[Dulishun]

Hi Everyone. It's been 2 weeks since the surgery and all in all, I feel great. Not that I am not without limitations. I went to a movie on Sunday ("UP", it was really good especially if you are with a 4 yr old and 6 yr old) and it was a LONG time to sit down. I had to keep lifting my body up a little with my elbows on the armrests to take the pressure off my lower back. If I had it to do over again I also wouldn't have drank the 55 gallon drum of soda that came with the popcorn. I was sore after and exhausted from walking to and from the car, but it felt more like muscle soreness. I still have some back pain, but nothing like what I had before. Still have to take pain meds once or twice a day, but have reduced the amount by 75%. I have had some bad days, but I just shut it down for a day and do nothing and I am back to feeling good the next day. One of the crappy things about having back problems is that every time you try a new therapy or treatment you have to "buy in" for it to work. If it doesn't work there is a period where a little voice starts whispering in your ear that it might not be working and slowly but surely you come to the realization that you have reached another dead end. This cycling of hope and disappointment takes a heavy toll over time and at some point you get gun shy about hoping too much. It's like and old bluegrass song "I'm always on a mountain when I fall". So I am starting to hope and I feel better than I have felt in a long time. I feel horrible about some of the stories I have read from other people who have not had such a good experience. My heart goes out to all of you and I feel a little guilty writing such a positive account when so many are struggling. I was a perfect candidate for this surgery and I think that patient qualification is essential with ADR. Maybe I am just lucky. I'll try to keep up with the updates.