Sleeping after surgery

Tiffany, others may have a different view but I have no doubt of mine. 

I'm afraid it may not be music to your ears but to me it's clear that you're not in a fit state to start work next week and it's that simple.  Maybe you'll recover so fast, young as you are, that it will all be different  a week on but I think that's unlikely. 

If you try to start too soon it will be bad for everyone.  You won't be productive, you'll feel rotten, people around you will be anxious about your capabilities and worried for you.  Probably most important of all, you will inevitably delay your recovery - set yourself back so much that you would have got much further by taking it carefully now and building on a sound basis.

What you are going through is all going to get steadily better - so long as you give it a chance.  Plenty of water and regular walking or other exercise will help speed the healing up and trying to do too much too soon will be a sure fire way of slowing it down, as you're already discovering.  Give yourself a chance and the bulge will subside (over months, rather than days) and your sleep will improve, carrying everything else along with it, if you don't set yourself back.

Brain fog, fatigue and a lot of pain are the clearest possible indication that you're pushing a bit too hard.  You won't be much use at 'work' in that condition.   Stop whatever you're doing that's causing the pain well in advance of the likely onset and please consult the necessary docs (whoever they are in your case) to keep the pain well under control - it's possible (I speak from very hard-won knowledge on this subject!) to  do so but only if you know what you're doing.

Keep us posted on how you're getting along and we'll try to give further ideas as you come to need them.

T1ffanyz said:

I agree

Im under contract so I'm not worried about losing my job due to illness plus I belong to the union.  I am however worried about not being the best me for my students.  I think I might go in and see my boss today.  I think I might need a few more weeks.  I can't see myself functioning properly at this point. Thank you for the advice

I too teach under contract.  My supervisors were most understanding.  While under light duty I made brief appearances to establish my presence with my students and for them to get a glimmer of who I am and what they could expect.   It helped when I finally got back into the classroom under full load.

Are you in the public schools or post secondary?

Public school hours and agendas can be grueling. Its a little easier for those of us teaching in college or university.  Thjere is usually a little more down time between classes to recuperate.

Good luck!

I am alive said:

Snooze or you lose

Tiffany,

   Glad to hear you are going to cut yourself some slack and head back  to work a couple of weeks later. A couple of weeks can make all the difference in the world.

In reading about how poorly you've been sleeping I remembered that for a time post surgery I could only sleep comfortably on the living room sofa. Have you tried sleeping there? I don't know why it worked but sinking into the sofa cushions was definitey more comforting to my poor body than the bed. 

And finally, I learned that using pain meds properly was a good thing. With zero experience in surgery I began the post-op process proudly eschewing the pain pills as prescribed, as if I'd get an award for only taking 4 pills a days instead of the 6 recommended.  So what I got was a lot of break through pain, which only made it take longer for the next pain pill to take effect. Are you taking your meds as prescribed so that you prevent break though pain? I had never even heard of "break through"  pain before but now I have hard-won respect for the concept.

How lucky you are to be returning to the classroom. Those kids will keep you fully engaged in moving forward!

My daughter, a RPT for mostly geriatric patients, said do NOT let the pain get ahead of you, because you will never catch it if it does, and you will feel like crap trying to fight whatever you are in pain from AND the pain....so take those meds AS prescribed and let your body rest.  I think a partial is more debilitating that a radical, because there is more left in there that has to heal.  We're all here for you.

Tiff,

There is a big difference between  3 weeks after surgery and 6 weeks after surgery. You will feel much better in 3 weeks. Unless you have compictions you should fell wee enough to go back to work at 6 weeks. The only problem the first few weeksback to work is that you may be a little fatiged before the 8 hours are up each day. You deserve a little vacation. Going thru our little initiation is not the Summer Vacation a teacher needs.

Icemantoo

T1ffanyz said:

I'm my admin will be understanding, bomut I teach middle school and I'm concerned with not connecting with the kids if I take time off. i had an ilcoworker in my position and she never really was able to connect after being out so long.   time will tell I'm going to listen to my body. 

I nailed my colours firmly to the mast at the top of this thread and it seems I was not alone in my reaction - we all think you should give yourself a bit more time.  

I thought Michael's comment was valuable - he dealt with the problem you foresee by making a limited contact and it worked out 

"I made brief appearances to establish my presence with my students and for them to get a glimmer of who I am and what they could expect."  

Maybe you could find a way to do something similar?  Anyway, I'm very glad you're going to cut yourself more slack, and good luck!

T1ffanyz said:

I understand great advice the only problem is I have no meds and the dr says take Advil oTylenol that's it and neither work for me. So I suffer

All my docs told me I couldn't take anything but tylenol any longer.  Maybe one of the wiser heads can weigh in on this! I was told Advil was too hard on the remaining kidney.

I use athritis strength Tylenol    It's not great,but it does offer a little relief.