By Roy Ortega
During my extended convalescence from spinal surgery, I have
heard from several friends and
family
Spinal issues can be very painful.
happy to offer some insight
regarding my personal experience with nearly a lifetime of excruciating
back pain and my ultimate decision to undergo tricky surgery to correct it.
The most important piece of general advice I can give to anyone considering back surgery is to avoid delaying the inevitable. If you are diagnosed with chronic spinal problems such as herniated discs, lumbar spinal stenosis, etc. it is probably best not to wait 30-years to have it addressed. In my case, I allowed my Degenerative Disc Disease to worsen over several decades causing me unnecessary long-term suffering. Waiting until you’re older to have spinal surgery can come with additional risks and complications. Clearly, opting for major surgery is a big decision. I spent literally months researching the topic and trying to decide if it was right for me.
My recovery from a laminectomy, lumbar decompression and
fusion of five vertebrae has gone smoothly, but a couple of post-surgery
issues have made for some uncomfortable moments. My surgeon warned me I would
feel something akin to getting hit by a truck in the days and weeks following surgery and he was right. The rehab portion of the recovery period is certainly
not for the faint-hearted. It is long, painful and extremely difficult especially for older
folks used to a life of lounging and relaxing, not weeks of rigorous physical therapy.
As I mentioned to a close friend battling a case of ankylosing spondylosis - a painful form of spinal stenosis - it makes sense to consider surgery and its 3-6 month recovery period rather than spending the rest of your life in total pain and misery.
Roy Ortega responds to all messages and emails. He may be reached at rortega54@elp.rr.com
