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  • Teachers return to work

    I am nine months post-op and feel pretty good. As long as I make good choices when moving around, I am mostly pain free. I am a special ed teacher and teach primary grades. I am working part-time doing only paperwork, testing stuents, IEPs, and meeting with parents. My hours are flexible at this time, but generally work 8-15 hours a week. Last week I worked two days back to back and it took me three days to recover. I am supose to return part-time 20 hours week in March, this seems too much. I get so mentally and physically tired. Does anyone else get this way? I can't imagine going back to work and then not having the energy to take care of myself and 3 young kids. Do you just wakeup one day and feel yourself again?

    There are days and weeks that I seem to have more energy than others. It gets very frustrating. When I asked the doc. he always says your doing great. You have been off your meds for months, so give yourself time to heal. How long does it take????? Sorry to vent so much, it just seems like I am in a holding pattern. Maybe because it has been below zero all week!
    Finally, my fear is to return to work and then not be able to have enough physical and mental energy to get through the day.

    Kari
    57 degree
    fused t-3 to L-3
    correction 30 curve
    40 years

  • #2
    Kari- I can totally relate. I'll be praying for you. I ended up not going back this year, although originally I thought I'd be able to go back last August. Ha! When I go back I will have to do full days -- and after seeing how long it's taking to recover, that's way more than I could handle at this point. I work as an elementary school librarian. I have 4-5 classes every day, plus stragglers the rest of the day, run the library, and lots of other things to do. I just couldn't see how I could manage this year. I'm going back next August. Keep us posted on how you're doing. Take care.
    71 and plugging along... but having some problems
    2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
    5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
    Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

    Corrected to 15°
    CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
    10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

    Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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    • #3
      Hi Kari,

      I can't remember -- did you have A/P surgery or posterior only?

      A few of us have been talking about this very issue lately -- wondering when we will feel "normal" again. I'm told a year to 18 months. But I would say that iif you are basically not in pain at this point, that's very good and I hope I'm doing that well by 9 months!!

      I think energy, stamina, and endurance seem to take a loooooong time to return. A demanding job and three little kids is a lot to handle after a surgery like this.

      One last point: I find that the cold weather completely zaps my energy and I feel a million times better when it's warm.
      Chris
      A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
      Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
      Post-op curve: 12 degrees
      Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

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