Not like what your experience is, but I broke L2-3 (IIRC) after hitting a tree during a motorcycle crash.
Had to have the busted parts fused with a bone chunk taken off my hip.
This was 40 years ago and I gather the procedure and parts to immobilize the spine have changed. Rather than a body cast, i elected to have “Herrington rods” implaced. Still in there.
Far as post-op, the bone surgeon told me I would wake up from surgery feeling like an elephant had stomped me. Heck, after the wreck, I already hurt like hell. It did feel rather grim, but after therapy and taking up weightlifting all that is left is not bending in that area. not a huge thing. Percodan was my salvation every afternoon for a while.
Oh God.
I never took pain killers. They made me sicker than hell.
Advil in massive doses.
Did they go in anteriorely or posterialey?
They talked about spilling my guts out and going in front and I told them NO WAY IN HELL. They did it from the back.