kathytitus57@msn.com

I've been reading posts about when people are returning to work and wondering if I'm being a big baby about returning. I was banded 3/8 - 2 weeks ago. I'm scheduled to go back to work 4/1. I am feeling GREAT. I am doing light to medium housework, driving, stairs etc. I am worried about returning to work because I work long shifts (12:30pm to 11:45pm) four nights a week. I am a supervisor for about thirty people in a very fast paced presort mail enviroment. I have to go back at 100%. As a supervisor I have be able to perform any and all job duties of my team. This involves lifting full mail trays (25-45 pds), stacking pallets of mail (6 trays wide x 10 high) so I lift these trays over my head constantly to stack/unstack a pallet, load pallets on USPS semis with a manual or electric power jack, pull pallets of mail from different areas in dept - to machines, loading dock, etc. "Throw" mail out of mail tray on to machine conveyor to sort. This is just a list of the more physical aspects of my job. All shift long I do the above many, many times a night whether I'm training a person, taking someones place while they take a break, etc. My husband found a job posting for one of the positions in my team some of it reads "moving full mail trays weighting 50-60 pounds to conveyor....must be able to stand for entire shift". As a supervisor I'm not stuck in one place all night but my job is to get the mail out the door ASAP. I do sit down maybe 30 to 90 minutes a night to do paperwork. I guess my main worry is that something might happen to th band or internally - I don't know. But my surgeon told me last week I could go back to work then. Luckly my company has good insurance coverage and so I have plenty of Short Term Disability time. When I return to work 4/1 I will be post surgery 3 weeks and 2 days. So tell me straight - am I just being a big baby about this? As long as I know I can go and do my job physically and not worry I will feel better - and actually this IS what my surgeon told me. Thank you!!

Thanks for all the feedback - I really do appreciate it!

I would think two weeks minimum also. When I go back a week from this Friday it will be 3 weeks and 2 days post op Two weeks just seems too early if you are on your feet most of the shift and lifting, bending, etc, I feel really good right now and I probably could go back this week but I would be scared because of all the physical work I do. I would question my surgeon if I were you. I had thought about writing down my job duties and the weight of the stuff I lifted etc. and then taking it as a statement to my surgeon's office and asking them to actually sign off that I was 100% ready to perform all these activities. Just a thought.

Thanks so much for the quick replies. I do feel better knowing others have had good results. Actually the physical part of my job I'm looking forward to because I know it will help with weight loss and geting/staying toned. I think it was just the fear of the unknown and scared I would hurt myself. I work with mostly 30 something males. I do not want to show any weakness around them because some of them are so ready to pounce . Thanks again and I hope you are both doing great!

Hi - I don't really have an answer to your question, but I was just wondering how you were doing at this point? I'm 2 weeks post op and I work in a very fast paced, physical mail processing (presort) enviroment. I'm going back to work in about a week and a little worried. I've read that many people go back to work immediately, but mostly have desk jobs - not heavy lifting, bending, stretching etc. I hope you are doing better at this time. Can you let me know/post if your job duties did cause any problems. Thanks!

I agree - I'm NOT putting myself in the "old fart" catagory - not yet. I'm 53 but I feel just the same as I did in my 30's and 40's and when I loose this excess weight I have every intention of feeling BETTER!

Me too! I don't have a date yet but it will be in the first two weeks of Jan. I AM so excited! A great way to start the New Year and this year I can make a New Year's resolution KNOWING I can keep it.

I also have BCBS Empire Insurance. My info was submitted December 10th. I was told a 3-4 weeks wait period but a week ago the doctor's office called and said they had verbal aproval from my "case manager". I called the insurance company and spoke with the case manager and was told my written approval would arrive soon - I received it Wen. I would call the insurance company if I were you though. I called after the doctor's office first told me the info had been submitted to the insurance company and the insurance company said that had not recieved anything. So I called back to the doctor's and was told "oh we still need the cardiologist report. I called and had that faxed to them and then they submitted my info to the insurance company. This is my first post and I am so excited over my "Christmas Gift". Good luck I hope your affirmative answer comes soon.