i feel my l4/5 fusion was a success. I still have a lot of pain but the nerve is not being crushed anymore. So the worst of the pain is gone.
My big problem (imho) is that the nerve was sqashed between the bones for 11 months, after having a bone spur removed that was "biting" into it for the previous 11 months.

i was told by my surgeon and my pcp and spine rehab docs that the damage is permanent and this will probably not get better.

I think a lot depends on what we expect the op to do. I knew i would never be 100% again.

sims