Hi all -- this is my first post though I've been lurking and learning from you all for many months! Surgery is Feb. 17!
I am a meeting planner and travel for my job and have local events 3 weeks after surgery (road trip within Ohio). I have backup if I can't do it, but I really want to do it! What are the chances I'll feel well enough 3 weeks out? (Not counting the tiredness)

Everyone is different. I was back to work at a week and a half. However, I was instructed to not lift anything heavier than 10 pounds. I'm fortunate that my laptop is very light. Will you have to be lifting anything? PC? Suitcase? that sort of thing? Those will be some of your biggest worries at 3 weeks out (at least they would have been mine). However, some people have had a more difficult time that lasted longer so it is really hard to say. I think it would depend on what you have to do each day and what you have to lift and will you be able to rest if you need to.

at three weeks, my pain had all but disappeared, but I was so incredibly drained and tired that I know for me there would have been no way I could have gone out and had a whole day of activity. You may be different; some people feel great by three weeks and have a decent amount of energy. I'm almost 6 months post-op and I'm STILL tired, despite having normal blood work. It's a tale of caution: your body will decide what it wants and what it is ready for. So be careful and don't overdo it but hope for the best.

Keep water on hand, make sure you get in your protein and take naps when you can and you'll be fine.

Edited February 14, 201610 yr by cindyw41

My pain was gone for the most part but I was really run down and tired. A trip to the clinic was enough to wear me out. I had the same energy level I have with the flu. I felt better at week 6 and went back to work. At week 8 I had my pre-surgery energy level back. Now, I'm happy to report, it's higher than before surgery at five months.

My pain was going two days post-op and I was back to work at 2 1/2 wks (mainly because my surgeon mandated a 2 wk restriction).