[grantwb1]

Hello- I am checking in with success far better than I have felt in a long time. I am about a year and five months out from my fusion and slowly steadily improving. I am putting my life back together and getting busy with it. Really starting to put the pain behind me. I feel as though I have waited to long to update but here goes.

My pain levels are low. I have about 2% of the nerve pain that I had before, almost none!! I take very little meds, maybe once a month! I have a lot of tension in and around the surgery site that is slowly loosening up still but the rest of my back for the most part is finally free of spasms and extreme tension. I am stretching twice a day very well. I use an elliptical and some weights/machines in the gym about 4x a week. I shoot hoops at the park on the weekend and I giggle when I do this, I really can't express what this means to me. I am close to the best shape of my life. I plan on getting there with some swimming and biking if the spine allows.

I would have to say that I did not think that I would ever feel this good again. I am not perfect or pain free but almost close enough to be elated about my progress. It might be to early to say but this looks like a successful fusion.

I want to thanks all that have followed and helped me!

Mark, thank you. You enabled me to make the best decisions and feel great about them. I don't have word that are able to express the gratitude I have for you!