When did your child go?

[SarahH]

back to school after surgery?

Trenton really wants to get back. I think we'll start with a hour at a time (with me) for the next week and a half, after that he has 1 week of spring break, and then I think he'll return full time on the 18th I dont know, maybe 1/2 days.. we'll have to see! Only 4 weeks post op. The Dr. said that this was fine, but it seems so early to me. Please help calm my nerves!

[nikyergen]

Sarah,
The doctor told Crystal she could return to school as soon as she feels up to it. She is probably going to go back next Monday, three weeks post op, for a couple of classes each day. I read that a lot of these kids don't go back to school until week five or six. Doctor told us that 3-4 weeks is more the average of return to school. I am going to take Crystal to school with the thought that I may have to turn right back around and get her to come home.

Crystal's surgery was March 15. She had an 88 degree curve and was fused from T2-L2 and is now in a brace for 8-12 weeks.

I guess we just have to be flexible for the kids.

'til later,
Nikki

[Carmell]

Sarah,

Like Nikki suggested, every patient is different. If Trenton is tolerating being up and moving for several hours at a time, he may be ready to go back like you said. I would do half days at first. He probably won't realize how quickly he'll tire until he actually tries to go to school. Braydon had surgery on Monday, March 21. He started back to school for half a day on Monday, March 28. Tuesday the 29th, he only made it an hour. He had been too physically active. Today (Wednesday the 30th) so far, so good. He will probably continue half days for the rest of this week. He should be good to go all day next week (little does he know - LOL).

My point is that Trenton is still in recovery mode. He needs to know how much he can push himself without going over the edge. Hopefully going a little at a time to begin with will help him see what he can and can't do, yet. Good luck and keep us posted.

[jc3]

My daughter is 5 months post op now and she went back 9 weeks after surgery. She could have went back sooner, but was not feeling up to sitting in the hard chairs all day. So her first week back she went half days and worked her way back. Just make sure he has a note to get out of class early so he is not in the halls with the other kids. That made me nervous at the beginning worrying that she wouldn't get bumped or anything.
Sounds like recovery is going great!
good luck
Jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Jamie is almost four months post-op and returned to school at four weeks. Her doctor said she could return at three weeks, but that was the start of Christmas break. She started out going half days and by the time she was six weeks post-op, she was going full-time. Trust your instincts. Like others have said, the kids are excited to get back to school to see their friends, etc. but they really do get tired quickly in the first few weeks.

Mary Lou

[JillfromCanada]

I went back to school after 4 weeks. I found that even then I couldn't last long at school, due to lack of energy and uncomfortable seating. I refrained from taking a backpack, and just carried a few notebooks in my arms. I got back to normal around the 8 week mark (luckily just as school was ending ).