Back to work and I'm struggling ...

Dearest Gaylene ...

wow .... that is a lot to handle - full time after 7 weeks - system changes etc .. no wonder you are not doing that great ..

I am (mandatory)  retired so don;t have this experience - 

Do you still take medication for pain? 

Any way to ask for  less physically challenging tasks or perhaps work part time for a couple of weeks?   

Sending you healing light and blessings ..

love

renee

 

Hello Gaylne,

i totally get you predicament. My first hip was done in my 40's an I had 5 kids and worked full time. It was a nightmare. Getting back to work while managing pain is at best tricky and different for everyone. Comfortable chair is essential and watching movements is a pain. Getting up and down & driving all the thing we take for granted are a huge handicap at this stage. 

My my job was very accommodating and by law they are required to assist in any way. I don't know it that is your case.. But I could only take one day at a time and had help come clean and take care of things at home. I put on cloths over my head and planned ahead knowing restrictions. After time I was back to normal and doing therapy was the best way to build strength and I drank lots of protein shakes which helped a lot.

Eventually you will find what works for you. It takes time and mindfulness. 

Healing blessing aent ur way

HOPE

Think you may have gone back too early.  Did your work not offer you an occupational health visit and at least a staggered start back - doing half days or less hours? Your hours are a lot after a major op which really takes it out of you.   Hope you are resting when you can. Take care 

Hi Gaylene,

I'll be 7 weeks on Tuesday and my GP won't let me go back full time. She's written a letter so I can do six hour days. It started off with three days a week but I'd just have to cram the work in so we agreed on shorter days. I'll be doing two weeks of reduced hours then back to the usual.

I am a little anxious as the same am up and down a lot.

can you reduce hours....or take a sick day midweek for a couple of weeks? It is hard when like me you've already had all the time off but it's not nice suffering either.

i hope you have a better week ahead. 💌🌈💌🌈

Thank you all for your wonderful advice and words of encouragement.

Work has been fantastic and offered me to go back half days but like Georgie I have used all my sick leave and the surgeon cleared me to go back full time and full duties.  Work have got me a stand thingy to go on my desk so I can work either sitting down or standing but I find when I'm standing I'm putting all my weight on my good hip so I've sent myself Outlook reminders to pop up on my computer every 10 mins "stand straight". LOL  As you all know it doesn't matter if you stand or sit, you're still putting weight on your hip.  The only thing that rests it is laying down.

I am off all my pain meds but have been taking Nurofen during the day as I remember but probably need to switch to Panadol and be more vigilant about taking it BEFORE I'm in pain.

I spoke to my boss today and she has said that I can do reduced hours until I feel like I can do more, so I'll do 8am-2.45 pm, pick up the kids from school then go home and rest while they do their homework.  It's just really hard as I know me not being there puts pressure on my colleagues and I feel bad for them, but me first right?  Luckily my awesome husband cooked a weeks worth of meals and froze them so I don't have to worry about dinner and he's back on Friday for a week.

I'm very blessed to have such a great employer and husband supporting me.  I see my physio on Tuesday so I will have a chat to her about things as well

Thank you again.

Gaylene xxx

PS.  Hope - 5 kids - I don't know how you did it! You are my hero!

I have a job in a microbiology NHS lab and I am also responsible for part of the IT. There is no way you should have been expected to go back full time at 6 weeks. I was not expected back until 12 weeks, at that stage I asked my GP to make the fit note to recommend a phased return to work. Then together with my boss and OccHealth a schedule was worked out over 4 weeks. I suggest that will all the iron will in the world you are not ready for work let alone full time and suggest you consult the OH at your company, HR as well as they should have policies to cover return to work after serious surgery etc. also your GP and union if needed. Could you not do some work from home re the new systems.

There is the risk that you will have serious pain and need more time off if they do not help you. As a valued member of staff you are entitled to care from your employers. Your GP will almost certainly sign you off if you asked him

Hello Gaylene

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to do all that. Can I add just one thing, the aftercare unit at my hospital stresses that the most important thing you can do is keep up your exercises which is the one thing which will strengthen your muscles to supprt the new hip and help get rid of the pain. I know with your schedule it will be difficult to fit more in but it really is worth it if you can.

Best of luck

Gill

 

Hi Gaylen,

so sorry to hear all of your worries and pain, I as a self employde muso can start again when I feel like it, but one question, the surgeon that cleared you for fulltime work and duties....has he had a thr?? I'm guessing not!! he learns from a text book, but the reality of it is far more enlightening and painful, I have always been of the mind that to fully inderstand something you have to experience it first hand,

so good luck,

love and best wishes to you, we are always here for you, if you need a friend who's been throught this trauma.

Love 

Lynne xxx

thanks for the insight, I work in a casino, and I am a tables Inspector, and have to interact with the players on the otherside of the barriers from time to time as and when, if it needs doing do it, sort of role. The bosses are very good, and will allow me to sit and deal the the card games, so I think that a phased return to normal duties will work better for me that way, as watching the cards, requires me to be constanly patroling quite a large area, up and down, round and round and round, so I will be asking for a phased return to normal duties, I am seeing the Surgeon on 14 sept, and hope to take another week off after that, wife wants me back at work as soon as possible though as I am half pay soon...Hmmmm

Hope all goes better for you as you learn to prioritise things at work and at home, and keep up the pain meds, thats another reminder for me to still keep my script going, for work, as could need them late at night.

Kind regards Ian.

You certainly had a lot to handle. I understand that telling you to slwo down is not going to happen but I believe as you get more used to being back in the work force , get used to the new computer setup things will become easier. Maybe a pin pill will help you out at this time.

Is your pain groin pain?

can you lay flat on your back in bed and keeping your knee straight lift up your heel from the mattress (straight leg lift), can you do that with no groin pain? If you cannot you almost certainly have tendinitis of the psoas muscle. 

If you have tendinitis of the psoas muscle it will hurt after you stand up after having been sitting in a chair.

can you be more specific about where the pain is?

Hi Gaylene,First of all you need to slow down.My hip was done in march and even now I am still with niggling pain as I have over done things.I am a full time carer for my disabled Hubby, who also has mobility problems. I go for jacuzzis every other week.And also have reflexology. We are all different with our healing!Please rest when ever you can.regards Amanda