Step by Step Back Surgery: A Recovery Guide: What your doctor can’t tell you.

This book offers a pragmatic approach to spinal surgery recovery. The author's candid recounting of her experience provides invaluable advice that goes beyond what most doctors might share. I particularly appreciated the detailed “before surgery” checklist, which offers practical guidance on how to prepare one's home and what to pack for the hospital. Her story of organizing her living space and planning for possible rehabilitation demonstrates the forethought required to ensure a smoother recovery. The book's straightforward discussion of tools like the shampoo hat and the surprising conflicts between hospital and rehabilitation facility expectations are rare insights that prove vital. This book is a good resource for anyone facing surgery, providing realistic expectations and practical advice.

As a person who’s had seven major spinal cord surgeries I was interested in reading this book. My first question is what type of back surgery was it. There are no standard back surgeries. The author mentioned spinal fusion surgery, and the book is titled ‘Back surgery’ so I assume it was a spinal fusion of the back. But at what location and what type? Most back surgeries are in the lumbar spine, but not all. And, was it a bone graph fusion or a small metal screw and plate? The incision of the graphs are much larger than the smaller incisions required for the plate type. That makes recovery time very different. For example, my first lumbar surgery required a nine inch incision. I know someone who had one with a one inch incision. And, most people come ‘back’ for more. That was intended as a pun, but statistically most people require more than one surgery. As I said, I had seven and expected to have only one. The doctor, hospital are just some of the factors in that anomaly.Every surgery is different and everyone has a different pain tolerance. The author bases this on a female anatomy with regard to catheters. They are extremely unpleasant in men. With those things said, the author takes us on her personal tour of her specific back surgery and does a good job. A lot of details are given which could help people generally. However, I would have liked to know more specifics about her type of surgery for reasons I already mentioned. Overall, a good book. It’s well written and a short read.

This was a great book, because it provided great insight on a procedure that I recently am going through. It provided confirmation to many issues and concerns that I also experienced, but it is also a great resource to pass along friends and family who may need to have this surgery.

This book was helpful in a few ways. First off, I had a very hard time accepting the recovery length they had told me, her personal account of her symptoms would not necessarily be the same as mine, but it helped me see the reality of the situation and how it could feasibly take that long.Her suggestions for ordering certain equipment were a bit lacking- like the sturdy bar/handle that goes in your car doorway to help you get in and out; I use it when my back and hips bother me and I can’t imagine not needing it post op (at lease in the early days).Thank you Katy Dash for sharing your story and providing something very helpful and down to earth to distract me from my pre-op panic!~Susan

I’ve been trying to find out about recovery after Spinal Surgery. This book gave me insight of what to expect day by day. Also, gives you what you will need once your home, as well as in rehab. Finally, I now know what to expect and what is needed for recovery. Highly recommend. Very easy to read and understand.For some reason, all you get from the doctor or his staff is “ Don’t worry about it, when your in the hospital they will tell you what is needed “Some of us need to make plans in advance.This is where this book is very helpful. It might not be something your doctor will tell you, like get some dry shampoo because it’s going to be hard to wash your hair.

Most patients are not sent to surgery rehab after surgery. Does not apply to today’s status.

I gave three stars because Kady does a good job of describing her challenges and providing solutions to help meet and overcome them. Especially helpful is her list of "must haves" for her hospital and rehab stays. In addition, providing links to the products she recommends was very useful. Unfortunately, her grammar was suboptimal. She would benefit from professional proofreading and editing to correct syntax, tense, agreement, punctuation, and spelling errors.

This book is all about the experience of the author who has undergone a major back surgery. This guide is very detailed From what you need to prepare before surgery to physical therapy and follow-up consultation with the doctor, written in simple and easy to understand language for anyone to understand. Truly a great resource.

Back pain is probably one of the most prominent health conditions people live with, and keep going that it's nothing. And having been through episodes of back pain, I found this book very informative on the key watch-outs and considerations to achieve healing. If your situation is as difficult as needing surgery, it is even more helpful to help with any myths or misconceptions you may be holding. A good guide to have.

This is an excellent product--as we have to come to expect from this author. It focuses on the patient experience--things like what to bring, noise levels, food) which is what nobody tells you about when they discuss your surgery with you. The book is well-written, expertly edited, and contains links to many useful products on Amazon.

I found this to be an honest and insightful view into recovery after back surgery. The author also gives lots of practical advice that I'm sure back surgery patients would find helpful.

Kady provides his personal detailed account of his back surgery. Detailing accounts before, during and after his recovery process. I found this to be a very honest diary account of his daily journey. Sharing personal experiences, offering tips on useful recovery products and highlighting where you can have problems with the transition from hospital to rehab. All very good information that you wont be aware of unless you go through it. My husband had back surgery about 20 years ago. Having this guide prior would have been very valuable. It seems everyones outcomes vary. The doctors told my husband that after two years how he felt then will be the best it will be. He was left with bad nerve damage, however at least he could get up off the floor and did go back to part time work two years later. Unfortunately, he was never pain free. He just had to learn to manage it best he could. This guide is valuable and worth the read.

This book was recommended to me by Kady and is an excellent account of her progress following her surgery. I'm 7 weeks 3 days post op following spinal fusion surgery and don't feel quite so useless now. Thank you very much Kady for recommending this book.