[Maria]

I think what I'd want to do is make sure the surgeon knows your father's progression to date physically. All to often it seems older patients and often men seem not to want to complain to much (even if not really complaining rather just stating the facts).

If your father has kept a pain journal and/or activity journal that'd probably be helpful although often visits don't allow for too much reporting but at least it reminds the patient to say something to the surgeon re the progression to date.

I'm sure there will be films to see how the fusion is progressing. I don't know if your father will be recommended to have any physical therapy. My personal feelings about PT is that it should be very tailored to the individual's recovery yet I myself have only experienced that a few times in my many PT therapy sessions for whatever condition I was rehabilitating from.

I often think that passive therapy is helpful if one cannot really tolerate the active therapy (where the PT puts the involved extremity or body part thru a passive range of movement and there things involved like ultrasound etc).

How's your Dad doing with walking and mobility in general? The important thing I think is to make sure that whatever your father's most needed "complaints" as we used to call them in Nursing are heard and if none that his questions whatever they may be are answered as best the surgeon is able.

I always write questions down and check them off at the visit. I've not had a fusion and others here might be able to be more helpful with exactly what to ask however I would google fusion recovery questions at the 6 month mark and then ask whatever basic questions that are standard for anyone recovering as well as those questions that most apply to your Dad with how he's progressing to date.

It does sound great that your Dad has been able to stop the pain medication and I'd not worry about the Lyrica if it addresses the reason he's using (neuropathies?) it however no harm in asking about tapering dose however I'd want a script written so it's my (the patient's) decision re the taper meaning not cut the dose significantly vs. write maybe Lyrica (and dose) bid -qid (twice to 4x/daily) for pain as needed (as long as highest dose is within normal limits). That way if your father tries to decrease the dose and finds it bothers him too much he can just bump back up as needed).

Best wishes for a continued good recovery for your Dad! Maria