My daughter was diagnosed with stenosis in the lumbar region which led to chronic pain and bouts of sciatica which virtually incapacitated her. Physio helped a little but she was on major doses of analgesic and becoming very depressed. After several different referrals, she eventually saw a neurosurgeon who offered to operate and the surgery took place almost 4 years ago. It was a major procedure, lasting around 4 hours but, amazingly, she was discharged home 24 hours later.
For the first month, she had to lie down most of the day, or stand for brief periods. No sitting, housework, bending, lifting or exercise, only essential walking to the loo. We paid for a housekeeper to do her housework and shopping and she had a rota of friends coming in several times a day to cook and keep her company. A nurse came to change the dressing for as long as it was required.
After that first month, she embarked on a regime of daily walking, increasing the distance each day and was permitted to do more sitting which meant she could drive again for local journeys.
Four years on, she's okay but still must not lift anything heavier than the cat litter tray and suffers severe discomfort if she has to sit for long periods. She lives with the knowledge that one unwary move could undo all the good work and put her right back where she was in 2017. For all that, she has no regrets about having the surgery.
