Nashville-based bluegrass singer, songwriter, and bandleader Rebekah Long has announced a break in her summer touring schedule for back surgery.
Long tells us that she broke her lower back (pars interarticularis) recently, and will be having fusion surgery on July 19 to correct it. She reports a family history of spinal degeneration, and her father, sister, and brother have all undergone similar procedures in their 20s and 30s.
Amazingly, Rebekah doesn’t even know at what time the break occurred, but it has resulted in tingles and burning, stabbing pains all the way down her legs. Or as she rather indelicately put it, “my back is literally sliding forward into my gut and crushing my nerves and spinal cord.”
That sounds like something you want to get taken care of!
Her doctors say that 4-6 weeks of recovery will be required before she can resume normal duties, and another 6 months to a year before full recovery is achieved. “They told me no running and jumping, and definitely, absolutely no falling. Gonna be laid up and tied down for awhile.”
In preparation for surgery and recovery, Long has nothing booked with her group between her July 13 show at Raccoon Creek Music Park in Dallas, GA until October at the Coushatte Bluegrass Festival in Texas. She says the doctors tell her she should be in good shape by then if she takes care to follow their instructions during rehab.
Those who know Rebekah, or follow her regular videos on Facebook, know that she’s not one for sitting still, so send her warm thoughts and prayers next month when her surgery has been performed.
Best of luck, Rebekah, and we look forward to seeing you on stage again on the other side.
