More tales from the cancer chronicles

These are probably not funny. Might be amusing. Might not even be interesting.

I went back to work this week. Not only did I go back to work, but I did so in abundance. I worked 3 12 hour shifts, back to back. Yes, that is 36 hours straight.

I do have to say I am glad I did not go back any earlier. There are some physical limitations from having had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue expanders. As my faithful and not so faithful readers know, I'd been going to physical therapy for 2 months to build up my strength and range of motion so I'd be ready. There is most definitely a physical nature to obstetrics that I think most people either do not think about or just take for granted.

So, you are wondering what the most difficult part of returning to work was, I am sure. Was it a difficult vacuum extraction? Was it difficulty performing surgery? Was it the sheer boredom of working Christmas Eve and day with little to do? It was none of those things. Without a doubt, the most difficult task I encountered was putting on my mask. Yes, such a simple task was the most difficult task I had *during* my shift. I was able to do it (remember this requires putting both hands up behind my head), but it was not easy and was at the very limits of my range of motion. This was definitely NOT a motion we worked on in therapy and I'm betting it is not a motion that most people even try to do after this surgery... when they think they have regained a full range of motion.

You'll notice I said it was the most difficult task *during* my shifts. The next most difficult task came at the end. Getting that scrub top off was also not picnic. I nearly went and asked someone to help! I've been wearing medium sized scrubs for years and they are now quite enormous, both tops and bottoms. Glad I did not switch sizes yet though because there is no give or stretch in them whatsoever.