Hi Colleen. This response is entitled HURT and not AGONY for a good reason.... there was a HUGE difference between the AGONY of fusion of the spine compared with the HURT of the laminectomy and implant I experienced on 10 June 10 in a "get here early and GO HOME" Long day at the hospital surgical center.

We started at 3 that morning and were home by 6:30 that evening. I DID HURT. That is why I was issued Vicodin on top of the morphine and neurontin already being taken for pain management at the time among other stuff.

YES, had a laminectomy and Still went home same day. Found out our own bed was NO MORE COMFORTABLE than the hospital bed...... this is because I HURT.... did I mention that yet?

I did not have to have the two foot height extender on the toilet because I did not have agony as was the case after fusion. So there! That was a major positive thing.

Getting in and out of bed for the first four days was HURT LOTS!!!! I used BLAST [no bending, lifting, stretching, twisting for the first many weeks.
Getting into and out of bed I used LOGROLL. It works Great! If you want, I will describe it to you for Christmas...

You will survive this even if you do HURT, because it is far less intense than the fusion was..... trust me.

Don't go play volleyball the same day as the surgery or afterward either unless Doc says they trussed you up like a turkey and nothing could possibly break...... Still, I would not trust such a comment and would take it easy.

You will be OK
You will be fine
[this is a cheer...... can you see me doing the splits?]
Mark56