First Day Back

(Some of you got a sneak preview of this post last night. Derek accidentally clicked post instead of schedule. We will refund everyone a prorated portion of their subscription fee at no additional charge, while supplies last.)

I arrived at work on Monday and didn’t know if my badge would work, or how long it would take for me to get back to work. I walked in the front door, swiped my badge and saw the familiar blinking green light that let me in. I made it to my desk 18 minutes before the countdown clock reached zero and surprised the co-workers that were decorating my office. Busted!

I had some trouble logging into my computer – the password had expired and I had to figure out that it wasn’t plugged into the network, but otherwise getting back to work was unremarkable. I went to some meetings, ate my big lunch, and left on time.

It was awesome seeing everyone.

• My first encounter was with someone I pass all the time in the halls and we exchange a nod and a “hi”, but I am embarrassed to admit I don’t know his name. I can only imagine what went through his head, and I thought I saw a double-take, but got the familiar “hi”.
• I got a few huge hugs – probably not HR approved but the helium balloons in my office were also probably not allowed on company property without the proper chemical approval process. I won’t be reporting anyone to HR or the chemical police.
• People I work with on a regular, irregular, tangential, and nonexistent basis all came by or sent me messages to welcome me back.

Others see my color and healthy complexion as the big change from pre-transplant to today. For me, it’s my energy. I did a great job of hiding how tiring life was, but after a normal day of work I would struggle for energy in the evening. One day of the weekend would consist of 4 hour naps to recover from the week. So far, the return to work has not had the same effect. Some of my friends thought I would be tired after the first day of work, which might be true, but it’s worlds more energy than I remember.