Phylly,
Good to hear you are progressing.
Hopefully, you will be home soon.
I think the cages are what they put in between the vertebrae (they are cylinders with empty space in the middle) and they pack them with bone or other stuff (BMP, cadaver bone).
If you have a bracing on top (posterior (back) part) of the vertebrae, that would be plates.
I would expect to be loopy after the anesthesia and other medications. The PCA is nice but I found that with the pills, that the gut worked better.
I am happy you find St. Joseph a good place. It is a nice hospital and I hope your experience is all positive. I am surprised you can type as much as you have. Just rest and feel better.
Are you getting up with physical therapy every time?
I'd come and visit you if you were closer and I felt better. But I feel confident that they are taking good care of you. FYI, that is the new hospital. It opened in 2007 and I went out before I could work there.
Take care,
runner
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