Update on Shoulder

I thought I might pass along an update on the shoulder for anyone who cares.

Well, it has now been about 7 weeks since my shoulder surgery. Here is my current progress and some of the things I've learned:

Things are progressing, but it's slow (very). I can finally sleep on my bed, after 6+ weeks of only being able to sleep in a recliner. Oh, and I can now sleep for more than a couple hours at a stretch (YAY!). Not being able to sleep is absolute torture after a while! I've been going to PT for about 5 weeks now, but still no active engagement of the muscles yet (not for another 5-ish weeks). I don't have to wear the sling around the house now (YAY!), but still have to wear it out in public (BOO!). I was able to get rid of the big pad at my side for the sling (it's called an 'abductor cushion'), so at least the sling is much lower profile now and I don't look like I need a heavy equipment backup alarm and flashing yellow light anymore. I can put my arm up on the desk to type, but I'm supposed to assist it up (I don't always though). So, all in all, there has been progress, but again just very slow.

On the negative side, I met with my Ortho surgeon last week and he kind of leveled with me on what all they had to do. It was grim, and he said... "We had to do a LOT of work on you!". He'd shared what they did very vaguely all along, but apparently didn't want to discourage me with the extent of the repair. There are apparently several grades of shoulder damage / repairs ranging from "Minor", to "Medium", "Large" and "Massive". Mine was at the upper end of the "Massive" category. As a result, he said, it will take quite a bit longer to heal and rehabilitate than most. (not good). This was in response to a question I asked him about why I was still having so much pain. Well, now I know. As far as usefulness goes, I am totally worthless when it comes to doing any work which involves lifting any weight, pulling, or pushing, with my right arm at all. And, in my life, this is pretty much everything.

Some things I've learned: First, major shoulder surgery just flat-out sucks! I had no idea just how much. I'd definitely think long and hard before doing it again. It was way worse than my knees (or any other surgery I've ever had). On a good note, I've been pretty amazed at what I've learned how to do with my non-dominant left hand. I can even sign my name with my left hand now, and write (not great, but I can do it). Bottom line - Things are progressing, but it's been a very long road so far, and will be much longer before all is said and done.

P.S. - My cooking exploits have gone to about zero. I can make canned soup. I can't really cut anything very easily (safely). I tried to post a recipe a couple weeks back for something simple/easy (biscuits and gravy), but that was totally not appreciated here. I won't make that mistake again.
Needless to say, I'm pretty bored and missing not being able to do stuff.

That's about it for the update.

Take care, everyone.

Get well soon, and anything with a double side order of gravy is on my list of favourites foods. I guess it’s a southern thing.

I asked before and never saw the answer, but who does the cowboy stuff now? Do the cows feed themselves?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Morn', brother Clay! I thought reading your update...to remind you to look into rehabing based on age, health, lifestyle...in...SPORTS MEDICINE.

Football players and baseball hitters...all have had some shoulder etc damage....and they recover.

Look into there rebuilding of you full r.o.m.(range of motion).

You'll get there....it's just takin time...you're(we're) older now

a reply to: network dude

Can't we just see him...3:30 a.m....layin out under his tractor thawing the engine..with 1 arm???!!!😉🤙

a reply to: network dude

Sorry, I thought I answered this, but I guess not.

My lovely bride has been doing all the cow work (feeding, etc.). She was already pretty good at running the equipment (tractor and skid steer loader) prior to my surgery because we share the responsibilities anyway. We tried to get all of the heavy / wrangling work done before my surgery, so any animals which needed to be moved around from pasture to pasture, and any animals getting shipped out were already done. We had one lady flake out on us so one of the heifers we had sold is still here, but getting her loaded shouldn't be too difficult.

Payback for all my bride's efforts while I'm out of commission is not going to be fun!! It's a LOT of work!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You want some really, really good news?

I'm about 1 year and 3 months out from mine. I did not have rotator cuff issues. I just had a global capsulotomy, SLAP repair, and suprascapular nerve decompression. I still have soreness in that right shoulder. I can do pretty much everything with it although it's not as flexible as the left, and I have to be really careful because it had a lot of muscle atrophy in and around the rotator cuff and other areas and a lot of muscle guarding.

So it's weaker than the left, and it doesn't just go from OK to tired to exhausted and give me warnings that it's done. It goes from tired to insta-spasm, and that's not pretty. I pushed myself that hard in practice one night. It only happened once, but I learned that night that my shoulder joint itself was past the point of being sore. Now it's just muscle healing as much as it will.

Btw, when I say weaker, that's relative. The right shoulder is getting steadily stronger all the time. It's just lagging behind the left.

It does sound like you are making progress though. It is slow. I went from having zero degrees internal/external rotation in my shoulder join at all to where it's a bit tight, but normal again.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

She'll deserve it.

I won't pretend my husband had to run a farm, but he did have to try to figure out how to wash my hair for me for months. That's no easy task!

I still use an abductor cushion long after shoulder injury....it is my friend for life now.

Hang in there you will make it.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Arthroscopy takes even longer than a total replacement,
as you and I know too well Clay. The big deal with MY
arthritic scrape [was] a sudden, almost total lack o' lube.

Whoever is sayin' gravy is damn close to the Rosetta Ringer....
because collagen, collagen, LOCATION. It's rebuild time.
I was back to my dwarf bass fiddle plugged in or not, after
only 3 1/2 - 4 months; thank God still quick as Wyatt tee-totalin'.
Hold the pepper, and flood the biscuits with scratch. It works!

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: network dude

Sorry, I thought I answered this, but I guess not.

My lovely bride has been doing all the cow work (feeding, etc.). She was already pretty good at running the equipment (tractor and skid steer loader) prior to my surgery because we share the responsibilities anyway. We tried to get all of the heavy / wrangling work done before my surgery, so any animals which needed to be moved around from pasture to pasture, and any animals getting shipped out were already done. We had one lady flake out on us so one of the heifers we had sold is still here, but getting her loaded shouldn't be too difficult.

Payback for all my bride's efforts while I'm out of commission is not going to be fun!! It's a LOT of work!

Yea, you will owe her a few back rubs. Glad to hear you can have your duties managed by someone else. The way you described all there was to do, I couldn't imagine how it would get done without hiring a guy to do the work for you. Sounds like you married the right woman. I hope you get back in the game soon. Don't rush it, or you might end up worse off, and that won't do anyone any good.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Get well soon!

I recommend that you keep doing the physiotherapy, even if it might feel like it helps nothing.

Get well soon FCD! I was wondering how you arrived at your user name? I assume you probably shot up a bunch of flying clay disks with a shot gun at some point in time?

a reply to: Trucker1

Yep! That's part of it.

I also fly a lot (or used to), and work in aviation, so the name just seemed to fit.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Glad you’re getting at least some sleep. Sorry to hear about the long process. I’ve got a bad shoulder injury as well.

My doc friend said two years for full recovery. I opted out. Simply couldn’t lose that much time. I know your issue was more severe though.

Unfortunately, it’s very common for surgeons to be vague about pretty much everything.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I'm very sorry you can't cook. If we were neighbors I'd be happy to share my food and wine with you like good old fellas.

I feel for you but don't want to share your pain by any means. Sounds like it might take longer to heal and might make it harder to do your work from now on. I am a realist, I don't sugar coat anything.

You may have to reduce your workload in the upcoming years if it does not heal good. That is life. It will take longer to do things to put less stress on the shoulder, either lower the work or increase the tools to make it easier. Buying more tools to do your kind of farm work is very expensive. Fixing those tools when they mess up is also hard on the shoulder.

Sorry I am not more optimistic about this, but you will survive, it will be frustrating at first till you get used to getting less done in a day. I am sure by now you know how to do things efficiently, but with that shoulder, it will cause some inefficiency now for a while.

a reply to: Trueman

Thank you very much, that is very kind and very much appreciated! Please know we would always do the same!

It's not that we don't have anything to eat as much as it is me just not being able to cook, which I love to do. Plenty to eat and the wife is a fantastic cook, but she's already doing so much I can't really expect that too. So now we just eat simpler and easier. Probably not as healthy, but it is a lot less work for her.

a reply to: rickymouse

Yeah, I don't think I have any unrealistic expectations, but I am planning on working extra hard to rehab the shoulder. If I lose some range of motion that's probably manageable. What I need to get back is the strength and power.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You should inform yourself about the usage of comfrey.

Comfrey has the power to support the healing process.
It will ease your pain.

Use it daily, there are various recipes from the roots and also from the leaves.
Of course, there is various kind of comfrey stuff available in the pharmacies.

Never underestimate the power of COMFREY !

Best regards and alles Gute