I came through the surgery well...my doctor and his team reduced both my thoracic and lumbar curves impressively. More importantly, they also stopped the further progression of either curve with the rods and vertebral fusions (from my upper thoracic to my lower lumbar-essentially the whole thing).
In the days that followed, I was like an awkward and lumbering newborn figuring out how my body worked. My physical therapy team re-taught me how to walk and perform other routine activities of daily living. These skills were momentarily lost due to the extremely traumatic nature of the surgery and complicated by my new body dynamics.
On my 30th birthday, I walked back into my home 2 inches taller. And I kept walking. Until I started jogging, then running again. The best advice my team gave me: start the walking early and do it often.
I strongly believe that my pre-surgery level of physical fitness helped me approach this as strong and ready as one can be for this kind of thing. Post-surgery, I began again.
As long as I am alive, I will never stop.
Yours in the journey,
CH
