Hey guys,

So my first chest surgery has been moved forward to the 5th of June!!! WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

As amazing as that is, it leaves me in a really tight spot with work. Despite being with my retail company for more than a year and a half now, I've just stepped up into the management role at my work (I'm technically the assistant manager, but as we have no manager I'm on full-time hours and doing the manager's work. I'm the only one we have in charge) and as a result am back on a 6 month probationary period.

The real problem is that at the moment, myself and one of my casuals are the only two people in the store with any experience at all. We have four other staff members, but they literally started work last week, and have had about four hours on the job each. The even bigger problem? Stocktake is on the 18th of June.

I will be in a different city until the 14th of June, at which point my drains will be removed. The day after that I'm cleared to fly back home, and later that day or the next they want me back at work for stocktake. Because of the probationary period I'm on, I really can't afford to piss my work off, especially considering they didn't want to let me have the two weeks off in the first place, and I still have the second stage of my surgery to save for. But it's just so damn soon after surgery!

What I'm really looking for from you guys is some tips on how to best prepare myself for an immediate return to work after top surgery. Do you think I can do it? In what way can I treat my body to give it the best chance at a speedy enough recovery to not make this whole process hell for me? And of course any tips in general that might help me recover (bendy straws and button-up shirts have been duly noted ).

Perhaps if I were returning to regular work I wouldn't be so worried, but the thought of coming back to an entire store of newbs (including myself! My first stocktake in charge! Ahhhhhh!!!) and stocktake chaos has me freaking out a little...

First of all congrats dude

As for the advice, the only thing I can think of is to spend the time between now and the surgery getting yourself as healthy as possible. Eat really clean and get in some exercise (or more exercise if you already do) and quit smoking if you currently smoke. This will get your body as well prepared as it can be to deal with the stress of surgery and will make the healing process quicker.

On the work front you still have a decent amount of time to get the new workers up to scratch. Get everyone in a good routine and push them to learn everything the best that they can; and when you get back you should be able to sit back as much as you can and just direct the others to do the stocktake for the most part. Make yourself the paperwork guy if you aren't feeling up to too much moving around.

Congrats!

Is this a chain store or a mom and pop style place?

If it's a chain store you should be able to ask another store if you can borrow a worker or 2 during your surgery. That and the store will not spontaneously explode without you. You may be surprised to see who steps it up under those circumstances.

Just my 2cents from retail experience.

Yeah, congratulations on your surgery! (Especially to it being moved forward )

Im not really sure what you should do in your situation. Are you going to lose your job if you dont go back as soon as they want you to? Surely they cant let you go for that...?
   Youll be just shy of 2weeks post op, are you having peri or DI?
I went back to work after 4 weeks, and looking back now (and remember how I physically felt when doing the physical work) I think I went back too soon. Bearing in mind, my job does involve heavy lifting, I was only put on light duties, and people helped me with stuff that required me to lift above my head/shoulder area. But, though I didnt pop any stitches or anything drastic like that to show for the fact that I was back too early, I still feel I returned a little too early (but would be fine for a desk job). I was worried about losing my job if I didnt go back, and Id only been there 3 months :p
    Although, I remember meeting up with my friend in town at around 11 days post, and though abit fragile, I was fine to walk around, do whatever.
   
  I think from now untill your surgery, theres not much you can do to drastically improve your chances of bouncing back quickly, you will still have to take it easy.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I work with a large retail chain, but unfortunately all of the other stores in my city are under-staffed too, so there's no chance I'll be able to get anyone from them to help cover shifts and manage the workload.

Also, I'm having a form of DI surgery, so it will be pretty major.

You really should not be raising your arms (if stocktake = physical inventory?). The chances of substantially widening the scars is really high. A way to imagine it is as if your elbows were taped close to the sides of your body. That's on the conservative side, but as an image it'll help restrict the sorts of motion that can stretch scars.

Any chance you can use a laser pointer and a commanding tone of voice? or -and I hate to even suggest this - postpone surgery?

I've had a talk to my regional manager and mentioned that I really won't be fit to do that much. She's decided that they'll keep me on data-entry and overseeing things, but even that is still a lot of work, and a huge amount of stress. I have very poor health at the best of times, and I'm worried I won't be up to it in time. XZ

I couldn't do much of anything 2 weeks post-op.  Is there any kind of protection for you, even with the probationary period?  Certainly they must realize you're having major surgery.  Perhaps if the surgeon wrote some kind of letter/prescription requiring a specific amount of time off, that might help. 

Thanks for the reply Adio. Unfortunately there really isn't much I can do about it. I could probably get a note excusing myself from work, but it would look dishonest since I already said I'd be back in time for stocktake.

Good news though! I found out today that our company has postponed stocktake until early July, so I should have a couple of extra weeks to prepare and recover!

Quote from: Bane on May 08, 2012, 03:27:42 AM
Thanks for the reply Adio. Unfortunately there really isn't much I can do about it. I could probably get a note excusing myself from work, but it would look dishonest since I already said I'd be back in time for stocktake.

If you got a note, I don't think it would look dishonest, if anything it would look like the doctor reviewed the fact that you would have just had major surgery and decided that the type of activity you would be doing for stocktake would be too strenuous.

Quote from: Bane on May 08, 2012, 03:27:42 AM
Thanks for the reply Adio. Unfortunately there really isn't much I can do about it. I could probably get a note excusing myself from work, but it would look dishonest since I already said I'd be back in time for stocktake.

Good news though! I found out today that our company has postponed stocktake until early July, so I should have a couple of extra weeks to prepare and recover!

Well at least that's some extra time which is good!  Just try not to push yourself too hard either to recover too soon or when you actually do stocktake.  I still think a note would be a good idea like Andy said.  Medical situations can change and it would appear as if the doctor reevaluated your condition and decided it would be best to restrict your physical activity for a longer period of time.  Still up to you though.