Dwiggie,

I had an anterior/posterior two day surgery last April...It was a sixteen hour surgery done over two days. The anterior portion was done on a Monday... and the posterior was done on Wednesday. I was fused from L1 to S1 and had eight cages placed in the front with rods and screws in the back. I have three rods in the back and a large screw into the pelvis...I have pelvis fixation as well. I think there are thirteen screws in the back...I would have to look at my ex-rays again...They had to remove a rib to get to L1. It was that or crack my chest open...I was relieved to lose the rib.

I have not gotten the relief from this surgery that I thought I would. I am still in considerable pain, but this was a large surgery. My surgeon told me it could take a year to two years to heal. I still have numbness and considerable leg and lower back pain. I cannot walk long distances or stand for long periods of time. I walk with a cane and am looking for a scooter for long distance walking. I also have a cervical fusion and now fear the cervical discs are acting up again. I have pain down the shoulders into the arms, but also have shoulder rotator cuff tears...They are now trying to sort all of this out...It is never ending..