Hi Folks

I have been in hospital having a major op (last Wed.) so have been out of touch for awhile. Consequently, I am now back at home and after frantically searching for my bit of paper with my password and account name on I am finally allowed back into the Forums...

I am going to be home based for some weeks so will have more time on my hands to view the Forums. I am just wondering how many of you ladies out there who play the violin and have had an abdominal hysterectomy (or any abdominal op for that matter) how long it took you to be able to sit up straight and play the violin again after your op. I haven't played my violin for nearly a week now and am missing it terribly. Any advice out there through experience?


Alto

Just want to say that I'm glad your operation went well. Hope you get better soon!

Sorry, I don't really have any advice for you having not been in such a situation myself but I just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery. Maybe you could listen to some violin music instead...

Yes, best wishes from me too. Perhaps your doctor would be the best source of advice and s/he will have dealt with plenty of patients with this type of op and there's bound to be something parallel that s/he can draw on to advise. Also, maybe posting this Q in a forum for those having had similar problems might yield something too??

Take care and take all the time you need.

Well Im not a lady (!) but after the abdominal surgery (6 ins scar) I had some years ago, I needed 4 weeks off work, but could play the piano a bit after two weeks.

Sorry to hear you'vehad an op, and I hope your recovery goes smoothly. Don't push yourself and overdo it.

Dear Alto
I hope you recover smoothly and quickly, take care of yourself, take it easy and mainly: LISTEN to what your body tells you..! If it tells you 'I need to lie down all day' then DO IT, don't force yourself to sit in a chair or anything else just because you 'think it's not right to stay in bed all day'. Equally do try now and again to go for short 'strolls' around the house or around the block and see how it feels and day by day you will find that you can manage a longer stroll each time.
I had major abdominal surgery and I didn't feel I had the energy to play the violin for about 2 weeks (that includes the 5 days I was in hospital) but different people experience different amount of pain and different amounts of 'energy highs and lows' so the main message is indeed to listen to your body! There is no golden rules in playing the violin, you could play (in theory) straight out of the operating theatre as it won't do any damage physically to your muscles/organs after abdominal surgery.
As for work, it depends on the type of job and how physical it is, I was back to work after 4 full weeks off work but many told me that was quick and I 'should have taken' 6 weeks (my job can get quite 'physical' as a midwife LOL especially when women get in 'strange positions' to give birth into )

Pamper yourself during this time
hugs
Jo

Hope your recovery goes well and you're feeling better soon

I had my appendix out when I was a teenager and when my parents brought me home from the hospital I walked into the house and sat straight down at my beloved piano to practise. The next day I remember falling asleep sitting at my piano too and being pretty sore when I woke up.

So be careful and don't try to do too much too soon.

Thanks everyone

Each day seems to be different at the moment. Suffering more from side effects of antibiotics than the operation site itself!! I only have today and tomorrow to take these wretched tablets. I am able to walk around the house and garden and sit upright on a dining room chair so may have a session on the violin this afternoon. Piano should not be a problem and I shall have to sit instead of stand to play my violin.

Unfortunately, my husband, who has taken time off work to supposedly look after me is more waring as he is of the ilk that doesn't do woman's housework and I am having to constantly give him instructions on what needs doing and how to do it... He is slightly deaf in one ear so I have to say everything more than once which is tiring at the moment. He has put off doing the weekly shop today (he has never done the shopping in a supermarket in his life before) and has spent all morning on his computer. I have just had to remind him that the bathroom needs cleaning and then had to give him instructions on what to do.

The sooner I can get back to normal the better...

I know my father was in his learly seventies before he had hung an item of washing on a clothes line!!! (.. or put it in a washing machine )

It's terrible isn't it. He is proving more exasperating than recovering from the operation itself!


I think I'll see whether I can sit and play the violin this afternoon. Can't leave it any longer...

Hope your health is improving, alto. Have you played your violin yet?

I remember when my husband took time off work to "help" when my children were born .....................

Same here (except that I am female......).
It was a couple of weeks before I could mamage to sit at the piano for more than a couple of minutes.
Then again everybody recovers at a different rate..... one lady on my ward who was about 20 years older than I was managed to get around fine when I could barely shuffle to the dining room (same op:same day).

Yes, have managed to play violin and piano without any problem though I am not playing for too long on the violin yet and am sitting down to play. I did get an ache between my shoulder blades though after having a week's break - its amazing how the muscles get lazy when you don't do it.

I shall have to get myself up to speed again now though on the orchestral pieces I have to play at my two amateur orchestras when I next go.