I just got out of surgery. I had a laminectomy of the L5/L6 lumbar spine.
I had a stenosis that caused pain to shoot down my legs when I walked. Apparently it was congenital ... but the pains first appeared in June 2019 at age 64. No symptoms prior to that.
Physical therapy did nothing to reduce the pain. Steroid injections helped ... for all of two days. Given my disdain for surgery I just lived with it for over two years. But I finally got fed up and went for the surgery.
It's quite amazing. I hobbled into the hospital with pain in my legs.
I exited with no leg pain at all!
The only pain was at the surgical site. That's entirely expected, of course. And it will abate with healing.
I'm still on meds ... and feeling just a bit loopy. We'll see how things are going after the meds wear off.
I have more meds ... but I'd like to assess the pain after the meds wear off.
No driving for two weeks.
No BLT ... bending, lifting, twisting ... for a month.
And no heavy lifting for three months.
Here's hoping that retirement will be enjoyable ... finally!
Fingers crossed.