Apparently two bionic hips weren’t enough for me. Welcome back, friends, to the ongoing saga of a body that has been rebuilt, repaired, and now — unburdened.
What Was Happening
Ever since an orthopedic surgeon told me I’d never dance again (he was wrong) when I was 22 years old, my lower back has been telling me things I didn’t want to hear. First it whispered, then it spoke up, and more recently it shouted at me every morning: Progressive back-stiffness; Cramping in my hamstrings; Cold feet (literal, not metaphorical); Loss of balance (unthinkable to a lifelong dancer / yogi); and the thing that finally got me to the doctor — muscle weakness and foot drop. My body was sending an unmistakable SOS.
The Diagnosis
The verdict was lumbar spinal stenosis, resulting in Cauda Equina Claudication. This sounded to me like the title of a Broadway show about a crazed roman emperor obsessed with horses. The reality of it is considerably less entertaining — a narrowing of the spinal canal putting pressure on the bundle of nerves at the base of the spine that control your legs, feet, and more. Nerve signals weren’t getting through, hence the tingling feet, muscle weakness, the wobble in my stride.
Luckily, modern medicine once again had a solution.
The “Little Procedure”
I may have slightly undersold this one to friends and family so as to minimize worry, calling it a “little decompression procedure” that might require “an over night stay” in the hospital. What it actually was: a four-level laminectomy, L1 through L5, in which my surgeon removed bone and tissue at four levels of my lumbar spine, along with a synovial cyst, to restore space for those compressed nerves. I was in the hospital for four nights and emerged with a Frankenstein-esque 6 1/2″ incision scar down the center of my lower spine. Not so little after all.
Don’t Be Surprised
In the fog of post-surgical recovery, Dr Gemini was my most reassuring companion At 2am, when something unexpected is happening to your body and your brain is spinning out, having a calm, knowledgeable voice say “yes, that’s completely expected after a procedure like this” is genuinely steadying. Gemini provided information and reassurance, with pearls of wisdom such as:
- A 4-level laminectomy is not just a “little procedure”.
- Don’t be a martyr, pain meds are fine to take for many days after this surgery.
- Nerve flare ups are to be expected, as the nerves come back to life after being compressed for so long.
- Take short, frequent walks, starting as soon after surgery as possible, so as to minimize scar tissue.
- Ice your back to help relieve the swelling that is putting new pressure on the nerves.
- Stay ultra-hydrated to help flush out inflammatory markers.
- Be patient. Be patient. Be patient.
I didn’t win any prize for stopping all pain meds before leaving the hospital, or for freaking out about a new sciatica bout post-surgery. Next time, I’ll check in with Dr Gemini before these heroics!
Recovery
Two weeks out from surgery, I rejoined the living. The morning stiffness was gone. The hamstring cramps were lessening. The post-op nerve flareups were abating.
Three weeks out from surgery, I barely remembered that I need to still be cautious about too much bending, lifting and twisting. or that I still had 24 staples in my lower back.
My follow-up with the surgeon is in a few days, after which I fully expect to be cleared for a 100-mile bike ride — or at least to get back to the gym and onto my stationary bike!
Lessons Learned, Again
- Gravity still applies to me. The body keeps score. While I surely will continue to be a ‘mover’ for the rest of my life, I don’t need to do today what I was doing 20 years ago.
- Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. I’ve raised the handlebars on my bikes, acknowledging that the super-aero position that I can get into thanks to my flexibility is wrecking havoc on my spine and my wrists.
- And modern medicine — when you find the right team, when you advocate for yourself, when you show up with humility instead of bravado — is nothing short of miraculous.
This is my third major surgery in less than a decade. Each one has asked me to surrender a little more, and in doing so, has given me back so much more than I gave up. Each one refines my understanding of how to be a healthy and active dancer/yogi/cyclist/gym-rat in a “maturing” body, allowing goals to shift in accordance with evolving realities.
In Conclusion
As with my hip journeys, I am deeply grateful to my care team — Dr. Zakaria, the surgeon who navigated my spine with steady hands and calm confidence; The hospitalists and nurses at CPMC-Van Ness who guided me through my post-surgical symptoms and fears; And my wife Arella — whose holistic wisdom, angelic love, and unflinching presence made my recovery not just bearable but beautiful.
The canal has been cleared. The nerves have room to breathe. I have been unburdened.
Time will reveal how well this surgery addresses my various symptoms.
If you have any insights or questions or just want to chat, please message me!
With Love,
Jeffrey.