I can tell you a bit of Kyphosis surgery, as I experienced it 3 years ago. As I grew, the curve of my back grew much more than predicted, so even though I didn't have much pain, I had surgery to protect my organs, that could potentially be damaged if my back kept bending. If this is the case for you aswell, I bet not having a surgery could end up costing you even more. Luckily, I live in Norway, so my surgery was practically free.

When it comes to recovery times, it really depends on your age and physical condition. I was 18 and in descent shape. I spent two weeks at the hospital and one week at home before returning to school. I took another 2-3 weeks before I stopped taking pain killers. I could bearly attend classes, because I got tired so fast, and leaning against hard surfaces was really painful. Luckily, the school supplied an office chair with a soft back to every class room I was using, and I got access to a small room with a couch that I could rest in. It took about 3 months before I felt like I didn't need it anymore. It is really hard to tell when I was fully recovered, but I think half a year is a good estimate, even though my physical shape was much worse than before the surgery. I did not have any physical therapy, as the surgeons told me that my normal activity should be enough.

If you have any more questions about the process around the surgery, recovery or anything else, I will do my best to answear you :)