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theatremom
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« on: October 07, 2011, 12:41:10 PM » |
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So, on Tuesday I picked up what I initially thought was a wicked stomach virus. Went to the ER at about 7 PM, and learned at about 1 AM the next morning that my "stomach virus" was appendicitis. I had surgery about an hour later. Fortunately, the doctor was able to use laprascopic surgery to remove my appendix and I went home about 12 hours after surgery, still very sore but feeling much better, all things considered. Today is the second day I've been home.
Here's my question, though. While I absolutely do not feel as ill as I felt with appendicitis, I am still feeling very sore and totally wiped out. My department helped me make arrangements for all of my classes this week, but we have a faculty get-together scheduled for tonight. It's our homecoming weekend cook-out, designed to help our new majors meet faculty and settle in, and while no one has ever said "all faculty are to attend," it's pretty clear that attendance is mandated, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it. Frankly, I was hoping that since the procedure was laprascopic, I'd be feeling much more like myself by this point.
I can either beg off entirely, hibernate for the weekend and hopefully make a strong start next week, OR I can bring Spouse and our most comfortable lawn chair, settle in, and hope for the best. What would the fora do?
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punchnpie
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« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2011, 12:46:22 PM » |
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Stay home. It is a lot easier to recuperate when you're supposed to, than to be up and about when you're not, and end up making yourself sicker or pulling a stitch or something and having to take off a lot more time.
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What about all them other professors – ain’t they your kin? Good God, no. I loathe them and they loathe me. – Sunset Limited
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scotia
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« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2011, 12:50:35 PM » |
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Stay at home. You have had non-trivial surgery and your body needs to be protected while you heal.
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tuxedo_cat
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« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2011, 01:33:07 PM » |
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Stay at home. You have had non-trivial surgery and your body needs to be protected while you heal.
Yes! Laproscopic surgery is still . . . surgery! I suppose that post-surgery complications are not common after the type of procedure you just had, but they must happen once in a while. Just because you can't show off a nasty railroad tracks row of black stitches doesn't mean you're not recovering from something serious. It is completely ok to take it easy. |
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The only protection from zombies is a good friend who runs slightly more slowly than you do.
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prytania3
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« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2011, 06:18:14 PM » |
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Get the remote and settle in on the couch.
Glad your surgery went well, though, and glad you went into the ER when you did.
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Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
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hegemony
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« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2011, 06:44:45 PM » |
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Attendance is not mandatory for those who've just come through surgery. That would be absurd. E-mail whoever's in charge and mention how sorry you are that your surgery on Wednesday makes you unable to attend.
Expecting yourself to be up and about this soon after surgery is an invitation for trouble. Your most urgent career-related task is getting back to teaching again. Put everything else by the wayside. This is nothing to play around with and you need to save your strength. I am serious here. Your body needs to do a lot of repair and you will have no energy for quite some time -- six weeks would not be abnormal. Everything extra you do just makes you heal that much more slowly. It is not an indulgence to save your strength -- it is a necessity.
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Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight.
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lizzy
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« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2011, 06:53:20 PM » |
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Attendance is not mandatory for those who've just come through surgery. That would be absurd. E-mail whoever's in charge and mention how sorry you are that your surgery on Wednesday makes you unable to attend.
Expecting yourself to be up and about this soon after surgery is an invitation for trouble. Your most urgent career-related task is getting back to teaching again. Put everything else by the wayside. This is nothing to play around with and you need to save your strength. I am serious here. Your body needs to do a lot of repair and you will have no energy for quite some time -- six weeks would not be abnormal. Everything extra you do just makes you heal that much more slowly. It is not an indulgence to save your strength -- it is a necessity.
Do this. I'm glad you got to the hospital before things got really ugly. Please give yourself the time you need to heal. Best wishes for a quick recovery. |
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I get cranky in the evenings.
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octoprof
Member-Moderator
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Posts: 32,747
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« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2011, 07:19:28 PM » |
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What would the fora do?
The fora would stay home, curled up on the sofa or recliner, with the drink of choice and the remote. And, so should you. |
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Let us consider that we are all partially insane. It will explain us to each other; it will unriddle many riddles; it will make clear and simple many things... Mark Twain
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. Professor Dumbledore
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zarathustra
Because the Chron says I'm a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 9,942
Procrastifabulous by nature.
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« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2011, 07:23:44 PM » |
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Yes, stay home. They would be absolutely shocked to see you there at the party.
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"...undigested hummus trading real estate for this fire dance.." ~C.S.
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see_wolf
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« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2011, 07:25:22 PM » |
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I agree with staying home.
In addition - make arrangements to have your classes covered for at least another week. You will be wiped out a lot longer than you think. Returning to work 5 days after surgery is quick... Has the surgeon cleared you to return?
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octoprof
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 32,747
Dérailleur-in-Chief (nominee)
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« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2011, 07:28:34 PM » |
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I agree with staying home.
In addition - make arrangements to have your classes covered for at least another week. You will be wiped out a lot longer than you think. Returning to work 5 days after surgery is quick... Has the surgeon cleared you to return?
I would expect a three week window of no work, actually. |
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Let us consider that we are all partially insane. It will explain us to each other; it will unriddle many riddles; it will make clear and simple many things... Mark Twain
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. Professor Dumbledore
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merinoblue
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« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2011, 07:49:45 PM » |
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Did you have a general anesthetic? I'm guessing you did. That will wipe you out for 3-6 weeks, and you shouldn't pooh-pooh the recovery or detox time.
I had a 3+hour lap surgery under general, and I felt ill from the anesthetic for 6 weeks. Drinking alcohol is a big no-no.
Take your time to recover. Surgery is an enormous stressor on the body. Don't lay yourself open for infection or fatigue by exerting yourself too early.
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« Last Edit: October 07, 2011, 07:52:04 PM by merinoblue »
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Sometimes I can start a party; sometimes I can't.
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michigander
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« Reply #12 on: October 07, 2011, 09:48:27 PM » |
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I chime with everyone else. I've had two surgeries during the past three years; one was laparoscopic. In both cases the surgeons told me that, medically speaking, I could go back to work the following Monday if there were no complications but that I wouldn't feel like it and shouldn't force myself. Both times the predictions were correct, though it's interesting that I felt able to go to work much sooner after the traditional surgery than after the laparoscopic one.
Congratulations on successful surgery, and give your body time to recover. A couple of days of good rest now will make sure you won't push yourself too hard, have a problem at work, and maybe make things worse.
If you're worried about missing an opportunity to meet your new majors and start to build relationships, ask if there's an email group for them so that you can make some kind of contact now with a quick mention of your need to recuperate and a promise to come to a future event where eveyone will be able to meet you.
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« Last Edit: October 07, 2011, 09:49:20 PM by michigander »
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theatremom
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« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2011, 09:52:06 PM » |
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Total agreement on the fora, wow.
It turned out to be something of a moot point, anyway. Shortly after I made the first post, I laid down on the bed and conked out for the rest of the afternoon. By the time I woke up, Spouse had already called my dept. head and told him that we wouldn't be there. Dept. head had already assumed that we'd be staying home, so everything is cool.
I have not yet been cleared for work, see_wolf, and I'm glad you brought that up. I'd forgotten about that little hitch in my plans. I see my doctor on Tuesday to check everything out and to pull my staples (gasp!). I'll find out then how long he expects me to be off work.
For now, I'm headed back to bed. Tomorrow will be spent in my recliner, watching football until my eyeballs bleed.
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see_wolf
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« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2011, 06:38:06 AM » |
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Staple removal is easy... a quick pinch and they comev right out. Easier than sutures!
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