I had the lamina pierced during the surgery. A spinal fluid leak. They had to drill at the base of my spine and drain the excess fluid out. It took a week in the ICU, unable to move, change the position of my bed, or anything. I got 10 minutes a day of PT where they moved the bucket to make sure that the fluid didn't drain too quickly.

I was also unable to use my arms for a few days after the surgery. After the third day, I could use one arm to pick up my scrambled eggs and eat them. I could not even close my left hand. It took 6 months before I could really use it again.

joe