Hu: spine is great. Marina: leg still weak; still hurts
Short visit this morning with Dr. Hu, the surgeon.

The spine is doing great; no problems, no pain. Fusion is fusing on schedule. Marina can now walk around without the brace in completely safe places (home; level paths in parks), but must wear it most places outside, and in cars, probably for at least three more months, till the next Hu appointment on the first day of summer.

Dr. Hu makes no bones (as it were) about not being a part of the leg pain and care team. She says Marina is in very good hands with the physiatrist, Dr. Deviren. She hopes time and medicine will do the job, but acknowledges that further surgery could be an option.

Marina is walking a bit more each day, including two or three blocks in our neighborhood, sometimes with minimal cane use, depending on pain level. One of the questions on the pain questionnaire given at the Spine Center this morning was: "If you knew you would never feel any better than you do today, would that be (a) desirable (b) satisfactory (c) unsatisfactory (d) intolerable. Marina chose (b), but there are strong hopes and possibilities of improvement.