This is the back brace that I'm going to be wearing for 3 months:
Yes, that's a look of discomfort on my face in the first picture. This thing has to be tight; so tight that it's difficult to take a deep breath. It does what it's designed to do, I can't twist or bend in it, and sitting is...interesting, to say the least. I'm supposed to wear it over my clothes, and I already learned that low-rise pants aren't a good idea to wear with it....the bit of belly between the bottom of the brace and the top of the pants gets pinched - ouch!
I've had it on for about half an hour, and I've had enough already - but I still have to walk to the end of the street and back and practice getting in and out of the car. The nurse said that if I figured out how to walk, lay and sit with it on before the surgery that it would make the initial recovery period a a little less stressful. So, I'm going to be a good patient and do as I'm told for once (did you hear that, D? I'm doing as I'm told. Amazing, huh?!)
*sigh*.....off to the end of the street I go.....