Monday 23 May 2011

Repair work


Well, I finally have a surgery date for the repair of my shoulder. July 26th is it! That will be exactly seven months to the day I injured it. I've been doing the exercises the doctor gave me, which are done with my other arm assisting, and even then it still hurts.

I've also been using an 8 lb weight to do bicep and triceps work. (Very light, I know... I use 15 lbs for my good arm, but the shoulder can only handle the lighter weight.) I don't want all the muscles in my arm to be totally wasted away. Enough of that will happen after the surgery, as I will have my arm in a sling and complete immobile for 3-4 weeks post-op.

When I went looking for a picture to use in this post, the one above was funny enough to get a chuckle out of me, so I snagged it. Got it off a blog of a guy who had the same surgery and is documenting his recovery. The file name for the artwork is "owwww". ;-)

In the two months before the surgery, I've decided that tackling a bit of excess weight is a good idea, so I've started a program to achieve that end. With the walking and the change in eating habits, I have so far managed to drop 9 lbs. It's a good start and I'm working hard to keep it going! I'm hoping to have most of what I need to lose gone by my OR date. All the clothes I wear right now will positively slide right off if I get to my goal. Okay, not if... when! Positive thinking is the way to go, right?

And thinking positively, if all goes well during my rehab after surgery, I should be back at work in time for Christmas!!! Or perhaps in November. Returning to work will be a slow and gradual affair, with duties and time increased as my shoulder allows. If I find I can't do my job as I did before (although I don't see why I won't be able to... there are lots of people around to help with heavy lifting), then I will have to retrain to do something else. Perhaps get into the computer end of things at the hospital. I was in talking to my boss last week and she mentioned that the unit will be starting to use new software in October and that perhaps I would want to work with that... but I would have to see how that would work with my disability benefits. I won't want to do anything that screws that up, because if it turns out I can't get back to work as planned, that will be my only source of income.

So I have a plan. In the meantime, I just have to hurry up and wait.

17 comments:

  1. I'm pretty positive that you can do anything that you set your mind to!
    You'd better get some dosh from somewhere so that you can buy a snazzy new wardrobe of clothes...
    SX

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  2. Nice new avatar, Scarlet! Thanks, I think I can do most things too. I actually a few items of clothings from a few years ago when I was slimmer, but yes, I definitely need to update the wardrobe!

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  3. Good advice fae the ginger wan, you can do anything you want when you put your mind to it hen.

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  4. Onward!

    Happy Victoria Day!

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  5. Nine pounds is a lot of weight to lose. Well done!
    The illustration make my eyes water.

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  6. good luck...July will be her in a bloody flash
    Sausage...

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  7. Jimmy: Thanks, hon... I do agree!

    XL: I was thinking today was Memorial Day for you, but that's in a week, isn't it.

    Pat: I know! I cringed when I saw that illustration too!

    I've got a fair bit more than that to go, but it's definitely a good start. :-)

    SF: Yeah, it will, won't it?!? Thanks!

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  8. How long are you going to be out of commission as far as typing is concerned?

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  9. UB: I can type one handed... just a helluva lot slower. I do think I will be out of commission in general for a week or two, because of the pain. I'll likely spend most of that time lounging on the couch in a drug induced haze. Won't know for sure until it happens, but I've been told by others who've had it done that it hurts like hell and to take the meds regularly. Seeing that I seem to have developed an allergy to pain, I think I'll comply.

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  10. You could always move to England and become my nurse. I can pay in bars of chocolate that I'm not going to eat now.

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  11. Dave: If you pay for the move and put me up, it might be a deal. Payment in chocolate isn't acceptable, though, as I'm on a weight loss program too! ;-)

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  12. 'Lounging on the couch in a drug induced haze'! That's me most nights! (Only joking!)

    Hope the recovery will we quick! :¬)

    xxx

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  13. Map: Is yours not an alcohol induced haze!?!?!? ;-)

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  14. I think he's low on chocolate intake...but I offer to fix that. After all, he drinks all the pints I don't start. ;)

    Yikes! was my first impression of that cartoon but I know you're focused, correctly, on the end result.

    As for the weight loss...you go girl!

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  15. Hope: Yeah, I think he needs more chocolate too. Cuz he's drinkin' beer for the both of us! I'm on extreme chocolate rationing right now. ;-)

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  16. Good morning Ponita,

    I had my shoulder rebuilt after a fall a couple of years ago I also broke several other bones including 2 vertebrae. The shoulder has taken the longest to recover. It's still a work in progress, although I can do more with it than the doctors expected.

    Plan ahead before the surgery. A place to sleep where you can sit up comfortably. You will not be able to lay down for the first few days. Eating prunes before and after the surgery can help to counter the effects of anesthesia. Eating yogurt can help to counter the effects of the antibiotics they will put you on. High doses of aspirin and ibuprofen work well if you have problems with narcotic painkillers. And finally what you put into therapy is what you will get out of therapy.

    I hope it all goes well for you!

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