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labguides
Our daughter was back at work part time at 6 weeks. She was cleared to work fulltime, but cardiac rehab schedule was such that she worked part time for at 6 weeks and full time at 8 weeks.
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Dave S
minimally evasive
minimally evasive
I had minimally evasive right upper chest....I went back to work 5 weeks, I had a desk job, and did a lot of running around. felt pretty good,but it takes a long time to really get back in to it. Minimally evasive has its goods and bads..I found that I over did it a lot because I felt good, and the wound healed rather quickly.
it been 10 mths now and I still think I am not quite there yet. but getting better and better every day..
I think the key here is not go back to soon if you can help it, and take it easy because it does take a long time to fully recover.
minimally evasive
I had minimally evasive right upper chest....I went back to work 5 weeks, I had a desk job, and did a lot of running around. felt pretty good,but it takes a long time to really get back in to it. Minimally evasive has its goods and bads..I found that I over did it a lot because I felt good, and the wound healed rather quickly.
it been 10 mths now and I still think I am not quite there yet. but getting better and better every day..
I think the key here is not go back to soon if you can help it, and take it easy because it does take a long time to fully recover.
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MitralMan
"minimally invasive" mitral valve repair is still being hit by a truck
"minimally invasive" mitral valve repair is still being hit by a truck
Went back after 8 weeks because that's when I said I'd be back. Could have gone two weeks either side, I think. I was driving after two!
But as others have pointed out, there are desk jobs and there are desk jobs. Most of my time is spent moving between meetings and travel...It was the travel that I really didn't want to take on so quickly.
"minimally invasive" mitral valve repair is still being hit by a truck
Philip said:
Went back after 8 weeks because that's when I said I'd be back. Could have gone two weeks either side, I think. I was driving after two!
But as others have pointed out, there are desk jobs and there are desk jobs. Most of my time is spent moving between meetings and travel...It was the travel that I really didn't want to take on so quickly.
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heavyshot
I am 51 years old and a letter carrier with the U. S. Postal Service. I went back after 6 months but couldn't do it. Delivering mail in single didgit weather carrying 35 lbs on my back for 8 hrs a day was just too much. Applied for disability retirement and am still waiting for an answer. You guys with desk jobs count your blessings.
kerri73
Well-known member
I had MVR and was out 3 weeks (including the 5 days in the hospital), then went back half days for 2 weeks, full time after that. (I couldn't stand to be in my apartment any longer than that!) But I was 24 then, too.
Kerri
Kerri
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Der Biermeister
heavyshot said:
I fully understand and I DO!
Well, I started this thread way back when I was anxious about having my surgery and entering the "vast unknown". As it turns out, I went back to my consulting job at 3 1/2 weeks from date of surgery. As I already work what I would call a relaxed schedule, I didn't try to cut that further back - I just picked up where I left off. I've been back almost a month now and have had absolutely no problems mentally or physically.
Philip
Well-known member
I returned to work today, 6/1/06 exactly 5 weeks post-op.
The 1st few hours have been EZ.
Philip
The 1st few hours have been EZ.
Philip
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Teresa UK
Georgia said:
I'm just over 3 weeks from surgery and I have no problem with stamina as such (not that I've been able to put my bod to the test very much), but I do get significant discomfort/pain in my ribs/sternum/incision when I walk as each step jolts them, and my neck/shoulder/arm muscles ache like crazy after I've been walking for ten minutes or so. I've decided to go back to taking mild painkillers so that I don't stop walking - my weight is slowly creeping up from lack of activity!
back to work
back to work
I went back to work after 6 weeks off. I was hesitant to step into the office until my sternum was healed (I was told 6 weeks for this). I had an office job but just in case, the last thing I wanted was to have a problem w/ the sternum at a stupid job.
Also was tired after returning, didn't have the luxury of doing 1/2 days but would have liked to. Was also glad to get back to work, had become bored.
Patty
back to work
I went back to work after 6 weeks off. I was hesitant to step into the office until my sternum was healed (I was told 6 weeks for this). I had an office job but just in case, the last thing I wanted was to have a problem w/ the sternum at a stupid job.
Also was tired after returning, didn't have the luxury of doing 1/2 days but would have liked to. Was also glad to get back to work, had become bored.
Patty
V
volsfan
I'm a drafter and I was out 4 weeks with my ross.
WayneGM
Well-known member
Gee, after reading these posts I beginning to feel like a wimp, and now I know why the benefits case worker kept calling me to see when I was ready to come back to work. 
I went back to work at week 12, and then only every other day. Mind you at week 3 they put me under for surgery again to drain the fluid causing the pericardial tamponade and I was hospitalized another week. But still, 12 weeks sounds pretty long compared to others especially since I'm still having trouble putting in a full week now at week 14. This was the first week I was attempting a full week and after Monday and Tuesday I was so stiff and sore I couldn't go in Wednesday. On Tuesday I was in bed at 8:30pm I felt so bad. When my alarm went off Wednesday morning I could barely lift myself out of bed I was so stiff so I ended up staying home. I went in today, but still didn't feel all that great. I'm working from home tomorrow (no meetings so I can catch up on paper work).
I went back to work at week 12, and then only every other day. Mind you at week 3 they put me under for surgery again to drain the fluid causing the pericardial tamponade and I was hospitalized another week. But still, 12 weeks sounds pretty long compared to others especially since I'm still having trouble putting in a full week now at week 14. This was the first week I was attempting a full week and after Monday and Tuesday I was so stiff and sore I couldn't go in Wednesday. On Tuesday I was in bed at 8:30pm I felt so bad. When my alarm went off Wednesday morning I could barely lift myself out of bed I was so stiff so I ended up staying home. I went in today, but still didn't feel all that great. I'm working from home tomorrow (no meetings so I can catch up on paper work).
