scaredinCA
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Both are beautiful, but that ragdoll is very eye catching....
TKR JasmineTheCat leaps forward
- Thread starter Jasminethecat
- Start date
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tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat Good afternoon, how is your day going?
OP
OP
Jasminethecat
junior member
@tiredwife
I'm doing pretty well overall. It's almost 3 weeks post surgery and I'm getting impatient to just be done with all this and return to normal living. Yes, I know that is unrealistic but it is how I feel.
I'm starting to do a bit of work from home each day to help out my co-worker; she has her hands full while I'm away.
It will be a busy day today. The visiting nurse will be here this morning (to check my Coumadin level) and my PT comes this afternoon. The PT is teaching me how to use a cane and I'm really looking forward to making that transition. The walker is just so clunky.
I'm also gearing up to celebrate my husband's birthday this Thursday. He's been so good about taking care of me, I want to make him a nice birthday dinner. I've picked out a simple menu I can make slowly over a couple of days. He doesn't know it, but my sister and her family will arrive for dessert, bringing the birthday cake and the present I ordered online and had sent to their hours. I hope it all goes off well.
Yesterday I took a nap on the couch and awoke to find that both cats decided to share my quilt. That was pretty nice.
I'm doing pretty well overall. It's almost 3 weeks post surgery and I'm getting impatient to just be done with all this and return to normal living. Yes, I know that is unrealistic but it is how I feel.
I'm starting to do a bit of work from home each day to help out my co-worker; she has her hands full while I'm away.
It will be a busy day today. The visiting nurse will be here this morning (to check my Coumadin level) and my PT comes this afternoon. The PT is teaching me how to use a cane and I'm really looking forward to making that transition. The walker is just so clunky.
I'm also gearing up to celebrate my husband's birthday this Thursday. He's been so good about taking care of me, I want to make him a nice birthday dinner. I've picked out a simple menu I can make slowly over a couple of days. He doesn't know it, but my sister and her family will arrive for dessert, bringing the birthday cake and the present I ordered online and had sent to their hours. I hope it all goes off well.
Yesterday I took a nap on the couch and awoke to find that both cats decided to share my quilt. That was pretty nice.
tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat Yes you are still early in recovery, patience is one of the hardest things to learn with this recovery.
Just make sure you try not to limp while walking with the cane.
Wish your husband happy birthday from us! Hope you don't overdo it! Enjoy your party!
If we nap in front of the tv we always wake up with cats beside or on us! Right now one is cuddled up against my thigh.
Just make sure you try not to limp while walking with the cane.
Wish your husband happy birthday from us! Hope you don't overdo it! Enjoy your party!
If we nap in front of the tv we always wake up with cats beside or on us! Right now one is cuddled up against my thigh.
OP
OP
Jasminethecat
junior member
I just got a letter from my short-term disability provider saying that according to their data, 50% of TKR patients are able to return to work after 4 weeks and unless my surgeon tells them why I am still disabled, they will end my STD payments next week!
While I feel I'm doing very well, I do not feel ready to return to my job. My job is sedentary, but requires a lot of mental acuity...which I don't have at this time. I assume my surgeon will point out why I am not able to resume work now, but the letter amazed me. Has anyone here heard that statistic before? It sounds totally untrue.
While I feel I'm doing very well, I do not feel ready to return to my job. My job is sedentary, but requires a lot of mental acuity...which I don't have at this time. I assume my surgeon will point out why I am not able to resume work now, but the letter amazed me. Has anyone here heard that statistic before? It sounds totally untrue.
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Sounds fishy to me. If you are still on pain meds, and not walking well, your surgeon should back you.
OP
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Jasminethecat
junior member
I am still on a bit of pain medication - I'm taking 2 mg dilaudid two times a day and tylanol as needed. I am walking with a cane indoors but have not yet been cleared to do it outdoors...should be soon, though. I'm not yet cleared to drive and since there is no public transportation in our rural area I'd have to get my husband or a neighbor to drive me the 12 miles to work. But for me, not having my mind feel ready for the complexity of the work I do is of equal importance.
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I did a google search, some articles say you can return to sedentary work in 2 to 4 weeks???
A few articles say 6 to 8 weeks for sedentary work???
None of these articles sited any studies, supporting these time frames.
I would say you need to be cleared by you physician first, if you are on narcotics you need more time off.
Return to work is an individual decison based on how you are doing, talk to your OS.
Good luck,
A few articles say 6 to 8 weeks for sedentary work???
None of these articles sited any studies, supporting these time frames.
I would say you need to be cleared by you physician first, if you are on narcotics you need more time off.
Return to work is an individual decison based on how you are doing, talk to your OS.
Good luck,
That's just an insurance company trying to bully you so they can save a few bucks. Be polite but firm and make sure your surgeon prepares a letter so you can get a proper recovery. Since they don't tell you where they got their numbers, my guess is they just polled their janitorial staff or something equally stupid.
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Here is an article in the library that will interest you. You need return to work when you are ready not sooner.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/phased-return-to-work.5696/
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/phased-return-to-work.5696/
tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat Greedy insurance company! Hope you get it all worked out!
karmarcoux
junior member
Hi I am sure the surgeon will not allow you back to work. My surgeon at Dartmouth told my disability 12 weeks was the earliest he would let me back to work and I don't think he will at that point either
karmarcoux
junior member
Since my job requires standing I think he is looking at 5-6 months so I really don't know what he will say I would definitely call them.
tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat How are you doing?
OP
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Jasminethecat
junior member
I told my surgeon I wanted to start back to work on a very part time basis in the middle of October. That is when my workload picks up and it is important to me to be involved at that time. My doc said he'd back whatever I wanted to do so hopefully the greedy insurance company will be agree to continue my STD payments for a few more weeks.
Aside from that, I'm feeling pretty good - just impatient for the whole knee thing to improve. I am walking with a cane (though don't need it sometimes). I am still taking a few pain pills. Aside from that, not much is worth reporting.
Aside from that, I'm feeling pretty good - just impatient for the whole knee thing to improve. I am walking with a cane (though don't need it sometimes). I am still taking a few pain pills. Aside from that, not much is worth reporting.
tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat Hope you will only work part time in October. Don't want you to have a set back.
OP
OP
Jasminethecat
junior member
@tiredwife
I normally work 22 hours/week and my plan is to start off doing just half of that so I think I'll be fine. Also, some of it can be done from home. I am extremely bored right now and tired of being "disabled".
I normally work 22 hours/week and my plan is to start off doing just half of that so I think I'll be fine. Also, some of it can be done from home. I am extremely bored right now and tired of being "disabled".
tiredwife
alpha
@Jasminethecat Yes, boredom is a big issue with this recovery, that is part of the reason so many overdo it. I think 10 hours a week will be doable if you feel up to it. You know how you feel better than anyone else.
OP
OP
Jasminethecat
junior member
Hi all,
I've now been back to work for the past 2 weeks. I'm doing a on a very part time basis. The first week was at 7 weeks post surgery & I worked just 4 hours a day for 3 days. I'll tell you, that first day was tiring. I was so glad my husband drove me both ways so I could just close my eyes and rest during the drive home. The next 2 days were a bit easier to do. I then had a nice rest until the following Monday.
I worked 5 hours on Monday, which felt okay. I had a big Health Fair to run on Tuesday and worked for 7 hours -- then I had physical therapy! What an exhausting combination! I felt really stiff that night and the next morning. I slept late on Wednesday and didn't go to work until 11 am.
Having survived all that I can certainly say I am no longer bored! It was great to see all my coworkers again and get back into the middle of things. I think after one more week of partial days, I'll be ready to work my normal schedule. And that will be just in time -- as an HR benefits manager, I'm about to be extremely busy. I have to set up the company's open enrollment process, perform nondiscrimination reporting for health and 401k plans and tackle the new reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act.
On the fun side, this Friday, I'm going to be in Dylan Thomas' play for voices, "Under Milk Wood". Since it is a reading, I can do it mostly sitting down! I love emerging from the funk of surgery and getting back into the swing of things! I hope you all are doing well and feeling that each passing week brings you to a better place.
Best,
Evelyn
I've now been back to work for the past 2 weeks. I'm doing a on a very part time basis. The first week was at 7 weeks post surgery & I worked just 4 hours a day for 3 days. I'll tell you, that first day was tiring. I was so glad my husband drove me both ways so I could just close my eyes and rest during the drive home. The next 2 days were a bit easier to do. I then had a nice rest until the following Monday.
I worked 5 hours on Monday, which felt okay. I had a big Health Fair to run on Tuesday and worked for 7 hours -- then I had physical therapy! What an exhausting combination! I felt really stiff that night and the next morning. I slept late on Wednesday and didn't go to work until 11 am.
Having survived all that I can certainly say I am no longer bored! It was great to see all my coworkers again and get back into the middle of things. I think after one more week of partial days, I'll be ready to work my normal schedule. And that will be just in time -- as an HR benefits manager, I'm about to be extremely busy. I have to set up the company's open enrollment process, perform nondiscrimination reporting for health and 401k plans and tackle the new reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act.
On the fun side, this Friday, I'm going to be in Dylan Thomas' play for voices, "Under Milk Wood". Since it is a reading, I can do it mostly sitting down! I love emerging from the funk of surgery and getting back into the swing of things! I hope you all are doing well and feeling that each passing week brings you to a better place.
Best,
Evelyn
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