Warren Wolfe is a self-described “doer” who likes to stay busy. While working in his yard one day, he says he was probably “overdoing” it, and an underlying problem with his back suddenly “got really bad.” He tried pain management, but it didn’t provide the help he expected. On May 9, 2018, he had spinal fusion surgery with orthopedic surgeon Daniel Lee, MD, at Valley Hospital.
The first 48 hours post-surgery were the toughest because he was prescribed flat bed rest. After that, his recovery “took off,” he says. He was transferred to inpatient rehab, where the staff made him feel like a “VIP.” His therapists got him up walking and performing everyday activities, and they even had him practice cooking an egg to prepare for his return home. “They were above and beyond,” he says. “I went from literally being on my back to walking around the whole hospital the last day with a walker.”
Within a short time after returning home, he was walking unassisted under the supervision of his physical therapist and continuing to advance. “Without the rehab, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he says.