went to work today

[SoonerSonia]

Today was my first day back at work and I was exhausted. I'm 4 weeks post op and really thought I could do it. I ended up leaving an hour and a half early. I feel like a wuss, but my body was so tired of sitting upright all I could think about was going home to lie down. My brace was hot and uncomfortable, especially over my work clothes. Ugh, it was just not a good day.

Just wanted to vent a little frustration.

[sccrm08]

I'm amazed, you had the same fusion I did (mine was posterior) and i'm still lying flat most of the time. My Dr. originaly put me out for 3 months and at my 6 week check up he took one look at me and put me out thru the end of the year. I do have a very stressful job, I work in a classroom with all autistic children, some of which are stronger and bigger than me but even if I sat answering phones all day, between my shoulders and arms hurt so bad I couldn't do it.

I wish you the best and hope it gets easier for you.

[crepehanger]

Dang, Sonia- that seems to a little quick to be trying to work a full day. Please rethink it and ease into it. I can't believe how hard it is to do the same tasks now, post-op. I struggle with 2-3 hours a day 2-3 times a week! take it easy, you'll get discouraged if you think you're making progress , ..Lisa

[suzyjay]

Hi Sonia

Back to work after 4 weeks - I give you a lot of credit. At 4 weeks post op (fused from T4 to L4) I was a mess, could not have even attempted it. I returned to work three weeks ago and my surgery was Feb 7. Take it easy.

Sue

[CHRIS WBS]

Ladies,

Please keep in mind Sonia is only in her 20s (a youngster).

Chris

[SoonerSonia]

Thanks for the support. Today I was confronted at work to produce a Dr's note to say I could work...and was shortly sent home when I couldn't get one that day. c'est la vie.

I am probably over doing it and really should just take it easy but I am stir crazy just "recovering". It's summer..I want to bike and swim and run and jump and lift big heavy things right over my head!!! I just thought if I could go back to work I'd be doing something!

Thanks again for the support!

[dianeh]

Back to Work

Hi Sonia!

You remind me of myself after my fusion- T3- sacrum. I so wanted to get back to my life which was quite full and busy. It turned out that my body wouldn't agree with my head so I had to stop and listen. It's only in looking back that I see how weak I still was when I tried to go back to work. I just wish I had known about this forum back then. I can't believe I'm saying this but this is an enormous surgery and we all heal at different rates. PT used to tell me to take deep breaths and accept that my body needed time to adjust to all the muscles being in different positions as well as my spine being straightened. Turns out they were right. I've read many books and have rented or bought quite a few DVD's to help me pass the time while I healed. I hope you can be more patient and kind to yourself than I was. I feel like this has been a rewarding experience in getting to know myself (although I would never volunteer for it) and learning how to accept a little help. I'm thinking of you.

dianeh

[bsprings]

Dianeh-
How long til you went back to work? I am fused T4-S1 and am 7 months post op and am still too tired to work. (I am 46) I wish I were further along like some others I hear about- my job is very stressful though and I live an hour from the office- I just don't have the stamina yet. And my flexibility is so far from what I need it to be- my hamstrings are so tight that I can't bend over much at all. So I am working hard at PT and the gym doing my exercises. It is frustrating that life is not back to normal yet! I know most in my shoes would be back to work by now-
Cathie

[Shari]

I may be way out of line here and anyone can tell that I am, if I am!!!

But one of my biggest problems post-op was comparing my recovery to other people's recovery.

I am repeating myself here, but I think it's a great thing to share our experiences with each other, but I don't think it's wise to compare ourselves with each other regarding our recoveries.

We have all had different surgeries, with different procedures and Doctor's. I say this only because I did it. I thought I should be doing as well as some of the other's on here, and I wasn't So I got very discouraged with myself. And that got very depressing!!!

I guess my point is, don't get too dicouraged if you're not healing the way you think you should, especially with us older women with the longer fusions.

Our bodies will heal in their own time and their own way. It may be a rough road, but it's worth the drive in the end!!!

Shari

[dianeh]

Back to Work

Hi Cathie!

You are being much too hard on yourself. Having an hour commute to work is stressful, without then working. I am now 18 months post-op. I tried to go back to work three times and found I was just too tired, and this was teaching piano, not what I'd call a stressful job. So, I decided to take some time off and am still not working. I was fortunate to be able to do this as my husband has the medical insurance. I was 49 at the time of my surgery. Each surgeon has different post-op instructions and mine said no driving, PT or working until 3 months after surgery. Looking back, I think I would have been able to work at around 6-8 months except for complications. First, I became anemic (heavy periods and peri-menopause), and then I developed sciatica because my low stress job required too much sitting! Believe me, I was shocked and so frustrated. Presently, I am in PT for the second time, working on the sciatica, which has been so very painful. The good news is I'm feeling much better. Since I've had no one to talk to, I've been so hard on myself, thinking I'm the slowest healing peson in the world! It's been so wonderful to read all the "oldies" comments. We do all heal at different rates and should be proud of ourselves for being brave enough to have this surgery. If you haven't already, you might want to check if you're anemic. I had never been before and had no idea it could make me that tired. Good luck with your recovery. It's so nice to chat with you.

dianeh

[geo]

Hi Sonia,

I was wondering if your doctor gave you a time-frame for when to expect to be back at work? I too am a youngin, and I've got enough sick/personal leave saved up to take between 6-7 weeks of recovery time. I'm hoping that's realistic for me, but it's one of the questions that, for some reason, I forgot to bring up with my doc.

[abhbarry]

Geo,

I am about your age and am planning on going back to work at 3 months post-op. I agree with Shari that we can't completely compare each other's recovery times, but because we're close in age, maybe this will help. Of course, I'm only at 2 months post-op now, so I don't know how I will be, but I'm starting to feel much better.

Best,
Anya

[bsprings]

Thanks Dianeh for the encouragement. I guess there is no rule of thumb for when we should be feeling back to normal. It does help to see that others have been in my shoes-thanks!
Cathie

[SoonerSonia]

Geo,
My Dr wrote in my medical leave form for work that my estimated recovery time was 6-12 weeks. I went back at 4 and feel OK. 6-7 weeks seems like it'll be enough, at least it was for me!

Also on a side note, does your name reflect anything in particular? I'm a geologist, so whenever I see GEO I think GEOLOGY!

[geo]

YES! I went to school for geology myself, and am now doing GIS work. Not too many of us out there!

I'm hoping that even if I can't make it back to work within a month of surgery (!!), I will atleast be able to start back part-time shortly after. I'd love to have some time left over after all of this so that my boyfriend and I can go on the Hawaiian trip we dreamed about last winter. No, I won't be pushing myself, but it helps to have a goal like that to help a person through recovery!