Hi Dan,

Congratulations on reaching the other side. Every thing Kimberly said is true. Like her, I'm also about 3 months post op and my experience has been very similar to hers. There's a lot of hurry up and wait while you're trying to figure out if things are getting better or not, which can be frustrating, especially when how you feel varies from day to day. That first month is absolutely the hardest part of this whole process. I also had new pains in my legs post surgery. The pre-surgery pains went away to be replaced with the feeling of almost permanent shin pain and extremely sore knees. I thought sheesh... I get the back fixed and now knee problems. That has resolved itself finally and my legs feel almost normal again. I still get muscle cramps, but they're due to the exercises my PT has me doing. I still have a fair amount of surgical pain but even that comes and goes. I was able to return to work full time about 2 1/2 months after surgery, but am still fully medicated to help me be fairly comfortable as I go through my day. I told someone just last week that I finally have had a day that felt almost normal. Too bad it didn't last beyond that day. What it does mean, though, is that I can expect more and more days like that one till these days of surgical pain become nothing but a memory. My surgeon also told me that the worst of the healing process would be the first 6 months or so, after that I could expect to return to a feeling of normalcy or whatever that is going to be. When I'm up and about too much during the day at work, then I feel it in the evening when I get home with increased pain in the surgical area and even pains down my legs. Usually with rest I return to a less painful state.

Just remember to take it slow and not to over do it. You'll only get to heal from this once.

Linda