FAQ's About Scoliosis Surgery

I get lots of emails with questions that everyone seems to have, and now that I think of it, I had most of them, too. So I'm just going to list some of them and answer them to the best of my ability. (Just remember that it's not always the same for every person.)

Q: How did you know when you were ready for surgery?
A: At the time that I was told I needed surgery, I honestly felt like I could live the rest of my life without having it and feel fine. Within the next year or so, I developed breathing problems and back pain, so at that point, we knew I needed it. But it was still an incredibly difficult decision. We knew, though, that when I get older, I could have a lot of serious problems if it wasn't fixed. We had to come to the point where we realized that God is in control, and He would take care of me through the surgery (which He did).

Q: What was it like waking up out of surgery? What was the pain like?
A: I first woke up in the middle of getting x-rays. I couldn't open my eyes because they were so swollen, but I felt myself somehow standing with my arms crossed out in front of me. But only for a second. The next thing I knew, I was lying on an x-ray table, and soon I was out again. Then I found myself in ICU with my parents. You just feel like you're waking up in the morning, with a few differences. :) They took the tube out of my nose, and at first it was hard to breathe because my whole face was swollen. My throat and lips were SO dry, but the nurses gave me chapstick and a little water. And then I was back asleep.

As for pain, I mostly felt stiff that first day. I felt like I couldn't really move, but I didn't want to, either. I was in and out of sleep all day. So my short answer is, don't even worry about that part!

Q: Did all the tubes give you any problems? Does it hurt to get them out?
A: Honestly, I didn't even think about them. And I had 7 or 8. I'm also prone to pass out over things like that, too, but I never even noticed them. I also only remember them taking out the IV's in my hand, and trust me, you won't care.

Q: What can I do at home to make the recovery easier?
A: A lot of things. Here we go:
   
1. Have a good, positive attitude, and set goals.
2. Always keep a lot of pillows on hand.
3. Keep walking.
4. Get one last hair cut before your surgery. (Unfortunately, I didn't, and had to deal with my long, thick hair.)
5. Faithfully take your pain meds, but get off of them as soon as you can.
6. Watch movies, listen to music, and use your laptop.

Q: What are your limitations now?
A: Bending my back. I can do everything I used to do except bend my back. But I don't really need to anyway. You can bend at the waist or squat down. I'm back to playing volleyball and sitting all hours of the day while at school and practicing instruments. Just think of it like this: you can do everything except have bad posture.

Q: Have you ever set off the alarms at the airport?
A: Never.

Q: Was it worth it?
A: Absolutely!