First day back at work after surgery

Going in to work was no problem: it helps that we live at the end of the train line and I can count on a seat.

When I got there, lots of people welcomed me back, some with longer conversations than others. Both my bosses made a point of telling me, in the morning, that if I felt the need I should leave early. My standard answer to all the questions of "how are you?" was "Better. Not 100% yet, but about 90." Wendy (one of my bosses) said they'd be glad to have ninety percent of me. Marilyn (my other boss: I report directly to her) filled me in on what we're working on, and what the priorities are right now; gave me some pages to read over; and helped me carry stuff after I said I would be prudent and take half and come back for the rest.

I gave the HR person my doctor's letter, discussed options for handling the recent time off (there might be some I'm not aware of; she had a meeting scheduled, on another topic, with a relevant person and said she'd ask), and got my Transitchek Metrocards for May, June, and July. Then I settled in to reading over the 1R pages. Tea and lunch came in good season; I figured out what I wanted to eat (cucumber salad and some fish) and realized that there's a deli near my office whose salad bar would supply that.

About 2:30 Wendy came by and observed that I was looking pale. I asked if I was paler than this morning, because of course I can't see myself, and she said no, I'd been pale in the morning. And reiterated that I could leave early. I thanked her again, thinking I should be able to make it until at least 4, but that leaving before rush hour would make sense. Around 3:30 my abdomen started to hurt, despite painkillers. I made myself tea a little before 4, had one sip, thought, and went over to Wendy's office. She looked at me and said "You're leaving?" in a tone that was only loosely a question, and I said yes, poured out the tea, and came home via the drugstore (to pick up the Percocet prescription I'd dropped off yesterday).

The first thing I did when I got in was to take my pants off. Then I lay down and thought about napping.

What I hadn't taken into account earlier was that this wasn't just a matter of sitting up all day: I hadn't tried wearing pants, or anything else with an even vaguely constricting waist, for a full day since before the surgery. Tomorrow I will skip the belt and probably take most of the stuff out of my pockets.

First day back at work after surgery

Going in to work was no problem: it helps that we live at the end of the train line and I can count on a seat.

When I got there, lots of people welcomed me back, some with longer conversations than others. Both my bosses made a point of telling me, in the morning, that if I felt the need I should leave early. My standard answer to all the questions of "how are you?" was "Better. Not 100% yet, but about 90." Wendy (one of my bosses) said they'd be glad to have ninety percent of me. Marilyn (my other boss: I report directly to her) filled me in on what we're working on, and what the priorities are right now; gave me some pages to read over; and helped me carry stuff after I said I would be prudent and take half and come back for the rest.

I gave the HR person my doctor's letter, discussed options for handling the recent time off (there might be some I'm not aware of; she had a meeting scheduled, on another topic, with a relevant person and said she'd ask), and got my Transitchek Metrocards for May, June, and July. Then I settled in to reading over the 1R pages. Tea and lunch came in good season; I figured out what I wanted to eat (cucumber salad and some fish) and realized that there's a deli near my office whose salad bar would supply that.

About 2:30 Wendy came by and observed that I was looking pale. I asked if I was paler than this morning, because of course I can't see myself, and she said no, I'd been pale in the morning. And reiterated that I could leave early. I thanked her again, thinking I should be able to make it until at least 4, but that leaving before rush hour would make sense. Around 3:30 my abdomen started to hurt, despite painkillers. I made myself tea a little before 4, had one sip, thought, and went over to Wendy's office. She looked at me and said "You're leaving?" in a tone that was only loosely a question, and I said yes, poured out the tea, and came home via the drugstore (to pick up the Percocet prescription I'd dropped off yesterday).

The first thing I did when I got in was to take my pants off. Then I lay down and thought about napping.

What I hadn't taken into account earlier was that this wasn't just a matter of sitting up all day: I hadn't tried wearing pants, or anything else with an even vaguely constricting waist, for a full day since before the surgery. Tomorrow I will skip the belt and probably take most of the stuff out of my pockets.