Back to work

Eloflan

Hello! I am almost 4yrs post liver transplant, I waited 6 months before going back to work full time as server. I live in small town Alaska that’s very busy in the summer so I averaged about 7 miles a shift( steps). After this season I’m exhausted! I’m having trouble excepting I might be doing too much and explaining my exhaustion (without sounding lazy) to my husband. I’ve always worked more than full time, but I can feel my body telling me to knock it off. How many of you work full time? Also is full time work common after transplant? Thanks for any feedback!

AliEm14

I don’t know about common but I don’t work full time. I probably average around part time hours, and am incredibly lucky to work in fields that let me have a lot of control over my schedule (I teach yoga, am a somatic embodiment coach and work virtually with different companies in community building)

I know I could never go back to a full time/in person role. My body wouldn’t let me. A huge part of life post transplant has been learning my new body, my limits and accepting where I’m at.

the laziness hurdle is a big one to get over, especially in a culture where we associate doing and productivity with worth, but I promise not working from illness doesn’t equal laziness. If you were lazy, you wouldn’t feel bad about not working or reducing your hours! at the end of the day, you have to listen to your body. If you run yourself into the ground, you won’t be able to work at all which is probably worse.

i’m 5 years post liver transplant, and I can say it’s definitely not easy but it is possible

TheMac

I had to wait a year and a half before I went back and only PT. I was exhausted at the end of even a 4 hour day. It has taken a year to build up my stamina. I am now searching for a full time job but with specific parameters. The biggest being hybrid and flexible schedule. Being in an office 9-5- 5 days a week would be impossible physically and mentally. I believe I could work 40/week with home office hours so I could sit in my recliner with a heating pad on my back and work on my computer on lower energy/higher pain days. I have 11 compression fractures in my spine and cement in 2 of the vertebrae. I am amazed you able to be a server and be on your feet that much! In my opinion, you are doing great! No wonder why you are tired!

is there a way to work part time for a bit to slowly build your stamina? Just a thought.