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Will I be able to start school on time??

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  • Will I be able to start school on time??

    Hi my name's Rachel and I'm 16 years old.. I had scoliosis surgery August 3rd and we came home back from the hospital last Tuesday. It's been very hard adjusting to it all.. and I feel like a new person..in a bad way...I feel I'm not the old me anymore and that maybe I wasn't supposed to have surgery.. I donno..
    but the real big issue that's bugging me is that school starts Sept. 5th and I want to know if I'd be able to go back to school on time or not...I really want to start school on time.. but if I really can't..then well..I can't. My first check-up is this Friday and we're all excited to see the change in the curve.

    Any thoughts though on my education dilema?? =-|

  • #2
    My daughter has not had surgery yet - so I don't know if this will help much because we haven't lived it yet.

    Dr. Betz told her she would be out of school for at least 4 weeks so if your doctor releases you on Friday for school I would think you could go back on the 5th.

    Make sure you get a set of books for home and have your teachers keep your other set and supplies in the indvidual class rooms. I don't think you are supposed to carry over 5 lbs (?) Our pre-op papers said you should be released from each class early to enable you to get to your next class before the crowds form in the halls.

    I would just try going. You may just do half days at first. Have your parents call the school and check on your schedule to put your core classes in the morning and the electives later in the day. I would also call and talk to someone at the "home bound" office in your school district to find out what your options are for you if it turns out to be too much on you. Another idea is to work up to 2 or 3 days a week.

    Okay - now about the other thing. I am a registered nurse and even though Chelsea hasn't had the surgery yet, I do know a little something about post-op feelings and changes (it happens to a lot of patients - from boob jobs to open heart surgery!) Sounds like you are a little blue - and that is completely normal!! It's going to take some time to get used to all the changes and you still have such a long way to go in your recovery before you start feeling like your old self or adjusting to your "new" self. All I can say is hang in there. I think going back to school and seeing your friends will help. Summer is usually such a detached time (from your friends) and there are probably a lot of aquantances that don't even know you had the procedure. You sure have a lot to talk about with any new friends!! And just think how great and long your essay will be entitled "What I did This Summer"
    Mom to Chelsea - 13yo with 60 degrees kyphosis due to Sheuremann's Disease. T8-T12 have fused together (on their own) anteriorly.
    Dr. Betz (Shriner's Philladelphia) states that she needs anterior release and posterior fusion
    .

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    • #3
      Hi hypobellum,
      My daughter Shelby is 8 weeks post op. She had a 44T and a 64L curves. She was fused from T4 to L4. She felt the same way you do now a couple of weeks after her surgery. She seemed to start feeling more like herself at about 3 weeks. For whatever reason everyone had told me that there was something about the 3 week mark and I believe it. Shelby still can't do a whole lot but she is feeling soooo much better. We take walks in our neighborhood and last night her dad and I were commenting that she finally had that little wiggle in her walk again. For so long she has walked so cautiously and carefully. She still walks that way but looks more like herself walking that way if you know what I mean. Like Chelsea's mom said, just hang in there, it does get better and know that you are not alone. There are lots of kids on this forum who understand what you are going through. If you have any other questions or concerns, please ask, we were helped by the people on this forum so much and we want to help others.

      Kathy
      Daughter Shelby (almost 13)
      44T 64L Corrected to 10T 10L
      Posterior Fusion T4 to L4
      June 19, 2006

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      • #4
        Sure!!! By then youll be a litte over a month post op and thats when most people come back. At the four week mark, I felt really good!!!
        ~Wanda~
        Age: 18
        40TL curve pre op
        Posterior Spinal Fusion with Dr. Pablo Marrero
        San Jorge Children's Hospital in Puerto Rico
        June 7, 2006
        post op curve: 16

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        • #5
          Hang tough. What you're feeling right now is normal - be glad that you're not 30 or 40 years older as recovery would be alot tougher. I suspect that one of the main reasons that you want to get back to school is to get together with your peers. If you can't go back right away, perhaps your mom, dad, or both, can help you work things out so that friends can stop by after school in groups. If you're not able to go back at the beginning of the year, it will be because you, and or, your doctor feel that you are not ready. If you do have to wait, and are having kids there after they get out of school, remember to give yourself time to rest either before or after they are there. You WILL start feeling better soon, but give yourself time to heal and gain your strength back. People forget (or don't realize) how taxing major surgery like this is on your body. It is true that at your age, kids are alot more resilient, but they too have their limits. Good luck and feel better soon.

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          • #6
            thankyou!!! =)

            Thank you to all of you who've commented. Coming to this site and reading different experiences or the same make me feel...understood. I showed my mom all the replies to this and she was really happy...thanks everyone!! ^_^

            Another thing I'm all paranoid about is that if I do go back to school, what happens if I slip and fall, or the people who don't know I got surgery are rough with me? I'll be more than happy to say ""ehh please don't touch the back. " lol but I don't know..I'm all worried for just about nothing.

            Today I went out in public for the first time .. my mom is going to be a preschool teacher so they were meeting with the kids today to get to know them better...and noone was going to be home so I went with. It was held at our church (that's where the preschool is) and we brought pillows and a blanket because they have couches/chairs and whatnot. But going there and hearing all the kids talking and parents really really wore me out. So we'll see how I progress..and I'm just waiting to hear what the doc. says about everything Friday! ^_^

            Thanks again!!! really..it helped!!

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