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Working on the recovery.

Posted , 9 users are following.

henpen1980
henpen1980

Never in a million years did my family, friends, or I ever imagine that I would need rotator cuff repair.  I had a spectacular slip on sneaky black ice.  I flew high into the air.  Off balanced falling backward fearful of smashing my head on the frozen asphalt I reached my left hand down to protect my head.  The heel of my hand hit the asphalt the force drove up through my wrist, elbow, and shoulder.  My shoulder dislocated ripping the supraspinatus muscle tendon and the infraspinatus muscle tendons completely free and retracted from the humeral head.  The subscapularis muscle tendon partially tore.  The humeral head was off center "riding high" because the muscles that stabilize the joint were ripped.  

The pain was excruciating.  The surgeon used screws to reattach the two tendons completely ripped off.  The pain is intense.  For 13 days after the surgery, I wept nearly 24/7.  Tears slinking down my cheeks to full blown sobbing complete with moaning and groaning.  I used 60 Rx pain pills in 10 days with little success.  I have broken bones and I have been cut off east to west yet this pain and recovery is the most challenging ever!  

I started PT last week.  <deep sign> The recovery is going to be a long and winding path.  The progress is going to be slow.  Healing is at its own pace.  The physical therapist told me that regaining range of motion and former usage will take one year.  He said that I will eventually be able to swim again (I am a former collegiate All-American swimmer).  I will one day be able to reach and grab my bicycle's handlebars, load and paddle my kayak.  I used to play first base and bat fourth in the lineup.  I can't throw a ball or lift a bat at the moment.  

Thankfully the dog is well trained but cleaning the cat's litter box is a challenge as is changing the pets' water crocks. It's depressing but it will improve.  I will need to regain enough ROM and strength to reach the sink faucet, brush my teeth, wash my hair, shower, and dress in a timely manner before I rule out success. 

<deep sigh> I am on FMLA from work.  I wonder how I will return to work in a couple of weeks.  I find myself sleeping a lot.  Doing simple things is exhausting.  I have tried to walk a half mile and find myself pooped.  I used to jog 5-9 miles 4-5 times a week.  Who'd thought a shoulder injury would impact short walks?  

My friends remind me that rest and sleep is important despite the discomfort and pain.  it is a long process but I will make it through and so will you, my shoulder injury cohorts.    

2 likes, 55 replies

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  • Galvanized
    Galvanized henpen1980

    Posted

    Hey Henpen i'm post 5 years after my injury allthough it wasn't as half as serious as yours it was still traumatic enough to damage my shoulder long term.

    I remember those dark , s**t days when i was off work for 10 weeks in tears sitting on my settee thinking my shoulder is never going to be better, i remember the pain , the horrible sharp nerve pain down my arms , in my trap muscle.....but like you WILL i made it out the other side.

    Your positive mail tells me all i need to know you will get better and as the years pass after the accident and you gradually get better and better you'll realise just how precious shoulder mobility is.

    I had a lot of chiropractor wrk after the injury had recovered to re-align my shoulder and stop the nerves pinching , that allowed me to reach a certain level of mobility...it wasn't cheap but i had no choice i was in so much pain and our ( Uk ) NHS was useless..imagine  a9 month waiting list for physiotherapy when you are in agony every day., i went back to work on light duties spoke to my boss he helped me a lot. I did a lot of research myself on shoulder injuries , how they heal , what exercises you can do to re-strengthen ..i wanted to get better i remembered those painfull days...

    Now i have around 80% mobility in my shoulder , it still hurts and aches inside when i raise it vertically above my head but as in real life how often do i have to do this..very rarely..My supraspinatus is enlarged from the scar tissue and will always be like that now , still causes a bit of nerve pain and makes my trapezius muscle tight so i do a lot of stretching on my neck regularly. 

    From where i was to where i am now i'll take it im not 100% and i don't think i will ever be again shoulder wise but i can live with it and my quality of life is confortable with it. ,,i also did a bit of research into turmeric with bioperin as an anti-inflammatory ( used for 100's of years ) instead of taking countless ammounts of co-codamols and ibuprofens . I take 1 a day and i feel they work very well for me personally. i don't advocate taking any medications unless you fully research them yourself tho.

    Good luck , keep us posted this forum is great for just posting up stuff on how you are doing etc...

    Best of Luck Gavin

     

    • lydia45630
      lydia45630 Galvanized

      Posted

      I've just started taking Turmeric C3 Complex too, and I've ordered something called Serra Enzyme, which turns on the bodies anti-inflammatory mediators...I use it on the dogs, so got a max strength one for myself...like yourself, I'm not a lover of prescription medications so always on the look out for something that Mother Nature can provide xx

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 Galvanized

      Posted

      Hello, thank you for the encouragement and thank you for sharing your experience.  I appreciate it!  God Bless!
  • lydia45630
    lydia45630 henpen1980

    Posted

    Good lord! You poor thing!! This sounds just awful, and yes, it is amazing just what you use your shoulders for!!...in fact I don't think anyone realises until they have constant pain in them...there's only 1 thing in my life which doesn't hurt my shoulders, and it's the 1-2 hours of deep R.E.M. Sleep each night...everything else is a washout, and yes, even gravity pulling on your arms when they're down the side of your body hurts like Billy Oh !!....I hope this will all become a distant memory for you soon xx

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 lydia45630

      Posted

      Hello, thank you for the kind words.  I completely understand your comments about (brief) sleep and the (temporary) relief.  I am four weeks out from the surgery.  Slow and steady we go forth!  Be well and God Bless!
    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 lydia45630

      Posted

      I will be going out of work AGAIN June 1 for pre-op of the PT's mistake and June 2 for re-repair surgery.  Unbelievable. =((((

  • marsha34470
    marsha34470 henpen1980

    Posted

    3 months post op of a big supra tear. very little rom. started pt
    • marsha34470
      marsha34470

      Posted

      started pt 2 mos ago. first it is passive (therpist moves muscles) now into active. i do arm bike, then pullty, facing wall (can't straighten arm out enough for sitting) then stretching ball, therapist has me usiing weight bands (strenghtening) then therapist stretches me. last of all heat on shoulder. os next month if no improvement continue discusssion about reverse replacement. 

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 marsha34470

      Posted

      You will get there!!  Do not give up!!  Have you talked to your therapist and your doctor about PT in a swimming pool??  If not, you should.  You could participate in a low impact water class such as water walking with modifications to the exercises.  You could also spend a little time after class working on your range of motion in the water, gently floating and moving your hand and arm.  The water's buoyancy works wonders and is very uplifting to our emotional health.  Do not give up.  Keep your chin up and keep going!!

       

    • marsha34470
      marsha34470 henpen1980

      Posted

      i never know whom i wrok with at therapy.each time different. my rom is oorp.very little forwaed, no overhead  still cat drice. hard ftfo reach gear shid. had to move body to move arn. met soeone at pt who had repacemnet. he oblterated 3 of 4 muscles. used same ortho group as me.. begining to think i m in cuff repair failure. it happensi.. another blogtol me sehad cuff repair & pt din't heel

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 marsha34470

      Posted

      12/26/16 I had a dumb accident resulting in dislocating my shoulder AND 3 of 4 of the rotator cuff tearing and ripping.  Two completely ripped off the head of the humerus.  The third is a partial tear.  Because of the damage the head of my humerus was out of place (dislocated) "riding high" is what the doctors call it.  12/27/16 I saw the specialist.  The swelling was so bad that seven x-rays and a CT scan could not reveal all the damage.  I used my sling and went to work (I was a recreation director for 23 years, and now I teach high school).  

      It was a terrible struggle to drive to work and to work with my students.  My drive to work is 45 minutes to an hour each way.  One handed during rush hour traffic.  People drive like nuts.  Winter weather driving is not easy either.  I am left handed, and I injured my left shoulder.  

      I gimped along until 1/12/17 when I scheduled the MRI.  1/19/17 the specialist and looked at the calendar.  We chose 1/27/17 as the day for the day surgery.  I am on Family Medical Leave from work (without pay) for six weeks.  I started PT 2/13/2017.  I canceled PT after that appointment and went back to the specialist 2/16/17. I thought the PT pulled out the screws.  I restarted PT  2/21/17.  I go two times a week, and I work on my exercises at home every day.  I have no independent movement above the elbow.  My shoulder is dead at the moment but I know it will get better and I know you will get better too!  I am not sure when I will be cleared to return to work.  FMLA will extend for another six weeks if needed.  I know I will return at some point before June.  I am unable to do a lot of things but I know I have to keep working at it.  I cry sometimes.  The pain is intense. I feel odd sensations in the shoulder joint but I know at this stage in the game healing is going on.  I may not have my full ROM when this is all said and done.  But that doesn't mean I will give up.  You cannot give up either.The orthopedist (specialist) said the point of my surgery was to move the head of the humerus back to its regular place.  The two muscles detached and retracted keep the head of the humerus in place. Those two muscles are not reconnected (screwed back into the head of the humerus).  ZERO guarantees that I will have independent movement above the elbow.  BUT I will share that the human body is an amazing machine.  We need to give it time to heal.  We need to rest and keep our chin up.  Sure we can be frustrated and weepy distraught and disappointed.  But at the end of the day, we need to remind ourselves that our bodies can and will heal.I do not know why you have rotating PT staff.  Perhaps you can ask for the same PT person each visit or call around for another PT office.  I would politely investigate the situation i.e. having the same therapist each visit.  If that is not possible, maybe your doctor's office can make another PT location recommendation.  Speaking of your doctor perhaps you might want to look into a second opinion from a different doctor in a different office.  There is nothing wrong with seeking a second opinion.  How did you injury your shoulder?  Have you looked up videos online to help you understand what is happening with your recovery?  Investigate more before you start talking about shoulder replacement. You will be okay.  You will get better.  Keep your chin up!!

    • marsha34470
      marsha34470 henpen1980

      Posted

      fell last june making the bed. banged rt shoulder (dominant) saw os 10 days later. had mri done in j uly.2 wks later saw os  tear in supra( big)had surgery 11/15. pt startd a mo later. os doesntc care where i go for pt too late  to start new only 4 sessions lef tpt not working, pt gve me so so report lst mo. another blogger pt failed to help. cant drive, daughter cooks hard to reach in stove. when cuff repair  fails reverse is next step even ptt says something not rt  hubby wants me to wt til i turn 65 in dec (medicate kicks n. i dont want to wait lack ofmoton freaks m out.
    • marsha34470
      marsha34470 henpen1980

      Posted

      ps

      have been doing lots of research re cuff repair, repair failure and reverse.

      in 2 wks will ask pt for another report. last report as i said was so so, but my numbers(measurements)

      did go up, though not by much.

    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 marsha34470

      Posted

      Numbers are going up!! That is good news!! Do you remember to practice your PT exercises at home?  Do not freak out.  Take charge of your recovery.  Own it.  Shoulder replacement may not be the answer.  These injuries can take a year or longer to heal.  You must stay positive.  Do not freak out.  Do not give up.  Keep your chin up!!  God Bless YOU!!
    • marsha34470
      marsha34470 henpen1980

      Posted

      Movement very limited. This condition is depressing because I am not self reliant anymore. Used to being independent.. very hard to cook on stove if not up front, hard to cook in stove, hard to clean up dishes, etc. All the little things I took for granted...
    • henpen1980
      henpen1980 marsha34470

      Posted

      PT got my arm to 150 degrees yesterday.  I did a lot of stuff some new things during PT.  I got home feeling good.  Then I looked in the mirror at the repaired shoulder and burst into tears.  Weeping is a good outlet.  Pity parties are helpful but they cannot consume us.  Stay focused.  Dummy down your expectations, for now.  Get things done.  Keep moving YOU CAN DO IT!!
    • marsha34470
      marsha34470 henpen1980

      Posted

      All I want is to raise my arm again and reach out Wed is my last P T and I'll be measured again. Last month it was 115 up from 112..

      I am frustrated because I can't drive or garden. I don't know how stiff you are, but it is hard for me too move

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