Hi Grace, PT always begins the day after, they get you out of bed to stand and show you how to get yourself in and out of bed and even how to breathe. Be sure to listen to the PT, they are good people. My last op, I stood up with the PT and 3 hours later with the help of nurse walked to the toilet. Dr, PT and nurses amazed. It felt good to stand!
I too have a high pain threshold and drug tolerance. They had me on morphine and ketamine pump for the first 3 days and then just morphine pump for 1 day and then down to morphine injections for 1 day and then down to 10mg oxy norm for breakthrough pain and lastly oxy 5mg. On release I was put on OxyContin 20mg slow release twice a day and 5mg oxy norm for breakthrough pain.
I saw the PT every day in hospital and then once a week post release. All was good until 2 weeks post op on the weekend I was outside to fill the dog water bowls and when I turned the tap on my back froze. I stuck it out for the weekend, saw the Dr. Had X-Ray and they realised there is a problem with L2/3 and because L4/5 & now S1 fused L2/3 working harder. I genuinely believe if I had not gone outside and started basic small things so soon I would have been better off, hence why I say, get help for everything 6 weeks post surgery. After my back froze I struggled to even get milk from the fridge door, but, I still carried on.
I've had complications after every surgery because of my high pain threshold, when normal people feel pain they stop doing things, we instead just carry on until it reaches the point we can't. We should stop and recognise our body is saying no, we need to rest now. I don't mean stop everything and lie down, I mean really limit bending, lifting, straining, stretching or reaching out. Yes to walking, yes to PT exercises and no no everything else including pulling the covers up and making the bed.
If you live on your own or even if not, get a stock of ready made meals into the freezer, better yet, get one of those healthy weight loss companies that will deliver all your 3 meals and 2 snacks for each day delivered every week. In Australia we have a company called lite n easy. It takes all the pressure off from shopping, driving, food prep etc. Get someone to be there to unpack the meals into fridge and freezer and voila good to go. Don't stack or unpack the dishwasher, hand wash dishes as you go. Get someone else to clean house, load and unload washing machine, strip beds and remake. Anything else can wait!
Tell your anaesthetist you have a high pain threshold and drug tolerance and tell him/her you are frightened post surgery the pain relief will be insufficient so he/she can be sure to write you up for the correct amount of pain control. Otherwise nurses won't believe you!
It sounds a lot, but really, the hindsight of others can help you immensely.