Seventh day post-op. Work from home? Yes knee can! (Few wires required.)
Finally time to get back to the 9-5 grind via my “home office.” I’m very fortunate that my company/bosses are letting me work from home for a few days. At this point in the recovery game, my mobility is still not super–and I have to dedicate so much time each day to CPM and excersizes (approx. 5 hours). Knowing I can work from my CPM makes a world of a difference. I realize that recovery is (or will be) different for everyone. No matter how fast you recover, remember, there is no standard, so be sure to spend ample time focused on getting your knee better and also plan to work from home for a bit. I think your co-workers would rather have you keep your noisy CPM machine and ice machines at home, as to not hinder their productivity. Besides, it’s hassle enough carrying yourself (on crutches), a 30+ lb. CPM machine and an ice machine home from the hospital, don’t create more work for yourself by bringing them into the office.
5 hours of CPM + exercises? Dang that’s a lot. I never had the CPM after surgery so I guess I was somewhat lucky. Can you actually sleep with that thing moving your leg?
You didn’t have CPM?! I’m sooo jealous! Sometimes I actually do fall asleep with it on–it helps me get my required at least three hours a day in. Also, in a weird way, it can be kinda relaxing. As for the five hours, that’s the goal, but with work and life and pain getting in the way, it doesn’t always happen that way.
Goog luck in your recovery!! .. I’ve been blogging mine as well (acljourney.blogspot.com) and I love to see other people’s take on their experience, as well as writing styles! I am 6 wk 2 days out, and also had a patellar tendon graft. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!
Cheers! -Summer
Hello, Summer!
Great to meet another fellow knee blogger! Six weeks, huh? You have sure come a long way and I will look to your blog to help me with my knee future.
Going back to work wasn’t as easy as I thought. I tried on Day 3 and I was dizzy from pain meds and tried reading emails but couldn’t really follow what they were saying so at midnight that night I switched to Tylenol/Advil and I could focus the next day but it was tiring, even sitting on the couch with my laptop on my lap (my leg has to be elevated or it throbs). Day 5, I could sit at my desk with my leg propped up under my desk hooked up to my ice machine. But getting the ice machine to my desk is tough. If I did it again, I would buy a second ice machine for the office.
Yeskneecan, this blog is fantastic! I’m a teacher, off for the last couple of weeks for summer, and was prescribed 8 hours on the CPM. UGH…I handled it just fine for the first 5 days, then it was like torture to know I had to be strapped into it for so long! It may sound nerdy, but I’m perusing all your posts and finding them to be VERY helpful for my mental state.
I can’t thank you enough.