Hi everyone,
I've been reading about everyone's experiences, and it's been comforting to see other people have made it through this successfully.
I'm a 22 year old grad student, and I feel like I'm packing the next 10 weeks between now and surgery as full as possible (I'm working 30 hours a week, taking 2 classes, and TAing a Lab section). I will have T4-L1 fused on December 3rd. Classes start again January 16th and I'm hoping to be well enough by then to return to my life. Following surgery, and the week in the hospital, my step mother, mother, and boyfriend will be taking care of me.
I'm not sure what questions I want answered, but I feel like I have a ton of them. Mostly, how can I best prepare for surgery, both mentally and physically? I feel like I'm keeping myself so busy so I can't think too much about it, but every now and then I'll over react about something unimportant, and I think it's my anxiety about surgery coming through. I'm trying to go to yoga weekly, but it's hard with my crazy schedule.
Also, what can my "caretakers" expect? I hate imposing on them, which is partially why I'm trying to distribute the workload.
And specifically regarding the T4-L1 fusion, it seems like many of you have had more extensive fusions. Will having this size fusion make recovery easier or harder? What about movement afterwards?
Thank you for all of your words of wisdom in advance. It's a relief to find a place where I can learn and vent about this all at the same time.
I've been reading about everyone's experiences, and it's been comforting to see other people have made it through this successfully.
I'm a 22 year old grad student, and I feel like I'm packing the next 10 weeks between now and surgery as full as possible (I'm working 30 hours a week, taking 2 classes, and TAing a Lab section). I will have T4-L1 fused on December 3rd. Classes start again January 16th and I'm hoping to be well enough by then to return to my life. Following surgery, and the week in the hospital, my step mother, mother, and boyfriend will be taking care of me.
I'm not sure what questions I want answered, but I feel like I have a ton of them. Mostly, how can I best prepare for surgery, both mentally and physically? I feel like I'm keeping myself so busy so I can't think too much about it, but every now and then I'll over react about something unimportant, and I think it's my anxiety about surgery coming through. I'm trying to go to yoga weekly, but it's hard with my crazy schedule.
Also, what can my "caretakers" expect? I hate imposing on them, which is partially why I'm trying to distribute the workload.
And specifically regarding the T4-L1 fusion, it seems like many of you have had more extensive fusions. Will having this size fusion make recovery easier or harder? What about movement afterwards?
Thank you for all of your words of wisdom in advance. It's a relief to find a place where I can learn and vent about this all at the same time.
Comment