A bit nervous, but ready for life after!

I am 47, in menopause and need to have a hysterctomy and bladder repair/sling. I don't have a date set yet for my surgery. I just had a cystoscopy with my urologist. She found my bladder had fallen and was prolapsed, but it was because of my falling uterus on top of it!
She referred me to a GYN that she works with during surgery as a team. He goes in and does the uterus removal and vaginal wall repairs and then she goes in and does the bladder lift and sling.
She made it sound like a well-choreographed dance, LOL

I have been dealing with incontinence issues and pain for the past few months. My job, as a letter carrier (walking 8-10 miles a day) has been negatively affected ~ I received my first letter of warning after almost 15 years of service due to my absences lately. So I am more than ready to take care of these issues!

I have to make my consult appointment with the GYN in the next day or two. Surgery, at the earliest, will be in May due to both surgeon's vacation schedules.

Any advice on how to get through the next few months without burning any more sick leave? I know once my urologist fills out my FMLA paperwork, they can't really touch me at work and my previous letter will be rescinded.

How many absences have you had? I honestly don't see how they can touch you unless you've burned your sick time, but after 15 years on the job you should have a ton of that!

I would speak to your union steward. Your contract should have specific language about absences.

Good luck to you, and remember that we're all here to help you every step of the way - and in your job you have a lot of steps to take!

My advice as someone 5 weeks out and nowhere near ready to go back to work full time is this: get as much time off as you possibly can even if you don't end up needing it all, and while you're at home rest, rest, rest. I felt pretty good a few days after getting home so did things like help make supper and just put a few dishes in the dishwasher, and it set me back. To do it over I would have stuck myself in my recliner and stayed there for two weeks no matter what (aside from slow walking, of course). Of course your journey might be different and you might be ready to rock and roll much sooner...but I thought I'd give you my two cents worth of advice.

Thank you both for your replies!

I burned quite a bit of sick leave since I had 2 of my children during the past 15 years and also took a few weeks off with my husband after his 3 hernia surgeries. As always, with kids getting sick, I'd have to call off with them as well.

I will definitely take as much time as I need, even if it is without pay as I will be covered under FMLA.

Please do me a favor and read into the TWO FDA warnings regarding the bladder sling surgery! I had one and it ruined my life! It is so badly embedded into my bladder they can't remove it. I'd rather walk and pee myself then not be able to walk from the pain.

I agree with Posh. Recovering from a hysterectomy is a very delicate thing....over-doing is the easiest thing in the world to do. In the process of over-doing one day, I ripped some stitches. It literally took me 3 months to recover from my surgery, not just from over-doing a few times, but because I had other complications as well, along with the ripped stitches. And, many times over the course of that recovery, I remember thinking how very thankful I am to no longer be employed at my last job. I know I would have caught heat from them over the length of time it took me to finally be cleared by my doctor. It was miserable enough just to endure it...if I had to deal with being pressed by my employer about how inconvenient it is to THEM to have my recovery prolonged, I would have gone homicidal on someone.

You only get one shot at recovery, and if not done right, the results can be very serious. Your employer MUST understand that. Your health takes first priority, and they need to allow you all the time you need to properly heal enough to do such a physical job. Walking is exhausting after a hysterectomy...it takes a while to get back up to doing what you can normally do. Don't let them try to tell you that you must heal on THEIR designated time table. You and your surgeon determine that....not them.

Good luck to you. I hope everything works out.