Before the surgery, I haven't visited my parent's home in like almost 2 years. I've always wondered when I can possibly travel now that I have had my spinal surgery. With my slowly recovering spine, and some...potential restrictions, a pending question arises: is it safe to travel?
This post dives into my personal experience traveling post-spinal fusion surgery and if I were to give an advice, would it be better to travel 9 months or not? I'm going to lightly share my experience about my first travel post surgery in this blog.
The preparatioN
To be honest, I didn't prepare much about my travel. Though I was SOOOOO ANXIOUS and EXCITED to finally be able to visit my family.
I remember asking my mother to lend me some clothes so I wouldn't be bringing a lot given that I'll only be using a knapsack to pack all my things. (By the way, our travel is through Oceanjet - a fast craft that travels approx. 2 hrs 45 min from Cebu to Bohol)
I listed all the things I'll be bringing during my stay there. I really didn't bring much for my 5-day stay other than my phone & phone accessories, a dress, a week's worth of undies, and a shirt---the rest, I borrowed from my mother and father.
d-day to bohol
My husband dropped us off to the warf earlier since this was my first travel after surgery. I didn't want to rush and I wanted to make sure we can still get good seats. Another good thing was---it was a sunny day---I WOULD NEVER WANT to travel on a rainy day so we chose morning trips and made sure there wasn't a scheduled storm on that day.
The trip to Bohol wasn't so bad. Although the economy seats weren't ideally comfortable; The seats were designed really close and standing up from time to time was almost impossible - BUT I was able to cross regional seas (tapping my shoulder!)
MY STAY - GOING OUT AND ABOUT WHILE WALKING A LOT!
This is the part where there is a LOT of contradictions. Traveling and staying for many days away from home is always a great thing---even better when you're visiting your parents!
However, making use of the short time by really going out and walking is a challenging thing for someone who is still recovering from a spinal injury. This was because I didn't want to just keep on lying down in pain while the days passed by without spending time with my family. I HAD TO MAKE THE DAYS COUNT.
You might ask, did I not drink pain meds?
Well, I tried my best not to drink pain meds (My doctor prescribed me Norgesic - it's an OTC for pain) unless I thought I was already in dire need of it. So far, during my visit, I didn't not drink Norgesic. Instead, I drank Tramadol (a stronger pain medicine) - a drug which I shouldn't be drinking.
My family time was the highlight, but my body definitely reminded me of its limits. Ideally, I'd love a body that can keep up with my adventurous spirit!
Going Home and Post-Trip Thoughts
The whole trip was overall so uplifting and fulfilling. I cherished every moment I had with my sisters, parents and grandparents.
As I went home to Cebu, I was already looking forward to coming back to Bohol; but next time, I need to be sure that I can be able to travel again without any "debilitating restrictions". I'm just thankful I was able to make it through and still be able to be with my family.
Hope you liked this post. What are your thoughts on travelling months after surgery? Should post surgery patients travel after a year? Or even after a week is fine? Let's discuss it on the comments section below!
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