Everyone experiences the surgery very differently. My friend and I had surgery the same day. So I will tell you about her experience and my experience sparing no detail (not to scare you but to give you honest facts). I also was very sporty and physically strong due to competitive dance and cheerleading. She did some light swimming a few times a week but wasn't competitive.

She had less of a curve. About 50 degrees and had two rods installed. She had some complications with her anesthetics so the surgery had to be completed rather abruptly. Hers was about 6 hours.

I had a curve progressing 2 degrees every day by the time of surgery i was 72 degrees upper and over 40 on the lower curve. I also had kyphosis (the twisting of the spine) and a terrible rib hump. My surgery was over 13 hours without complication. 3 rods were installed and all my ribs were cut off on one side and shortened. When I woke up from surgery I was in a lot of pain at first for maybe about 5-10 minutes while they got the epidural set at the right level, they were nice about it though because they were putting me slightly under in between until the adjustment was finished. Then they told me to imagine I was sinking into the sand at the beach so i would relax on the bed. After that I was decently pain free. a minor ach here or there but nothing like what i expected. I spent 1 day and 1 night in ICU.

My friend spent 3 days and 4 nights in ICU because they were having trouble managing her pain levels for an unknown reason. What worked to cure her pain one minute wouldn't work at all the next.

I went down to the main recovery floor after that and then it was all hard work from there. As they lowered my pain meds they put me on a patient controlled morphine pump. I did not like this as i would fall asleep and then wake up in terrible pain because i had not gotten any meds for many hours. i finally asked them to take me off of it after about 12 hours of this because I was not awake to press the button. So they they were giving me oral meds (i believe tylenol 3 with codene) and I had to have my mom wake me up every time they brought it in to take it (like every 8 hours) that worked fine and they took me off all of the cords and cables and off of everything (except oral meds) in the next 24 hours after that. I was walking around pain free and went to see my friend.

She had just moved down the the main floor at this time (about 4 days after surgery) she was no longer in pain but was having a horrible time with the idea of walking around. I think she was psyching herself up too much about it. My favorite time to walk around was about 30 minutes after taking a med. I would walk until i just couldn't anymore so they wouldn't make me walk around later when i was in a little more pain closer to a med time. I convinced her of this and soon she was walking too with very little pain.

I went home the next day and she went home 3 days after me. I was only on oral meds for about a week and then I was med free. After that I never really felt alot of pain I would just get tired really easily.
3 months after surgery i went ice skating but my mom made me hold the wall the whole time but my friends were really nice about it
6 months after surgery I was swimming on swim team again
8 months after surgery I won a swimming heat at state finals and competed in diving for the first time.
10 months after surgery I was back to dancing full time
12 months after surgery i did my first back handspring
16 months after surgery I was back to being a flyer in cheerleading.
Since then I've done it all and have't let anything hold me back. I was the director of a dance company. A professional performer and choreographer for an amusement park. I have traveled all over the world no problem!

2 years after surgery I slipped a hook (while dancing) it wasn't painful and had a repair surgery. I had no pain during the repair surgery just felt tired. Was in the hospital for 1 day.

Never at any point was my pain above a 5 out of 10. Except when i was on that stupid morphine pump. I liked oral meds better.

My friend on the other hand was in the hospital a lot longer than me and experienced a lot of pain at home and went back to the hospital again a few days after being discharged so her meds could be adjusted. After about 3 weeks at home she got back to her old self and started going out again.

It varies person to person but my experience was all positive. My doctor was great and I trusted him more than anyone. The staff was amazing and sweet. Do you surgery at a children's hospital if you can. They have a lot more things available to distract you from your pain (like video games) and the nurses are more willing to go out of the way to really help you out. Technology has advanced a lot and surgery isn't a bad as people think it is.

Look into this new device for scoliosis. It's still in trial stages i think. They did a trial surgery in Cincinnati Ohio for a surgical strap that pulls the spine. It was first performed on a boy. That's all I can remember about it. I just know it doesn't limit flexibility as much as the rods and I believe doesn't require fusing. But i don't know much about it.

Hope this helps!

You already have a lot of good information given by ballerinababy. But if you want, you can also check out my blog. I tried to include everything that I wish I would've known before my surgery.

Katie
http://scoliosis-braceyourself.blogspot.com/

Being athletic and fit prior to surgery will really help with recovery. I've never been athletic but I did a lot of pilates and kettle worx workouts for about 6 months before surgery and the muscle development helped. For the first month or two you won't be allowed to bend, and will probably be given a cloth and plastic brace if part of your fusion is in the lower back. I had to use a walker when I wasn't at home and near walls, but only for a couple weeks. It also helped to have a shower seat, since I tired really quickly.

I didn't have pain after the surgery, I just felt sore. The thing that hurt was peeling the bandage off to replace it. I got off the oral percoset about a week after I got home and switched to regular tylenol.

I was really nervous before surgery, but everything went well and I was confident in my doctor, and the neurologist and anesthesiologist he worked with. Honestly, recovery was a breeze. You're younger than I was (22), and being young also makes recovery better. Since surgery I have very rarely had pain. It was a great decision for me.

Thank you all for your advice. I've had surgery and agree with all your posts.

I wish you luck in the future.