Week 6 Post-Op: Full Time, No Restrictions, and a Reality Check from the Surgeon

This is the seventh and last in a series of "Surgery, Function, and the Brain" blogs on Maria's recent surgical experience.  Her previous blogs are:

• Starting This Journey
• 72 Hours Post-Op: Protection, Patience & “The Zipper”
• 96 Hours Post-Op: What Is This Thing Called Patience?.
• Day 7 Post-Op: When the Brain Starts Negotiating
• Day: 15 Post-Op: The Pacing Paradox
• Week 5 Post-Op: The Return to Work, the Reality, and Rewriting “Pacing”

Week 6 Post-Op Recovery has arrived with a major milestone: back at work full time, no restrictions, and a clearer understanding that recovery is not always linear. Progress is real, but patience still matters.

Six weeks after surgery, I’m back at work full time with zero restrictions.

That sentence matters. Not because everything is perfect. Not because every symptom has vanished. But because recovery is not always about waiting until you feel “100%.” Sometimes it is about safely re-entering life while your body continues healing in the background.

That can be a hard concept for many people after surgery or injury. We often imagine recovery as a finish line. Pain gone. Symptoms gone. Confidence back. Then life resumes.

Real recovery is usually messier than that.

Progress and Patience Can Co-Exist

 At my surgical review, I raised the ongoing neurological symptoms in my feet and lower legs. The surgeon’s response was clear: these symptoms may continue improving over the next 12 months.

That is a useful reminder.

Healing timelines for nerves are often slower than healing timelines for skin, muscle, or movement confidence. The absence of instant change does not automatically mean failure. It may simply mean the system is still recovering.

For many people, this is where frustration begins. If symptoms remain, it is easy to assume progress has stopped.  It often hasn’t.

The Return of Future Plans

 Another milestone from the appointment was discussing activities I enjoy.

The green light was given for:

• White water rafting (target: New Zealand 2027)
• Flat water kayaking (much sooner in 2026)
• Skiing (planned for January 2027)

These are more than hobbies. They are markers of optimism and future orientation.

When people can start planning meaningful activities again, something important shifts psychologically. Life stops being only about appointments, limitations, and symptoms. It becomes about goals, experiences, and participation.

That shift matters.

Then Came the Gym Debate

 I also made what I considered a VERY reasonable case for a home gym upgrade.

My proposal was simple: if recovery is important, clearly I need a leg press.

Unfortunately, my surgeon formed an alliance with my partner.

My partner’s position: “I need to see you’ll use what we already have.”

Current available equipment includes:

• Treadmill
• Exercise bike
• Free weights
• Theraband

My counterargument: “But I need my leg press.”

The surgeon’s response: “No you don’t. You can do lunges and squats.”

A devastating blow!!!