Hi, I hope you are using a guitar stand when you play. I've seen Carols Santana and Steve Howe use them. (it holds the guitar in playing position)

I had the same surgery you had and I found relative recovery (not back to 100%) after 5 years and couldn't have done this well without Feldenkries P/T and Awareness Thru Movement therapies. I still cant draw/paint as long as I used to unless I'm willing to be in bad pain for a day or two. Nerves are touchy things - your body will tell you when to rest from playing, you need to learn to listen to what your body is telling you.

Speedy recovery to you,
Anne