Post-Op + Now

My mom told me I was in surgery from 11am until 3:30pm. When I first woke up from surgery, it was around 8pm. I was asleep in the recovery room until then. I only have vague memories of talking to my mom and asking her to text my friends for me. I was still groggy from the anesthesia. Then I remember falling asleep again, as I was transferred to the room I would stay for the next two days. 

The next time I woke up it was the following day. As expected, I was in pain but there was a button next to my bed that I could press for medicine, if necessary. Later that day a physical therapist came in to greet me. The first thing I had to do was log roll, as shown below. I was able to sit up on the side of the bed. From there, I was encouraged to stand up and sit in a chair a few steps away. They told me how important it was to do this slowly so I wouldn't feel dizzy. The second day, my doctor recommended I consume only clear liquids. I had a fever that day, which is typical post-surgery. The rest of my stay in the hospital I was also tasked with using an incentive spirometer, which is a breathing device that helped strengthen my lungs.

Log Rolling Technique
Photo Source: Sunnybrooke Health Sciences Centre

The next day I was able to eat food, which I was so grateful for. After working with my physical therapist, I was able to stand and walk on my own. That day I was discharged to a different room. This room was significantly bigger, and where I spent the last two days of my stay. I also remember measuring myself and noticing that I grew 2 inches.

Eventually, on the fourth day, I was able to stand, sit, and walk up a flight of stairs on my own. That night I was discharged home and able to sleep in my own bed. For about three weeks post surgery I focused on recovering and went on daily walks as a way of building my endurance. I was also prescribed medicine that I could take if I was in any major pain. Dulcolax was recommended since I was constipated for a few days post-surgery. 

My scar also was large and did not look so pretty once I got back home. I remember for a few days, once I got back home, showering around the steri-strips. Then, once those fell off, I was able to view the scar and I was surprised by how fresh it looked (even though it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise).

11/13/21: 5 days post-op

Throughout my recovery, I spent some of my time attending zoom meetings for class and catching up on homework. A majority of my time at home was spent binging TV shows and working on arts and crafts projects. I would strongly encourage sticking to a schedule of taking walks (at least after one week at home), because it is easy to get lazy. Also remember not to lay down the whole day and to spend time sitting up in a chair, which is vital if you plan to go back to school soon.

It was around week three post-op that I went back to school. My doctor's office gave me a note restricting me from using the stairs. I also made sure my backpack was relatively light as a way of alleviating stress on my back. My first few days back at school, I remember being uncomfortable sitting straight up in the hard desks. Over time, however, I became more comfortable and felt so much better spending time with my friends. 

Currently, I don't experience any back pain, am fully integrated in school, and my scar is minimally visible.

8/15/23: 1.75 years post-op

If you are having spinal fusion surgery (and even if you aren't) please feel free to watch my video below discussing what you will experience before and after surgery. Thank you so much for following my journey!