Originally Posted by Helderberg

I had a herniated disc in 1993-4 on my right side. Lost 80% of the muscle on my lower right leg and 20% on the thigh. In 2001 I had a disc blowout and lost the use of my left leg's front muscles and had surgery. I was told I should never ride a bike again.
I have a Hybrid and a drop-bar gravel bike, both Cannondale. The Hybrid is obviously more upright than the Topstone and the Topstone is less of a tuck than a race or true road bike. Of the two I find the gravel bike the most comfortable as the angle of my body is enough to keep any road jarring impact from my spine being too upright. I also find that I can go down on the drops on the gravel bike but I have to be really stretched out before I get on the bike or I pay the price later. Not suggesting you get a gravel bike just suggesting you consider your fit on whatever bike you get to allow for the angle of your body you will be riding for most of your time in the saddle. You can shorten and raise the stem as you are recuperating and then change to a lower and longer stem as you feel you can. I have not yet been able to get back to the supplied 90mm 3 or 4* but hope to get there.
Be safe and try to buy a bike frame that gives you a lot of options later on as you heal and become aware of what has changed and what you can still do comfortably.
My bike is all wrong for anybody else but it fits me and I can still ride at 73.
Good luck, Frank.