Almost 6 weeks post hysterectomy. When can I rake leaves?

I do intend to call my surgeon's office next week. I am at about 5 1/2 weeks post op. I have been limited to 10 pounds lifting, and will be able to gradually (gotta find out how that goes) increase weight restriction. But, how does that figure with tasks? How do I know when I can do things like rake leaves? Or do walking for exercise?

At 6 weeks I was cleared for anything I wanted to do except sex. I can't lie though, I hate raking leaves, so if it was fall, and my dr told me I could rake leaves, I would have told my husband that she said I couldn't; rake leaves for at least 6 months :-)

I was already walking for exercise at four weeks. (I think walking at a good clip up and down hilly trails qualifies as exercise, esp as I was doing apx six miles a day.)

My doc told that at six weeks I could do whatever I wanted to do, but to start off cautiously and work up gradually. My body concurred. At six weeks I could go into the archives area at work and take down a 40-lb box or two, but then my body would get this just-about-to-twinge feeling. At *eight* weeks I spent a couple of hours slinging boxes around reorganizing the archives area and I was fine.

For raking leaves, I'd suggest rake 10-15 minutes (including bagging the leaves or whatever you do with them), then check in with your body. If your body's okay, then rake another 10-15 minutes, check in again. Quit when you get the just-about-to-twinge feeling. And by quit, I mean, put the rake down, walk away and go rest. I don't mean, start doing more work to bag up the leaves.