At the 6 week mark, I made my triumphant return back to work today. There were no fireworks or red carpet, just the dull sensation of picking up from where I left off. Most doctors recommend 2 to 3 months after a knee replacement before returning to work, which is an immense amount of time. Besides, this was a partial replacement, and I’m a young buck s; 12 weeks just wasn’t an option (insert additional cocky remarks here). Plus, I work in a laboratory, where there are plenty of cushy seats with computer screens to keep even the handiest of cap occupied.
To be honest, this early return was prompted less by my knee status and more from the sheer boredom and disgust of lying around the house all day. There’s only so much a person can read, and after that one has to resort to either Jerry Springer or reruns of Dawson’s Creek. Any other time I would have utilized this opportunity tear up the forest trails, or scour the corners of my favorite wilderness. Unfortunately I didn’t have the luxury of a fully functional set of legs. The four walls around me had finally started to collapse, and the thought of being held prisoner another day couldn’t triumph over the shiny laboratory benchtop.
It was a pretty easy day to return though. After a warm welcome from my co-workers, I briefed them of my condition and offered a short list of limitations for the time being. They were more than happy to oblige. I could see in their faces that being shorthanded for nearly 2 months had taken a toll on their typically jovial personalities. I stepped in and went right to work, vigilant of my tendency to over-do it. By noon my knee was in good shape and I knew an 8 hour workday was not going to be a problem.
After work, I got home and crashed hard on the couch. Despite my impressive performance, I was dog-tired. Managing a weak knee is one thing but maintaining my energy level may be another.
To be honest, this early return was prompted less by my knee status and more from the sheer boredom and disgust of lying around the house all day. There’s only so much a person can read, and after that one has to resort to either Jerry Springer or reruns of Dawson’s Creek. Any other time I would have utilized this opportunity tear up the forest trails, or scour the corners of my favorite wilderness. Unfortunately I didn’t have the luxury of a fully functional set of legs. The four walls around me had finally started to collapse, and the thought of being held prisoner another day couldn’t triumph over the shiny laboratory benchtop.
It was a pretty easy day to return though. After a warm welcome from my co-workers, I briefed them of my condition and offered a short list of limitations for the time being. They were more than happy to oblige. I could see in their faces that being shorthanded for nearly 2 months had taken a toll on their typically jovial personalities. I stepped in and went right to work, vigilant of my tendency to over-do it. By noon my knee was in good shape and I knew an 8 hour workday was not going to be a problem.
After work, I got home and crashed hard on the couch. Despite my impressive performance, I was dog-tired. Managing a weak knee is one thing but maintaining my energy level may be another.