when is it ok,,,,

to start doing a lil vacuuming, mopping, bending? i'm almost 4 weeks TAH post-op. i was told when i left the hospital not to do these kinds of things but i wasn't told for how long. i'm starting to feel a lil guilty watching my husb do everything still 4 weeks later. the only thing i've been doing is a lil straightening up around the house and a lil cooking.

The best thing to do is ask your doctor. My doctor told me not to do any of those things until he released me and for me, that was at my 6 week post-op appointment. I encourage you to give your doctor a call and ask. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I hope you continue to have a good recovery!



Deb

Try to patient, before you know it these healing days will be gone and all those responsibilities will be all yours. Good luck in these last days of recovery, it will all be worth it.

You will want to wait on the mopping, sweeping and vacuuming. I'm at 7 weeks tomorrow. I mopped the floor yesterday and had to sit down after. It didn't hurt, but I know I couldn't have done it at even 6 weeks. There's no way I could have vacuumed at 4 weeks <thank goodness for hardwood floors!>

I could sweep a little at week 4, but it would have hurt. It's all about changing your strokes. However, saying that I'd still say wait. Hire someone to do it, bribe someone, or just flat out tell them they *are* going to do it.

Rest, you'll be back to doing that stuff soon enough.

I was told not to do any of that until my 8th week. & Then to go very slow. You do not want to twist anything inside even if your are healing well. Be very careful so you don't have any set backs. The dirt will still be there when you are ready. Giggle.

I just had the vacuum experience yesterday. MY TAH was Oct 2nd...so I am just about 3.5 weeks post op... I thought it would be okay if I walked w/ the vacuum and kept my arm straight...thinking that It would be like walking...NO NO NO...I was in horrible pain.. I called the emergency oncall nurse..she said no Vacuuming for 6 weeks...My Docs office called today and asked me "what the heck were you thinking?" I was told no pushing pulling tugging dragging and anyother word I wanted to use for vacuuming, sweeping,mopping....So....Dont....I feel alot better today....Luckily you have your Husband to help. Mine is gone all month long for work....I am going crazy.....So...I asked the nurse...Will you release me to work yet....I got a big fat NO!

babs -

To give you an idea you might find the 4 week checkpoints helpful.

G.

My doctor told me to wait until I saw her at my 6 weeks post-op appointment and she cleared me. The day after I saw her, I sent the kids to Nanas (DH was gone on a business trip), and I vacuumed my carpets and cleaned them, I had been waiting for weeks to do that! The next day I painted my dining room. I cleaned my whole house from top to bottom. It had been piling up and I just couldn't take it anymore. Let me tell you though, I paid for it the next week. Bless his heart, DH tried to do it but it just wasn't good enough

I know what you're going through, everything just seems to get worse which drives us crazy but now is the time to send that super hero cape to the cleaners and let it stay there for awhile. We only get one chance to heal, so let's do it right the first time.

Didn't you sign up for checkpoints in your profile from this site? They send you little update e-mails on what you should be doing at each healing stage. At least do a search for "checkpoints" on this site.

Take care,

My Dr said I could do light housework starting the 2nd week..very light like counters - but I will tell you that from the 2nd week on I have bent over. I was never told not to do that...I hope I didnt hurt anything on the inside. The other day I picked up stuff off my daughters floor and probably bent over 20 times...

Wow - I hope I didnt do any damage that I will regret later