On 3/22/11, I had an L5/S1 fusion with 1 cage and screws and rods.

Why did I have this done? For 9 months I was suffering from intermittent pain down the right side of my leg which was obviously following the S1 nerve root (from everything I read). Through MRI, I was diagnosed with a grade 1 Spondy at L5/S1 and it was obvious that my S1 nerve root was being compressed. The PARS defect was obvious and the right solution was a fusion. Was I in constant pain, no. Just when walking, standing, running. And the pain was not "excruciating", but was keeping me from the things I wanted to be able to do for the rest of my life (like walk with my wife and dog!). I could not walk more than a block and a half without leg pain which left me limping. So call me crazy for WANTING to have surgery, but I was not going to wait to be one of those persons that waits 10 years then doesn't get better. I used no pain meds beyond occasional Tylenol and Ibuprofen ('cause they didn't work anyway), and I refused to try narcs.

It is now just shy of 2 weeks after my surgery and the results are AMAZING. I have no leg pain at all. I've been walking 2-3 miles per day and enjoying it. I stopped pain meds (narc's) 5 days after the surgery as I hated the way they made me feel. I now only take a Tylenol once or twice a day, and not sure I really need that at all.

Maybe I'm a lucky one, but I've had a result (so far, knock wood) that far exceeded even my own expectations. I have a brace I wear all the time and I follow to a "t" the requirement of no "BLT" (Bending Lifting Twisting). I know it is going to take up to a year for full healing, but I'm confident that following the rules I will have a great outcome.

I pretty much can do everything myself right now (with modification) except tie my shoes (so I wear loafers) and change my anti-embolism sox (that's what wife's are for). I have my first follow up appointment with my doctor on 4/6 and will post back here how things are going.