@richstein52: I actually don’t know the exact location of my spinal fusion nor yours. I only know the spine locations from the surgery notes that were given to me. What I can tell you from the x-ray is that I have a rod on either side of my spine to correct scoliosis, and the spine was fused to my pelvic bone area to stabilize the spinal correction. Am I glad about the surgery? Frankly, there are days I regret it, but the alternative future without surgery was not going to be pleasant. The Spine Center at Anschutz hospital in Denver has patients with all types of spinal issues. I could only imagine how life would be if I allowed my deformity to continue. Basically, there are consequences in having surgery; and consequences for not having the surgery. We have to decide for ourselves what consequences we’re willing to live with.
You mentioned a weight issue. I don’t know if it’s due to your height or due to being overweight. I gained a bit of weight in rehab because I wasn’t doing anything to burn calories. Walking post-surgery (after the pain has subsided) is an exhausting experience as well. You can expect to be exhausted after preparing a meal, after showering (when it’s allowed), after OT and PT. Your body will be recovering from a traumatic event and it takes time to recover from this.