Ok so I’m now 1 year and 3 months post scoliosis surgery and I’m (almost!!) back to normal! I really can’t believe all the things I can do now, I work full time and study for a Marketing diploma in the evenings as well as doing my exercises.
Despite that though, this weekend was a huge milestone for me and a bit of a challenge!
I went to London to visit a friend and it was the first time I have been away for a weekend by myself on a train/public transport since my surgery and I was worried how I’d cope.
I won’t lie, I DID find it difficult as I took a small case with me and it was awkward carrying it on and off the train, dragging it round the underground and up and down steps (HOW many steps in the London underground?!). Luckily my friends helped me and carried my case for me up the steps but there’s no way I could have done it alone.
I also found the amount of walking difficult as we spent most of the weekend walking (HOW big is London??!) and rushing about on the busy underground. After a full day of walking on Sat I just had to lie down when I got back to my friends flat and after that I stupidly put heels on to go back out on the Sat night. Heels + the tube + hours walking = not good!
Anyway, after the weekend was over I started feeling a bit down that my back was so sore and that I felt like an old woman not being able to walk around all day, needing to sit down etc – a nightmare train journey home with no seats was the final straw!! I ended up sitting awkwardly on my case for over an hour which did not help my pain.
I hate the fact that I can’t stand for long so can’t really do nights out in busy clubs (i.e London where it’s ALWAYS busy) unless I get there really early to get a seat and stay in the same place all night, so bar crawls or going out later on are out of the question. It’s hard cos in London and alot of cities all the bars are spread out so you have to walk quite far to get from bar to bar. Also most of the time when I do get a seat they are horrible hard wooden chairs (WHY are these everywhere?!) which are uncomfortable or stools with no backs which are nearly as painful as standing. I don’t like saying anything either as I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s time.
Other people just don’t realise how hard it all still is for me and just because my op was a year ago doesn’t mean I’m “cured” and the fact that I look “normal” and also young is hard as I can’t exactly ask people to move so I can sit down on busy trains. I will say this now – it is STILL hard.
I don’t know where I’m going with this just that I was kind of happy that I’d been as it was an achievement for me. But it made me realise there’s still a way to go.. I mean I work full time now but I drive to work and it’s only a 10 minute journey.
I’m not sure I could work full time if I lived in London, had to get the tube and rush about all day.
I don’t think I can do a journey like that again for while! But at least I did it and have come such a long way to get through the weekend 🙂
A few months ago I don’t think I could have even gone, which is what I need to remind myself…so onwards and upwards I guess! 🙂 xx
I had scoliosis surgery in 2010 and blog about my experiences living with scoliosis. My aim is to raise awareness of scoliosis and help and inspire others with the condition.
