im having a spinal fusion next summer and i know i shouldnt be worrying about it half a year prior to surgery. but i'm so scared of the pain & rehabilitation following surgery. i hate feeling uncomfortable and knowing my back will never be normal again. my doctor said most movement will be regained but i wont be able to arch as much, maybe not even at all. knowing i wont be able to do backbends and extreme arches really gets to me, because my love, my passion, my everything is Jazz Dance. It just sucks that this has to be me, out of all people. Being in pain for a long time and then not even being considered normal. great. just great. :(

i need some cheering up.

Love,

Tears Of Scarlet X

I know how you feel I am scared to. I have 2 herniated discs at L4-L5 with an annular tear and L5-S1 touching left nerve. I am afraid to have surgery but I am also afraid of the permanent nerve damage it might cause if I don't. I am 24 I have been told that I am too young to have a surgery but I am going to see a spine specialist to find out. I don't know how much pain you are in but I have had back and neck pain for almost five years because of 4 motor vehicle accidents. I found out five months ago that I had the herniated discs and have been getting epidural injections. It is so bad that it hurts to walk. So my advise to you is if you are in pain all the time and it is seriously affecting your life like it is mine surgery might actually look be the best option. Good luck and you aren't alone.

Jessica :angel:

"Why me" - Those were my exact words when I prolapsed discs at l4/5 & L5/s1. I was 23 at the time - now 38. I was like you scared of what was ahead and the implications of surgery. I had a very tuff time of it. My fusion was the 3rd operation in the space of 5 months - 1990) (lamenectomy, discectomy and the big one, a double fusion - surgery was primitive in those days - today its are far better perfected procedure with a shorter recovery time frame). I later learnt following blood test results that I had glandular feever at the time they did the surgery. As a result my recovey was slow and hard work. However until recently with a hick up or two along the way (sking accident - 6 months off work - wont do that again) life has been pretty good. It did take some adjusting though and I wont say that it was easy because it wasnt. At time its frustrating and you do fat times feel deprived of opportunities and choices. I did adjust though and have managed to live a pretty fulfilled life. I eventually got back on a road bike, played cricket, was able to kick a footy around with friends and family etc....The key to coping was rethinking what was important to me and why, accepting my limitations and making changes accordingly. I had to give up surfing, contact sport, gym workouts etc, but replaced them with swimming and other forms of exercise and other interests.

Dont despair life does go on its just different.

All the best, hang in their and think outside the square :bouncing: :D

Just be sure your surgeon has a spine fellowship. I had a laminectomy and was fused from L3-S1 with BMP in June and I'm doing great. Because I live alone I was sent to rehab for a couple of weeks following surgery.
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