One morning, March 15, 2013, I woke up wondering what had happened to my back. All my usual techniques did not work in the next 2 to 3 weeks. So I told my Doctor. He sent me for X-rays and on reviewing them decided I should see what my Chiropractor. After seeing the Chiropractor for 2 to 3 weeks I went to my Doctor and demanded to see the Surgeon. Thanks to the Surgeon's Assistant I was able to get a July 2, 2013, date for the surgery instead of an end of July date. All the old hardware was removed and new hardware put in for the next disc level up.

I reviewed my history for the last three years and could see the changes that had taken place, especially in the last 2 years. I was working myself up after toe surgery to get ready for all the backpacking and hiking I wanted to do. The rest is covered above.

This was the hardware from the first surgery. All but the 'cage' between the vertebrae was remove in the second surgery 10 years later.

In the second surgery no 'cage' was inserted between the vertebrae because there was not enough room. The old holes in L5 from the first surgery were used and new holes drilled in L4 for the screws.

Five years later and Surgery #3 became necessary. It is now 2 years since this surgery. They opened me up, first from the left side, and 2 weeks later from the back. Concurrently, my right SI joint was failing. Very painful. A year later I had a Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted to control the pain. 4 months later the SI joint was fused. The first of March I was released to drive and resume "normal" activity. I was so weak I could barely walk or do much of anything. With lots of hard work at 2 years after last back fusion surgery I am back on the trail again checking out all the changes that have taken place on the local trails I traced with GPS years before. I even got to backpack with my son and daughter and two each of their oldest kids. It was only about 1.7 miles in on mostly no trail. I just know the way. The 7 of us had a great time and the four grand kids are asking when we can go again.

I have a total of 12 living grand kids with 7 we see often. Four of the six were able to backpack with one of their parents and me. This is the picture I took of them.

Four grand kids.