L2/s1 tlif

[Tikah]

Hello! My name is Deb (Tikah i my moniker). Headed in for surgery next Thursday and am interested in finding out some honest info on what to expect as far as pain, mobility, any info would be helpful. I am 55 and live alone so need to get as much arranged and set up in advance that I can so make my recovery go as smoothly as possible. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

[trkdoc714]

Hi Deb. Sorry you have to be here but glad you found us.

I assume the limitations would be the same as ADR surgery. I was on my own 6 days after surgery for about a week. Other than heavier chores I did okay

Here is a list of ideas that may help your particular needs. I hope it helps.

Spine Surgery Recovery: "Must Have" Items & Postoperative Tips

Good luck Thursday. Please let us know how it went once you feel up to it.

Bob

[Katiem3987]

I got a grabber. A raised toilet seat - Awesome! They brought me at the walker at the hospital. Insurance bill was $5.32! probably the only bill I will smile about haha. I am 4 weeks out and just stopped using it. That's it for me. My room main floor so no bed issues. And at about 2 weeks was sitting in chairs fairly well with pillow behind me. Just the getting down was the hard part I climbed a few stairs day 3 at hospital. Didn't hurt more a weakness issue.Goodluck!

[Pbchoclovr]

Hi Deb,

Welcome to SPS! The link trkdoc provided concerning items to have pre surgery is a really good list. The grabber from the list is almost essential. For me, that was the most important item. Also, bendy straws to drink while laying down. I had a TLIF fusion last summer and live alone. Some of the things I did to prepare prior to leaving for surgery was to go around my house and get everything at waist level or higher. It's going to be very difficult to get things from lower cabinets. I put the most used skillet and pots/pans on top of my stove (with their respective lids) so I didn't have to dig for when I felt like cooking, which wasn't very much. I had help the first three weeks. Even after my aunt went home, it was difficult, so we made up some dinners that would generate leftovers that would freeze well (think casseroles) so I really didn't have to cook for well over a month. Heat and serve was my motto. Even now, 8 months post op, I still find it difficult to do household chores without ramping up my pain levels, so I have a cleaning company come in about once a month to give my house a really good cleaning. Painwise, everyone experiences a decrease at different paces, but generally, your first three months will be the worst. From month 3 - 6, you'll begin to see dramatic improvement. From month 6 on, the increase will be very incremental but you'll begin feeling normal again. This has held fairly true for me, since I'm now alternating good/pain free days with days of minimal pain in comparison. It's worse when I over do it.

As for mobility, you can expect to be up and walking around the hospital halls within a day of the surgery. I was up and walking to the restroom the same day and walking/climbing stairs (very slowly and painfully) the day after surgery. The sooner you can show them you're capable of being mobile, the sooner they'll be discussing going home. I remember telling my roommate in the hospital (she was waiting for the same surgery as me, only a few more levels) the trick to going home is to walk the halls when staff are in the halls and stop to talk them. The hospital grapevine will do the rest. My doctor told me the nurses were trying to convince him to send me home after 2 days. He kept me 4 days just to make sure my pain levels had peaked.

If there's anything else you're wondering, feel free to send me a private message.


Best wishes as you prepare to head to the other side.


Linda