Bob,
I am in a very similar situation. Age 54. Surgery Feb 16, 2007.
I'm a Produce Manager in a grocery store. (30 years)
I returned to work last Monday, 4 weeks and 2 days after surgery.
However, I have a staff that is temporarily doing all of my "heavy" lifting.
My first days back were very exhausting and I kept them short - focusing on paperwork.
The staff did all the lifting then.
Due to adhesions from several previous abdominal surgeries (laperatomy spleenectomy, hernia, appendectomy, and more) - the robotic laperoscopic procedure was abandoned for a "bikini cut." That is to say, non robotic-laperascopic surgery increases time before lifting should begin.
I have been doing calesthenics (crunches and push-ups) and using a rowing machine since just after week 3. However, it was just yesterday (exactly week 5) that I even came near my pre-surgery work-out routine. I push myself to just where I am aware of the internal stitching.
I now do a little lifting every day - I still avoid the 50 pound cases of cabbage, etc for awhile.
My thoughts to you are that standing/walking for hours and especially lifting will increase your incontinence. Something we must work through eventually, anyway.
While my "private area" is returning function some, I still leak when walking or standing unless I can go to the restroom every 15 minutes. This is not practical at my job. (I've only told one supervisor what the actually surgery was and no one but him knows about the incontinence.)
I line my men's brief liners with a women's incontinence liner placed at 90 degrees.
This holds 12 oz more liquid and keeps me from completely soaking the men's liner.
The idea of working in public made me nervous at first.
I use to drink almost 2 gallons of liquid every day. Now I ration myself to just over a half gallon and (as I start work at 4am) I stop drinking anything at 8 pm and don't drink anything at work. When I do, it goes straight through......
After the first 3 hours, I replace the women's pad. At this point, most of my previous night's liquid has passed.
Then I just monitor the situation and usually change the men's and women's liner once at about 6 hours from start shift.
I'm working 10 to 12 hour days.
Don't do anything that hurts, but I have found from my many surgeries that (carefully) maximizing physical activity speeds healing - and helps wear off the residual anesthesia that makes me a little "fuzzy" for up to six months.
Don't hurt yourself. It is never worth it. I find work keeps my spirits up, too.
Godspeed.
Cedar Chopper
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