I'm so sorry you're going through this, Sara.
Regarding the discussion of the no bending, lifting, twisting rule: it's not a big deal because those are the three big things you do NOT feel like doing after surgery anyway. For 3 or 4 months I wore a so-called turtle brace while I was up and about (not sleeping), which was quite comfortable and which made me feel much less vulnerable while walking around with my new spine. Of course I could lift everyday things like a purse, etc. but it took over 6 months before I felt comfortable lifting a gallon of milk. In the early days, if I dropped something on the floor and couldn't get it with a grabber, it stayed there until somebody else picked it up.
And yes, walking is the best post-op exercise there is because it's gently weight-bearing without being jarring and is supposed to promote fusion...at least in my case it did.
Regarding the discussion of the no bending, lifting, twisting rule: it's not a big deal because those are the three big things you do NOT feel like doing after surgery anyway. For 3 or 4 months I wore a so-called turtle brace while I was up and about (not sleeping), which was quite comfortable and which made me feel much less vulnerable while walking around with my new spine. Of course I could lift everyday things like a purse, etc. but it took over 6 months before I felt comfortable lifting a gallon of milk. In the early days, if I dropped something on the floor and couldn't get it with a grabber, it stayed there until somebody else picked it up.
And yes, walking is the best post-op exercise there is because it's gently weight-bearing without being jarring and is supposed to promote fusion...at least in my case it did.
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