Recovery

[jonata]

I have heard anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months for a teenager---13 or 14 yr old....such a huge variance...can anyone explain?????

[jonata]

The NS says "the surgery is very painful".  I am trying to figure that out as a parent because it really scares me.

[blondeballerina07]

I think it also depends greatly on what you consider recovery to be. For me ( I am 21) I spent two and a half weeks in the hospital alone. During this time i felt well enough to start some online classes and I was also doing 3 hours of rehab a day so although I can do some of my normal activities but the time frame the doctor gave me was 12 weeks before I could go back to work, and no in person classes until the spring granted my condition was an extreme one. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor they are going to be able to give you the bet time frame of anyone I think.

[n40066]

i agree with selma.  but would also like to add that it can be even more difficult for teenagers to heal because they are so anxious (and with good reason!) to "get back to life", that they often do not rest as much as they should during the healing process.  as adults, it's VERY difficult to do....for a kid, it's 10 times harder.  the most successful stories i have heard from kids, is from the ones who force themselves to wait out the healing process before getting back to their old schedules.
good luck!
elizabeth

[selmaS]

Hi...I would not go by general statements for recovery....look to the individual and and how they rebound ....how they deal with pain....and how they deal with meds.

Even how they deal with the chiari itself....but, it can take up to 2 yrs to fully heal.....

Some drs have no idea or bother to look at it this way, plus u really should check to see if he has EDS which can cause one to heal slower....

Plus the after care is lacking...the drs do not understand what we go thru, since the NS only deals with the post op visit........and we can be left hanging...so do get that set up b4 surgery is scheduled.

Again...how one heals will depend on the individual...and if they relax and allow themselves to heal....

"selma"