55

I was just discharged from the hospital yesterday after having an L3-L5 spinal fusion. I am on pain medication every 4-hours. I'm not moving to well and I'm moving slowly, with the help of a walker, and sleeping in a recliner. This is going to be a very long recovery, my surgeon told me it will take me all Summer and beyond to recover from this surgery. Wish me luck! Thanks for asking. I appreciate your kindness.

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Replies to "I was just discharged from the hospital yesterday after having an L3-L5 spinal fusion. I am..."
ikcooley | @ikcooley | May 27 9:25am

Denman55,
So are you saying after your laminectomy and Discectomy you elect back into surgery for a fusion? I’m confused.

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Phil, Alumni Mentor | @upstatephil | May 27 9:54am

@denman55 - Good luck in the early going! I think it's wise to set your recovery expectations to "longer term". Recovery includes new bone growth which is frustratingly slow plus there's very little you can do to speed-up the process.

Are you keeping a personal journal? I did and am very happy with that. The journal provided an easy outlet for my post-surgical frustrations (unfortunately, your recovery journey might include some frustrations as well) as well as serving to help me keep perspective that I was actually improving even though it often didn't seem like it.

Sitting inside looking out the window wishing you were "out there" can be its own frustration. Time to develop some new hobbies and ways to invest in new skills.

My best!

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