I doubt this is carved in stone. When there is an absence of better ideas, it is not uncommon for a plan to be made out of pure conjecture. The vestibular therapy is conjecture too.

Try to relax and go with it documenting in your journal along the way. If you struggle the first week of work, you can ask to extend the 2 hours per day.

Try to relax. You don't have any better ideas than they have. You just have anxiety. Go with the flow for 6 weeks and see where you are then.

My best to you.

Nailed it Mark, I am freeeeeaking out. Anxiety high, pain high, (not sure which caused which today, chicken/egg) ears full, and still able to laugh at myself a little.

Time to attempt sleep. Tomorrow is a new day!

I knew you had your doctors appt and was hoping you'd update us! Mark is spot on with this, your anxiety about the return is going to be your toughest fight here! It's understandable to be worried.

At any stage of this it can be changed if your doctor feels it's necessary or if your therapist doesn't feel you're ready. A good therapist will be golden because they will spend much more time with you and do tests etc that they can use in reports to WCB.

I find it a little odd that your vestibular therapy is daily. I see my therapist weekly or every two weeks and in between I do the exercises myself. I wonder what they're going to do with you every day. Is it just vestibular therapy or is it physical or occupational also? When does that start? Please share what they're having you do as I'm still having dizziness as one of my biggest issues.

I hope you are able to find a way to remain calm and take this all one day only at a time. I was not succeeding in that and have found low dose medication helpful. it might be an option for you if needed in the future.

Good luck to you! You've come a long way!

CC

I was supposed to go back to work next week to ease back in per doctors plan. I was to work Tues and Thurs to have a day off in the middle and weekends to recover. My HR won't allow it. They want me back all or nothing and I think the doctor is right -- to ease back in. (I am better, but also wonder about a relapse) I have my union looking into this and need to work on my rights too -- but going back to work does make me nervous a bit because I did that once and it didn't go so well.

It seems to me that no one, no doctor, not you, certainly not the Human Resources dept, really know **for sure** how to ease back to work, or there are guidelines, but you have to listen to yourself, watch what happens to avoid a relapse.

Keep us posted about returning to work. It is on my mind too as I prepare yet another week of lessons for school.

Take care,

poetry mom aka JJ

Your plan looks reasonable to me, but you should be allowed to cut back if its too much, you don't want to relapse, and surely neither does your employer want you to. I agreed the following because it takes 45 mins drive to work and 45 back to home:

5hr day In the first week.
2 x 5hrs 2nd week.
2 x 5hrs and 1 x 8hr 3rd week - just done this.
3 x 8hrs 4th week.

I will then agree another part time 4 week plan, possibly moving upto full time during this.

I think what works depends on the individual, I hope it works for you. Expect to be tired, but you will gain confidence and strength the more you do. Good luck with your return!

Poetrymom - you have to do this gradually, all or nothing is very unreasonable of HR, and to ask this is very unrealistic.