Too long

What sort of a writer doesn’t write?  I would have to say a lazy one or one who has more excuses than reasons.  I’m speaking of myself and alluding to the challenge of maintaining a consistency in publishing to this blog on a regular basis.  It is certainly not for a lack of things to say or thoughts to share but rather those other things that seem to come up just as I am sitting down to the computer to get those words formulated in some cohesive manner.

Alright -enough said about not writing.  How about saying something!

The good news!

I have finally returned to work after a year’s absence due to Posterior Tibial Tendon transfer surgery in my left ankle.  The road to recovery was long and not completely over but the light at the end of the tunnel is definitely getting brighter and the complete healing seems close at hand.  The surgery took place last July.  July 10th, 2014.  I returned to work on June 1st of 2015.

The return to work has been challenging in many ways.  I started out on an 8 hour shift that was split between evenings and graveyards.  I would come to work and get the work packages ready for the overnight shift (the overnight shift is technically my shift)  and then I was supposed to get off at midnight while my co-workers on graveyards worked till 7am.  The biggest challenge of trying to leave after 8 hours was leaving in the middle of all the work.  The other challenge is returning to a job that I haven’t done in a year and even then, really for the last two years before this surgery I have been rather limited physically.  So I have returned to a job where there has been a lot to relearn and remember.

I am back on my normal overnight schedule with adjusted days off for the moment to allow for me to finish up a therapy program I in at the Veteran’s Admin.  My therapy so for the moment I have Tues/Weds/Thurs off instead of my normal Thurs/Frid/Sat.  The first 2 and half weeks or so of my return to work seem to have come at the worst timing as far as workload.  Last Saturday, 27th of June was probably the first time since I have returned to work that there was enough manpower for the work at hand.  Try being on light duty or getting the hang of things again when the workload is over the top!  Then on top of that, try going home because your 8 hours are up when everyone else is still slaving away.  not good for my morale any more than my coworkers.

As recoveries go I am learning about balance.  Now that I can walk in general without pain, I have also discovered that a good balance between walking and sitting is important.  Some days I am pretty sore and have to really try and pace myself -other days I have felt like everything is normal with no regard for the need to pace myself.  I spent my first weekend off mostly in bed recuperating from work!  Balance is good in all aspects of life and overall this is the lesson I am learning at the moment.  While still on light duty I have to be aware that even when things feel great, ‘don’t overdo it!’