After Fusion
After
surgery I felt really uncomfortable and unsure of my body for a long time.
In fact, it didn't feel like My body anymore. It took a few months for me to
"adjust to my adjustments."
I was home from school for most of the rest of 9th grade (3 months). I went in some days for art and lunch, basically just to keep my sanity. I was too tired and too sore to sit through a whole day so the tutors came three days a week for a few hours.
The next school year I was restricted to the special education gym class. My friends poked fun at me for playing ping-pong and shuffle board in gym, but I was never a sports person, so this suited me just fine. By the next year I was back in the regular gym class, skiing, and doing all of the things I wanted to do. I went to my senior prom and wore and open-back dress!
The look of my body took some getting used to. At first my scar was really gross to look at. It is very long- from just below my neck to right above my behind. The scar was red and puffy for awhile, but over time the swelling subsided and the scar faded. I'm not embarrassed by my scar- in fact I show it to people all the time. This was quite impressive to many guys in college who thought they had the coolest scars- they all lost to me!
I have had some problems with the metal work in my back- not the rods, but the screws and bolts. They rub against my skin and cause bursas to form. These are fluid-filled sacs that protect your skin. They can become irritated by a lot of physical activity and are painful to the touch. The bolts can be removed, but I have decided that I can live with the bursitis for now.
I am not comfortable if I have to stand for long periods of time- I get an aching in my back. I also can't sleep in some beds because I wake up very stiff and sore, and I can never sleep on the floor. I get so stiff I can barely sit up and I am sore all day.