@rwdixon4 I would encourage you to set a goal and check in on how you are doing and if you are making progress. Two weeks out you are still recovering from the anesthesia and the surgery experience - so be kind to yourself. I would also encourage you to write down your daily experiences. This helps you to see progress when it feels like there is none. At the 3 week mark I was not feeling any pain - more of an "uncomfortability". Bedtime was a challenge because I could feel the hardware and had a hard time getting comfortable. My husband got a thin foam mattress pad that helped with this. With the walker, I would try to get up every hour and just walk through the house. Sleep is healing - so sleep when you can. Take those naps. Getting myself groomed was an ordeal those first few weeks. Having clothes and toiletries accessible is a must. Your 5 blocks and my 5 blocks maybe quite different - and my fusion is a little longer, but I have just gotten to a good 5 blocks and it takes about 30 minutes unassisted - no walker or poles. It sounds like you have amazing drive! Stay the course! Hope this helps. k

@rwdixon4
Hello Bob,
I initially started walking in rehab with a walker. And progressed quite rapidly to walking with a safety belt to walking and climbing stairs. I was in rehab a total of 10 nights. I was doing 1 1/2 hours of PT a day and 1 1/2 hours of Occupational Therapy a day while in Rehab.
After that I continued with outpatient PT therapy. Our apartment was about 1/4 of a mile to the outpatient PT. The first 2 times my husband pushed me in the wheelchair chair. After that I used the walker for awhile, then progressing to only using a walker for long distances. I had spine surgery on May 14th and the last time I used the walker was on June 10th. ( My husband looked back at the photos he took).
On July 8th, I was walking, unassisted, to a creek that was a half mile away from our apartment. I briefly sat at a bench mid-way and at the park/creek to do sciatic nerve glides.
Best wishes as you progress!
Nadine