How long will I need help lifting/carrying things?

I own a small farm and care for horses myself. This involves a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling - basiclly moderate physical labor. I typically carry 15-20 pounds of hay at a time and feed buckets weigh 10-15 pounds. And this is just to feed - not mucking stalls or hauling in clean shavings, etc. I don't know how to put a "weight" on that type of work.

I am scheduled to have a LAVH on February 18th. It will be a total Hyst - and Endo clean up. I've arranged for someone to come feed the horses and clean the barn for me for 1 month. I was wondering if that will be long enough. Can I expect to resume my normal chores after 4 weeks?

I am fit and accustomed to this level of work daily. I am typically a fast healer - though usually I push myself faster than I should. I've had 3 prevous lap surgeries - the last one in Sept 04. After my last lap surgery I was riding again 5 days later and water skiing about 10 days later. I don't expect to heal that quick after this - but wondering how soon I should be able to get back down to the barn.

Laying around the house for 4 weeks is my idea of torture. Those of you who are physiclly active all day - how did you keep your sanity while recovering? I'm not worried about the first few days when the pain is bad. I'm worried about 10-15 days out when I start to feel better. How do you keep from resuming your normal activity?

Thanks for sharing your experiences and giving me an idea what to expect!

The most important thing is to LISTEN to your body. Most docs instruct no heavy activities for approximately 6 weeks. However, there are exceptions to every rule.

Even when you start feeling better, please remember that you have all kinds of internal sutures that need time to heal. You only have one chance to heal correctly, so please keep that in mind.

That said, there have been several sisters here who have overdone things FAR too early, and have wound up with complications. Just stay in touch with your doctor, and follow whatever advice he or she gives.

best wishes
s
northlights

It all depends on your recovery - if you feel four weeks will be enough - find out if you can have someone on stand by for week 5-6 or even longer.

I returned to work at 6 weeks and was cleared by my doctor to do lifting - I did some yard work at 8 weeks and was in bed for a day to recover - as I had overdone it. I had a TAH BSO vert. incision.

My advice would be to have a back-up plan because even if you feel okay at four weeks, once you start doing the work it could set you back or slow you down - maybe having some help around for a few weeks would be worth it.

Good Luck!
Cat

I had a total LAVH on Dec. 16th. I was told absolutely no lifting over 10 lbs for 6 weeks - I wasn't even cleared to excercise for 6 weeks either. I was giving strict restrictions for the first 6 weeks (several days before able to go up and down stairs). I was told no changing sheets, lift laundry, cooking (except stirring) - my doctor was very strict. Now, I felt really good after a few days and would start doing things around the house - but you have to be so careful because you have stitches inside and if you do too much and pull them loose you will be in a world of trouble (so I was told).

It's good that you are having someone help you out for the first 4 weeks, but you will still need to be careful for a couple of more. My stitches inside did not start dissolving until right at 6 weeks.

Good luck!
Penny

Dressage rider, I understand what your going through, I too had horses, I actually had my last one up for sale prior to my surgury, but ended up giving her to my trainer, mainly boarding costs and unable to bring her home, it broke my heart but knowing I could not take care of her was the straw that broke the camels back.
I was told no heavy lifting for six weeks, and I also know a women at my trainers who had a full and she too did nothing for six weeks, then just walking on her horse. Stable care is alot of lifting, I did it for years, your more important, I think if I were you I'd hire help for 2 months, (+) get some magazines, and spend time with the sisters, good luck and please take care, the horses will be there when your healed.

I had a TAH BSO 12/10/04 and I was told 6 wks restriction from just about everything. When I went back for my 6 wk checkup, I was cleared to go back to work with a 15 lb. weight restriction till March 1st.

I work as a one-on-one aide for an autistic boy that spends the 1st 2 hrs of his day at a work site that sands boards, etc. One of the men that works there recently had very serious trouble with adhesions (scar tissue that builds up). He won't let me lift any of the boards we have to lift and repeatedly tells me that he did things too soon after a surgery 10 yrs ago that caused his problems.

I don't know if it is any different with a LAVH. I had a vertical incision. I would ask your DR or some of the other sisters at this site.

dressage rider I feel your pain! my surgery was this past monday the 7th and im already feeling guilty for not feeding the horses/riding ..... my pain is not that bad and i find myself thinking good greif it cant be that bad in there! it cant hurt to feed the horses!!!!aaauuugghhh I cant stand to be layed up!!! this is gonna be a long 6 weeks !!!! i will not feed the horses i will not feed the horses

Oh - this is so discouraging! I don't know how I will possibly make 6 weeks. I am already stressing terribly about the down time. I am not one to enjoy being still at all. I don't know if I will be able to do it.

LillySilly - you must tell me how you manage it. Especially the part about having the horses so near and not working with them. I think that will drive me to depression! I have a very high pain threshold - I've continued to ride daily even with the pain of stage 4 Endo. I'm so afraid I won't be able to sit still and end up making my recovery longer.

I need suggestions on what to do to fill the time. I suppose I will read some - but I hate TV and I can onlly spend so long on the computer before I'm bored. If I can't do house work and I can't work in the barn - I don't know what to do.

Please - share your suggestions for filling the recovery time!!

Thanks in advance for the suggestions - and know that they will be put to good use!

s

I know this is very tough, but these ladies have offered great advice. This is major surgery and you do need to take the time to heal. Everyone heals differently but most times it takes a good 6-8 weeks to get back to your regular routine. Even then, many women are exhausted after a "normal" day.

Your dr will be able to guide you but do listen to your body too. Don't try to do too much too soon. You could be creating complications that might not show up until months down the road.

You need to take care of yourself. It will pay off in the long run. Do you do any kind of needlework...knitting, cross stitch, etc? Now might be a good time to learn something new. Believe me, it will pay off. You will be healthier and happier if you follow the drs orders.

Btw....if you would, please edit your profile to include your surgery date so we can send you well wishes before your surgery. Thanks!!

Sending big s

Blessings,
Judy

Dressasgerider
I'll be right there with you. This is going to be the longest 6 weeks on record. And why did this have to happen in the spring!!!
I don't ride dressage,although I love watching .I do reining, working cow , when I show mainly it's ranch work, did your dr. offer up anything on when to ride, or anything like that