Way to go Marni. Welcome back.

Don't forget that your body is still under an enormous amount of stress. That takes oxygen, protein, all the same things that vigorous exercise does. And even if you aren't really aware of it, there's a huge amount of pain in the background, and that's a stressor, too. It's no wonder you had to work extra hard to do things that might've been easy before your surgery. It hasn't "faded."

Rest and smile.