Going in for a spinal fusion surgery on Thursday and wondering if anyone has experience with this procedure or has any recommendations for recovery.  Also, does anyone know if you can get wireless on your laptop while laying there for 4-7 days?

Which hospital? Pretty sure there was wireless at Mission when my son was born.

My husband had one of these over the holiday and yes you can take your laptop.  My husband stuck with his physical therapy and hes already back to playing golf.  What part are they fusing?

Cool, thanks guys.  The surgery is at Mission.  I’ll try not to board while I’m still on the morphine drip. 
They’re fusing my L5-S1 going through the stomach.  That’s awesome to hear your husband is doing so well so relatively soon.

Steamboater - 31 March 2009 04:19 PM

They’re fusing my L5-S1 going through the stomach.  That’s awesome to hear your husband is doing so well so relatively soon.

Dear God, that sounds like a trial. Take care, hope everything goes well.

smoke hella mota

Through the stomach to get to the spine???

Did they use Mapquest to find it?

If so, did they choose “fastest time” or “shortest distance?”

Thanks Bobaloo.  It’s pretty intense the first two days from what I hear but recovery speeds up from there, especially since I’m relatively young and healthy. 
Brebro: My exact thoughts at first.  The technique of going through the stomach makes initial recovery more painful, but it is beneficial in the long-term recovery since you don’t have to deal with the scar tissue growing around the spine. 
Piffy: It’s in the butter.
Thanks guys.  I’ll try to create some sort of thread on the quality of the nurses for future refence.

So how does the old spine feel today Steamboater?  Was the surgery a success?

Hey Seeker.  Just got out of the hospital.  Wow, never underestimate the power of an anterior approach lumbar spinal fusion at L5-S1.  No joke. 
It appears that the surgery was a success in the sense that I’m not dead or paralyzed.

Both good things!

Steamboater - 07 April 2009 09:34 AM

...the surgery was a success in the sense that I’m not dead or paralyzed.

Well there’s 20 bucks down the drain.

Seriously, glad it went well.

Glad that went well, my husband started feeling the pain relief about three weeks into therapy.