Urgent! Job Offer-Can I do the work???

[deppmann]

Hello all. I haven't been around in quite some time now but thankfully it's because I'm feeling great! It's been 2 years since my L4/5 Charite and I couldn't be happier with my outcome. I'm 100% pain free now (on no meds) and was even fortunate enough to get a decent workers comp settlement.

That all brings me to my current problem. I've been looking for work even since my settlement in January. I finally got a promising lead on a job but it will entail some heavy lifting. It's similar to my old job (warehouse manager) but involves much lighter equipment than I lifted when I hurt myself in 2002 (anywhere from 5-100lbs). My question is this: How much is too much after ADR? Is it totally foolish to take a job like this after all I've gone through? Part of me says yes and part of me says no. I am a stay-at-home-dad right now and do a fair share of lifting as it is (my daughter is about 30lbs). Is it out of the question to think of returning to meduim-heavy type of work? Does anyone have any experience with this?

I would appreciate any info you can offer me. After all the interviews and dissappointments (not including the need of steady income) I am having a really hard time deciding what to do.

Thanks.

John

[Harrison]

Hey, Johnny Depp! Howyabeen?

I’ve been told by doctors and patients that upon complete healing, and osteointegration of the device, one has NO restrictions on physical activities. Perhaps the more important question is – are you in shape? Have you been exercising, etc.? How is L4-5, is that your concern? What does your surgeon say about the condition and viability of any weaker segments?

For what’s it’s worth, I had a Charite’ at L5-S1 and play squash, bike (mountain bike and touring), do yard work…

BTW: Picking up "live" weight like children is generally considered to be more risky than dead weight; many folks in this community have been injured pre- and post operatively by playing with their bundles of joy.

Congrats on your new opportunity!

[Alastair]

Your only critic is your spine

[annapurna]

If you're willing to try an experiment, do something back intensive, yardwork, landscaping, move furniture, something like that for a day and see how you feel the next day. It's only a rough guess but I'm assuming you're limited on the time you have before you have to accept the job. As Richard said, you'll be more limited by the soft tissue in your back but this might give you an idea of how you feel after a day of work.

[deppmann]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I really appreciate the insight you've given. Harrison: you make a great point about the lifting of a young child and the strain on your back as opposed to lifting a dead weight. I've had no problems lifting, throwing or playing with her since she was born. I've also done my share of yardwork (pulling shrubs and stumps out, breaking up some concrete, etc) and haven't had any problems. I guess that should tell me that I'm good to go with this kind of work. Just have to be careful and pay attention to what I'm doing! I know it's not the ideal situation going back into a labor job but it's all I can get at this point and I'm not really in a position to turn down work.

Thank you all again. It's so nice to come back after being "gone" and be welcomed I hope you're all well. I'll update you on my progress.

John