I've seen multiple guidelines given and have been advised by my surgeons office, but I was wondering what your real-world experience has been. I am having a very hard time figuring out how much time I'll REALLY need off from work. I have a slightly unusual situation:

I am self employed and work from a home office, but I have a fairly physical component to my job. I do many tradeshows throughout the year and carry a heavy sample case (about 60lbs.) to client appointments in their offices.

For the shows, I pack and unpack my car with the display itself, materials for the display, catalogs (10-15 cases, usually about 40lbs each) and samples, and carry all this in and out of the tradeshow location 2x per day (set up and breakdown) for 5 days running. I also drive in between cities (2-4 hrs per day) and start all over again.

For regular client visits, I just have my sample case and individual sample bags I make for my clients (3-4 lbs each.) My case is on wheels, but I do have to lift it in and out of my car. The bags go into a wheeled cart but again, need to be loaded in and out of the car.

I am thinking I'll take a week off from everything, then hoping to do "office" type work the 2nd week (booking appointments, quote and project followup, email blasts and the like- all phone and computer work.) Do you think I'll be able to do client visits on week 3? Will I be able to do a tradeshow by week 6?

While I'll be eligible for surgery in March, I know I'll have to put it off until May when I am pretty much done with the spring shows. I just need to make sure I'll be ready for a show in mid- July if my surgery doesn't end up happening until mid or late May.

(FWIW, I do all this stuff now with all the extra weight I am carrying, so I am fairly strong. Hoping this helps my recovery and the whole tradeshow process becomes easier when I'm not schlepping my own weight in addition to the other stuff! :smile2:)

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

kagead

A truck driver in one of the mandatory nutritional/behavioral classes asked the staff this last month.

They replied that he should be able to lift everything he is currently lifting within a week or 2 following surgery.

The 6 week restriction on lifting is usually for bypass patients.

* A paramedic asked this same question yesterday in the short term disability thread.

Thanks so much for the quick and very helpful reply! If that is true, I may be able to do this in March, rather than wait until May which would be great! I'll definitely have to discuss this further with my surgeon.

kagead

Definitely ask your surgeon for his advice. He may say wait 6 months. :smile2:

But also realize that many mothers pick up their 20 pound children almost as soon as the get home from surgery.

I was banded last week and was told nothing over 10lbs for 6 weeks.

A mother of a baby was at my seminar and they suggested waiting until the child did not need to be held as often.