First day back at work (Again)

It's been 4 weeks since the surgery and thanks to the long Thanksgiving weekend I've had an extra week at home to give my seams more time to set.  

Working as a research technician isn't the same as your average desk job.  Upon returning to work with the instruction of "Don't lift more than 5lbs and don't raise your arms above your shoulders!" I was dismayed to realise that EVERYTHING in the lab is located above shoulder reach and most boxes of stocks, which I tend to manage and distribute, are heavier than 5lbs.  I'm learning a new life lesson: KNOW WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP.

Help, help and more help... for someone who likes to be independent and have that sense of control over how tidy the lab is and how smoothly it runs.  A good lab tech is one whose work isn't brought up to be questioned, who does everything in the background before you have a chance to ask for something.  So accepting life as a less-than-perfect lab tech will be my second lesson.

My colleagues are so reassuring and helpful and I've been blessed with a good environment in which to be temporarily disabled.

As per the BRS - most people haven't noticed the sudden loss of 5lbs.  My colleague who knew I had undergone the surgery exclaimed "You look no different!"  Well, I've always been a bit thick around the middle and now it's more apparent.  People don't pay that much attention to your body - more to your face.  At a recent party I had a friend who didn't know I had the surgery exclaim at how nice my hair was and how long it had gotten.  People know something's different, they just can't pin point what.  Its a little fun to see them trying to guess at what has changed.