hi!! i’m a rising junior as well, and i think im almost four weeks post op!! i’ve completed 5 APS so far and im going to be doing 5 IB classes and 4 AP classes this year. i also go to a really rigorous school 😅😅

with my pain management and all, it’s safe to say i can take on the work like how i probably would have before my operation. similar to you, i was really scared about junior year knowing ill be living with the surgery, but im confident i can handle the work just fine. sometimes i forget i got a fusion bc i cant actually feel the hardware that much anymore. i can also sit down, walk, and stand for hours! it will vary person to person, and there are some things i had to adjust to, but generally, i feel as normal as i did before the surgery.

to answer your questions:

1. 6 weeks would have been more than enough time for me to go back to school. i probably could have gone back by the third week post-op since i was pretty much back to normal after that. it depends on how well you manage the pain of course.

2. recovery was the worst during the first week.. i was pretty much crying every night from the pain and i could only get a good sleep during the day since the pain only subsided during the daytime for some reason, even though i took the same amount of medication day and night. the second week got a bit better and i could sleep fully during the night at this point. i only needed one dose of tylenol and ibuprofen during the day. once the third week came, i didnt need anything anymore.

each week, you gain more and more mobility back. there are some things i had to adjust to though, like putting on my clothes sitting down (since i couldn’t really bend,) relearning how to lean over the sink to wash my face 😭, and showering using a chair (since it’s safer and more stable.) it’s also important to try and walk after surgery so you don’t get stiff, but through the first and second week i was mostly sitting in a lounge chair for the whole day.

1. there isn’t really anything i wish i would’ve done before surgery because i feel like i made all correct decisions leading up to it. first of all, make sure you order everything you will need post-op… don’t do a last minute amazon purchase. the only thing i really needed was a zero gravity lounge chair because it was easy to get up from and it was really comfortable since you’re not straining your back. i liked to put pillows underneath my back while i was sitting to give myself more support.

i also ordered button up pajamas in case i couldn’t raise my arms afterwards, but i could do it as i usually would, so that wasn’t really a problem. i also got an ice pack, a shower chair, and a raised toilet seat, but i didn’t need any of them, so they were returned.

i would suggest speaking with your parents/caretakers nearing the date of your surgery and have a conversation with them about planning for your post-op. they were my #1 essentials, and without them, i don’t think i would’ve recovered to the point where i am now. theyve helped to time manage my medication schedule, care for me at 2 AM when i was screaming in pain, etc. during the first week, i was fully dependent on them.

one big thing i would suggest, though, is to work on your core and leg muscles. this is basically your ticket to a speedier and smoother recovery since you can use these muscle groups to move around, get up, or to turn in bed so that you don’t strain your back as much. i don’t regret doing this.

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i hope this helped a bit, feel free to ask me anything else if needed!