My recovery from my spinal fusion is going well.  I have not had to take any medications for several weeks.  The only discomfort I have had is some stiffness in the middle back and rib area that I experience in the early morning hours about 3:30 or 4:00 am.   I have not had any nerve pain other than one or two sharp “pin-stick” sensations in the last two weeks.  My sciatic nerve has not been bothering me at all – and last week I put it to a real test.  I attended a 3 day insurance seminar at the end of the week.  I arrived each day at 6:00 am even though the class did not start until 8:00 am.  Insurance nerd or glutton for punishment?  No!  I arrived early so that I could do some of the work that I was missing out on by being out of the office.  I stayed in the hotel conference room each day until about 5:15 pm – almost 11 hours in chairs you would not find at a “Relax the Back” store!  In prior years this 3 day experience would have had me walking like Grandpa McCoy.  For you younger folks, who don’t know who that is, let’s just say I would have been walking so bent over that you would have thought I dropped a contact lens.  This year was totally different.  My lower back did not bother me at all!  No aches, no pains, nobody saying, “Did you drop something sir?”

The surgery has been a very good decision for me.  I met a man at the conference who had the same surgery this year in January and he said he is also having excellent results.  His experience has been different; he said he was out of his brace after only a couple of months.  I wonder if his doctor only made him wear it for a few weeks or if he decided that he did not need it after a few weeks.  I have been told that I need to wear mine for 6 months.  I go back to the doctor next month – June 22^nd – and I will find out more details then, when can I walk for exercise, when will I get out of the brace, when my Physical Therapy will begin.  I have heard from other people that their experience has also been different in regard to doing more walking and Physical Therapy on an earlier basis.  I think it is because my doctor is taking a more conservative approach to my recovery.  I am okay with that because I have heard that he is one of the best and that his patients have better long term results.  Though I admit I am looking forward to starting some of my old activities like running, lifting weights and playing basketball and taking off my brace, I must also admit that I am not in a hurry to do something stupid.  The bible says in Ecclesiastes 9:11 “the race is not always to the swift”.  Sometimes we need to be patient.  Sometimes we need to relax.  Easy to say, but hard to do.  I know, because I am not a very patient person.  But one thing I have learned is that the race to recovery is not a sprint, it is more like a marathon.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.”

I want to run in such a way that I win.  I want to pace myself and run the race so that I may win.  What is winning?  Having a good result.  Following my doctor’s orders.  Being able to do the things I enjoy without pain; walking, running, playing sports, going to the grocery with my wife – being able able to pick up grandbabies again!  Winning means being able to look back when it is over and know that I was patient and did my best.  Knowing that I did not do anything to get in the way of the work of the doctor or the will of the Lord.  So far, things are going well.  But I still need to exercise patience.  I pray that the Lord will continue to help me in that area. And I know He will because He is a good and gracious God…He has my back.

If you would like to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you can send me an email directly at pastorpstephens@aol.com