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Back to Work!

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AlaskanTKR

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Ok -wish me luck. My new knee just turned 4 weeks old and I am off to school tomorrow - full time! I hope I don't fall asleep halfway through the am. My hubby is doing the driving tomorrow but I will have to do it from Wednesday on ( he goes back up to work for 2 weeks). PT today did not goes as well as I had hoped - at least the beginning. It did get better. I spent the past weekend "hanging" my knee off the side of the bed with weight on it for 10 minute intervals also using the CPM and ice and heat. So... I real excited to see how much I gained with all this. I took it easier on Sunday and only did the hang thing a few times as to not get too swollen knowing I had PT Monday. SO we get to stretching and bending - 70 - I only hit 70 - it stunk - I was soooo stinkin disappointed I thought I was gonna cry. He must be able to feel something because he kept saying how stiff it felt to him. Anyway - we did more hanging with weight and hanging on the total gym and then back to bending. It did help and we got to 80. More bending and he picked up a few more degrees but I thought he was going to snap the knee off. We ended with 85 which I am thrilled with but so worried because it took sooooo much bending to get there. I know - be happy with th enubers - and I am. I just wish we could have started with 80 not 70. Ughhh

I managed to get in the truck this weekend and drove around the block. I am braking lefty most of the time - so I should be able to get back and forth to work - good thing it is close (7 minutes or so). Shhhhhhh don't tell the PT -he said I shouldn't drive until we hit a solid 90.


I can't even imagine what tomorrow will be like. I haven't been dressed and out the door before 8 AM since 7/14. And what about my morning naps??? Do you think the principal will notice if I fall asleep at my desk??? Good news is I have inservice and can get home for lunch and ice halfway through the day for the next 2 days and then for Thurs and Fri I am in my won building and will have my ice available. Jut worried about the swelling.

Well - I am off to get my wardrobe together for tomorrow - hahahah
Let's see - which pair of shorts and which sweatshirt shall I wear??? hmmmmm What a dilemma???? I am posting another thread to ask about jeans.

Enjoy the night!
(Oh - by the way - We have had the worst weather this summer - lots of rain and clouds. You can count the number of sunny days on one hand - but.... As we get ready to go back to school - the sun has returned - we hit 70 and had crystal blue skies today! Ughhhhhhhh)

Marianne
 
Marianne,
I willl sure be thinking of yu tomorrow. I hope you can send us a report(if you can stay awake when you get home)
I can't imagine having done that at 4 weeks post.

Good Luck
Judy
 
I will be thinking about you Marianne--I can't imagine going back to the classroom in two weeks feeling like I do now. Fortunately, I don't have to goas I retired in June of '07. I still miss the students, but not the rest of it!.
 
Marianne... good luck at school. With your determination, I know you'll do well. Just don't be superwoman. Kids love to help... relegate and stay off your feet some of the time. Let us know how that 1st day was. Sandy
 
Pull out the draw of the desk and prop that baby up. Best for tomorrow. Jen
 
ALL our good wishes to you, Marianne. Take it easy and just hit those sheets as soon as you get home!
 
Hi Marianne, I'll be going back to school on the 21st. I'll be at five weeks post-op. I still have not driven, but will attempt this week. I'm only going to be working 1/2 time for the first two days, and then I'll see how I do the next week. As long as I can get in half days I can get the office work delegated, and bring somethings home. There is so much to do before the teachers and the students come back.

I had my last in-house PT today. I'm at just about 105, but she is really stressing the importance of pushing to get that last 15. I am still quite swollen and cannot get full flexion.

I'm still having trouble sleeping through the night. I wake-up off an on all thorugh the night. I still need an afternoon nap. I'm frustrated because with PT, ice, and sleeping I have not accomplished any of the projects I thought I would be able to do.

Good luck back in the classroom. Keep us posted.
Susan
 
Marianne,
We're thinking of you and wondering how your first day at work went....
Let us know when you can get to it! Wishing you a successful transition back to work.
 
I am a moron - I am a moron - I am a moron -
Ok - Now I feel better. I was crazy to think I could pull this off. I made it through th eday but I am so exhausted it isn't funny. I want to curl up in the fetal position and sleep for days - and I can't. I need to get the knee stretched and bent b4 going to bed. I am so stiff and swollen it isn't funny. My PT is going to kill me tomorrow afternoon. The day was ok overall - It was an inservice day so it was all adults discussing different topics. That was the easy part. Finding comfortable places to sit and just trying to elevate once in a while was a challenge. Tomorrow it is much the same. I am looking forward to Thursday - but more so Saturday.
The knee hurts - but the pain meds take care of that. I am in the Cpm and found that I needed to start way back at 70 just to get it to bend. This could be trouble. I have PT right after school - Torture time.
Thanks for all your kind wishes and support - I don't think I would get through this without them. My husband already gave me the lecture about having the OS write me out for 2 more weeks - at least. I can't dp it to my kids - who start Monday. I think I will be OK once I get back in the groove.
Well - I am off to sleep - I can barely keep my eyes open.
THANK YOU!
Marianne
 
I'm sorry to say I'm on your husband's side. Two extra weeks of PT, icing and rest, could make all the difference to your recovery. I know how much you want to get back to the kids but they'll understand and be okay without you for 2 weeks. Please think again about getting the OS letter.
Sandy
 
I'm sorry your first day was so rough; I was afraid it might be. Take it from the voice of experience. Consult with your OS and take his advice. If he thinks you need the time, take the time. The kids will survive, and will be better off to have you back in better shape. I was in a bad automobile about three weeks before school started back in 2001. The doctor didn't want me to start back in August, but tough girl was sure she could do it. I did it, but at a high cost to myself. I didn't even realize the damage that had been done to my right knee--the fractured sternum hurt too much. I might have been able to teach a couple more years at the end if I had taken better care of myself then. I can just tell you are a good teacher, and you can make it up to them later.
 
Hey Alaska,
Now I realize you all are tough up there BUT, you can't beat your body up. Listen to it. You know better than me that kids bounce back...Your're knee recovery needs to be a priority now!
Consider yourself "long distance spanked"!!!

(O.K....teacher...I can't remember. Does the punctuation go inside or outside the quotation marks?
 
Marianne,

I was afraid this would happen.

IT IS TOO SOON FOR YOU TO GO BACK TO WORK!

They will survive without you for a few more weeks. You, on the other hand, could set your recovery back significantly if you try to power your way through this. Your body is telling you what to do. LISTEN TO IT!

I am a teacher too. I know how you feel. Really, I do. I had to take 8 weeks off last winter for my knee replacement and back surgery in the first year of establishing a program I was brought to this district to do. It just killed me to take the time off but I had to do it. I just could not keep working. Neither can you!

IT WILL BE WORSE WHEN THE STUDENTS COME BACK! (especially if you keep going now. You will wear yourself down too much and set yourself back)

Here is what worked for me:

Find a sub you are comfortable with and work out a plan for them to get the year started. Don't expect everything to be the way it would be if you were there, but find someone who will deal kindly with them and be a "place holder" for you until you get back.

Go in and visit your class and your students for short periods of time. It will let them know you are coming back soon and keep you in touch with what is going on with them. Make it a short visit and when you are tired--- go home and elevate, ice, and take a nap. You can gradually lengthen your time in the classroom-- then do a 1/2 day when you think you are ready.
Then ease yourself back in.

I know this burns sick leave, but you said you had plenty. It is a compromise that worked for me. It allows you to take care of yourself and still be a part of their day and transition back in when you are ready.

PLEASE GIVE THIS COME THOUGHT! BEEN THERE--- DONE THAT!

Carolyn
 
Marianne,

I did think you were a little nuts for going back so soon. (but, we all are a little nuts)
your body told you too. My doc told me my body would be the best judge and will tell me when I have done too much and need to slow down.
I took off walking long distances at 4 weeks and seriously have been paying for it. I am at 10 weeks and feel I would have been in much better shape nw if I had kept it simple at 4 weeks. I still have swelling in my quad and hip muscles.

Your husband is right, although I think it should be a month minimum. Call your OS and discuss it.

Last summer I was 4 weeks out of cervical fusion when school started. My OS asked me if I was ready, told me I would not be allowed to pick up the many textbooks I deliver to vision impaired kids. It was just me and a brand new vision teacher. I thought I really needed to be there. He convinced me that another month was very important to healling correctly.
You had major surgery!! YOu need more time. I did take the month of Sept off and really enjoyed it too. I have it down as one of the best months of my life. vERy relaxing.

Judy
 
I echo all that has been said. Didn't want to rain on your parade, Marianne, but I had grave misgivings when I posted yesterday. I should have said something. It's not usually my habit to stay shtum.

Please do as your husband suggests - and maybe as Judy suggest as well. No-one is indispensable, no-one - and you should look after yourself first.
 
Marrianne, I don't know how you could even find a comfortable place to sit, yet alone stand. I couldn't sit long on a hard chair for at least 8 weeks. I feel so bad for you. Hope you take more time off!!

Take care of yourself first!! ((((((((HUGS))))))))) Sue
 
Marianne,

Everyone is SO right! I am 9 weeks out now, and there is no way that I could have gone back to work so soon! I know that you want to be with the kids, but you will not be worth much if you are hurting. I have 3 young sons, and I feel really guilty about their summer, but there is nothing that I could do. When I did try to do normal things, I really paid for it, and therefore, they paid for it!

Take care of yourself, and listen to those that care about you! People are only telling you to sit back because they care!!!!

Hess
 
Marianne,

Two words: sick leave :)


I can't imagine trying to go back to a teaching job at 5-6 weeks out. There's no sin in needing more time to recover!

It was 12 weeks before I went back to my job and even now (15 weeks out) I can't manage it all....my boss saw me limping today (my other knee needs to be done soon). Still in PT twice a week (PT and OS both say I was their worst knee EVER--but I'm up to almost 120 forced...we'll get there....)

So--be patient with yourself and take the time you need PLEASE!
 
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