This is quite the challenge, typing with a sling, but that’s what I’m doing. You may have wondered why I haven’t posted in a while, or maybe you haven’t, but I’ve been dealing with shoulder pain for most of this year. I had shoulder problems years ago, but a cortisone shot took care of it. It flared up again in February and I finally got a shot in April, which lasted through May and then the pain really flared up. One MRI later I found out I have a torn rotator cuff along with some bursitis and a bone spur. Surgery was scheduled for this last Wednesday to repair the rotator cuff and clean up the bursa and remove the bone spur. I was originally scheduled for surgery at 2 in the afternoon, but got a call at 9 that morning to say the surgeon was ahead of schedule and I was now scheduled for noon. My sister and I quickly got ready and headed out to the hospital. I went under anesthesia for the outpatient surgery and my sisters waited while I was under the knife. From what they say, it went well. I was home by 5. I go back for my post-op appointment on Tuesday.
The last few days were pretty rough while I was hooked up to an ice machine for 72 hours. The pain has been manageable, but I was nauseous from the anesthesia and couldn’t sleep very well due to the machine that was attached to my shoulder.
Ok, I don’t think I was smiling much while hooked up to that contraption.
Once the ice machine was removed, I’ve become somewhat more normal, well, normal for someone with one arm in a sling.
Ok, she looks nothing like normal, at least post-shoulder-arthroscopy-with-subacromial-decompression-and-partial-acromioplasty normal. What’s with all the smiling…
Actually, the pain has been really manageable, even when I went off the narcotics and switched to Motrin. So, I’m off work for a few weeks, in a sling for a little while longer and anticipating several months of rehab. If I’m able to work a few pounds off in the process, 2009 should start out pretty good. And I’m really motivated to get back in shape, with another grandson on the way… Yeah, Mandy’s due in March. Looking forward to 2009.
All Things Elda 