6 weeks tomorrow...

tom_in_VT
tom_in_VT Member Posts: 25
in Kidney Cancer #1
went back to work today, made three hrs and had to leave. Ribs pushing into my incision area hurt like hell. Has anyone used any braces which might isolate my ribs a bit? Maybe one of those back braces the folks at Home Depot wear??? I've had a relatively problem free recovery so far, down to Advil & Tylenol for meds. I don't want to push it & my manager told me that as well. I'm getting a little cabin happy. Thank god we've had a light snow year - not what the ski areas want but I'll take it this year! Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Not everybody is ready to work at 6 weeks
    Tom,

    Everybodys recovery is different. While many of us were back to work at 6 weeks your health age and difficulty of the surgery can slow that down. Do what you can, when you can. This is not a Marathon. A few months from now this will be but a bump in the road on the way to a full recovery.

    Best wishes,

    Icemantoo
  • tom_in_VT
    tom_in_VT Member Posts: 25
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    Not everybody is ready to work at 6 weeks
    Tom,

    Everybodys recovery is different. While many of us were back to work at 6 weeks your health age and difficulty of the surgery can slow that down. Do what you can, when you can. This is not a Marathon. A few months from now this will be but a bump in the road on the way to a full recovery.

    Best wishes,

    Icemantoo

    Thanks Iceman
    I have felt relatively well for the past 7-10 days, I even slept in bed all night last evening. My pain seems to be coming from just above my incision site (open partial nephrectomy) where I believe my 11th rib once was. supporting myself w/ my elbows on an arm chair takes up the pressure, that dog-done office chair about killed me today. My son made a funny b/4 dinner tonight and the laugh doubled me up, that hasn't happened for a few weeks up til now. I understand it's a slow paced recovery, thanks for reminding me not to sprint!
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #4
    tom_in_VT said:

    Thanks Iceman
    I have felt relatively well for the past 7-10 days, I even slept in bed all night last evening. My pain seems to be coming from just above my incision site (open partial nephrectomy) where I believe my 11th rib once was. supporting myself w/ my elbows on an arm chair takes up the pressure, that dog-done office chair about killed me today. My son made a funny b/4 dinner tonight and the laugh doubled me up, that hasn't happened for a few weeks up til now. I understand it's a slow paced recovery, thanks for reminding me not to sprint!

    Hi Tom,Slow and steady will
    Hi Tom,

    Slow and steady will produce the best results and you'll probably have to experiment a bit until you find more comfortable positions. I found that a small pillow in the lower back (lumbar) helped relieve some of the pressure I felt, but what you describe sounds a bit different than what I experienced. Trying different chairs would be another option, but mostly it just takes time.

    Good luck,

    Gary
  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #5
    garym said:

    Hi Tom,Slow and steady will
    Hi Tom,

    Slow and steady will produce the best results and you'll probably have to experiment a bit until you find more comfortable positions. I found that a small pillow in the lower back (lumbar) helped relieve some of the pressure I felt, but what you describe sounds a bit different than what I experienced. Trying different chairs would be another option, but mostly it just takes time.

    Good luck,

    Gary

    incisional pain
    Tom, I know what you are talking about. It's funny that I have forgotten things until someone brings up the topic. My incision was very tender. I couldn't stand my shirt rubbing on it.I wrapped a 6 inch ace wrap around my belly to protect it for awhile. But I was able to sleep on it in a relatively short time.

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