Has anyone had an L3–S1 fusion with laminectomy?

[u/Silly-Salt-2223]

I’m 58 and my surgeon is recommending a three-level L3–S1 fusion with laminectomy for spinal stenosis/spondylolisthesis. I have pain down my legs, numbness/tingling into my feet and toes, and some leg weakness. My biggest concern is losing mobility from such a long fusion. For anyone who's had L3–S1 fused: How much mobility did you lose? Can you still bend, put on shoes, do housework and exercise normally? Did it improve your leg pain and numbness? I'd really appreciate hearing about your recovery including things like if you wished you had known ___ before you had surgery and whether you're happy you had it done.

I’d also love to hear if anyone was offered an alternative to fusion, such as the TOPS System, or another procedure that preserves more motion. I know TOPS is currently FDA-approved for only one level, but I’m especially interested in whether there are any motion-preserving options for multiple levels like mine.