OT 4 weeks post shoulder surgery

It is 4 weeks today.

I have one more week of wearing a sling. I had it off Sunday to ice shoulder, dropped ice pack and grabbed it with bad arm, felt like a knife stuck in it. Two more weeks of sling, then rehab will change focus from mobility to strength training.

My spirits are getting down thinking about all the things I cannot do. I am down to pain meds twice a day.

Hang in there David.

I had 4 surgeries on my right foot on Sept 26, 2012 went back to work on Dec 12th after off 11 weeks. I went in for a check up on Dec 31st and the x-ray showed on of the two long screws had broke and bone separated a little. Another screw is still holding things together for now. I've been off work ever since the 31st and confined to a cast for 4 weeks and now in walking boot and in the house. Talk about going crazy... I've had to take my work shoes to a shoe repair shop and now having the soles built up and a rocker put on my right shoe. I am beside myself any more. I'm glad this happened this winter and not this spring. So hang in there, there's always some one worse off than you and I.

I go out and stare at my tools and equipment.

David G.,
Hang in there. It will get better - recovery takes a good long awhile.

On the bright side, you know how to use a computer so you can "talk" on YT or watch tractor or plowing videos on youtube.

I also agree with John B., at least winter is the best time to be laid-up.

I have one week in today for rotator cuff surgery. This is the third time. One day later got the vurtergo virus, I don't know about the spelling, thought I was going to die. Feeling better now. Can't go out and work on any tractors for awhile.

good luck to you

I have had 7 major surgeries. The worst is rotator cuff surgery, have had both sholders done. 2 broke in my right sholder when I fell standing on the top of a 10 foot step ladder. Recovery takes a long time. I have had more painfull surgery but on R-C surgery it goes on and on. My surgeries are very succesful though. I am 78 and just finished hanging sheetrock in a 30X30 ceiling by myself.

Have been there too, it seems like an eternity since you posted about anticipating the surgery, now 4 weeks past, time does fly.

No one likes to be on the bench, can slow time down, but you are 4 weeks out. Don't feel bad, I've got issues in both ankles, one worse than the other, as the doctor has already been in the good one, surgical procedure on the horizon, not sure about any other options. Then at least one shoulder, might be both. SOmehow I can pass the time, but for a little while its monotonous. I still cannot figure why in the mid 40's ones body is so darned worn or has such serious problems, farmer friends middle son, had both hips replaced around the same age, doctor asked how long he has been working, since elementary school, doc says, well thats 40 years of wear, much of it on the dairy farm. He could hardly walk, still going to work, saw him in TSC not long ago, complete turn around, amazing what they can fix today !!!

Careful with the arm, you don't want to injure it again. Time passes quickly. Keep a cheerful attitude.

The screws came from China>>>>

Hang in their, had to have knee surgery on my right knee. They did surgery on a Thursday and had me at therapy on the following Monday morning. Cant remember hurting like that since, scoped lower part and opened top up. I had tore 95 percent of ligaments from knee cap. Was on crutches almost 2 months during winter, got tired of it real quick. Scott

I don't know why you are still wearing a sling now.A few years ago,I had a complete shoulder joint replaced on a Dec.14,dressed myself for release on the 16th,wore sling week-week half(off and on),pain meds less then week or if needed,started driving and therapy first week of Jan.lifting wts.and rowing machine either 5 or 6 weeks every other day.Started empting grain bins late Feb.-Early March,climbing into cab over truck.It is all in what the doctor says and what you feel or want to do.To each his own,but it seems like people that don't push themselfs take longer to heal up.Good luck in whatever you have to do to get back on your feet.

It will get much better! I'm 8 months out on my second RC surgery (right side). Had the left RC done 6 years ago. Left side was easier but I always figured it was a full year before I didn't have any pain. Doctor this time he tells his patients 12 to 18 months. First one was done by the doctor, along with another, who wrote the procedure for the repair, second doctor trained under him. With both repairs, I was carrying square hay bales to the animals 3-4 days after surgery -but very carefully. This last repair went so well, the sling was out the window at 4 days after surgery. It caused more pain to wear it than without it. Even in therapy, I was doing at 5-6 weeks that most were doing at 4 months. Try not to do anything that causes pain. First time was due to the work I was doing, lifting 30,000 to 35,000 lbs per day almost every day. Once could throw a 50lb bag of grain 30-35ft. Doc told me that it was over 50% severed. Other shoulder was just getting older and having bone spurs grinding/cutting on the tendon.
First repair, the therapist did more harm in recovery by being too agressive - doctor made them lighten up and take their time. Now days, they aren't nearly as aggressive (6yrs later) -seems that the doctors/therapists found things recovered faster by not pushing too hard.
I'm no longer a spring chicken at 60 yrs but life still keeps getting better and better.
Today, I'm recoverying from having a 5mm kidney stone yanked out!
Good thing is, this gives us time to make plans for this summers tractor projects. I'm adding an extra hyd valve to a Farmall 756, repairing a trans leak on my Case VAC-14, repairing some of my hit-n-miss gas engines, and thinking about finnishing a restoration on a 1960 boat with a white 40hp Merc w/tail finns.
Glad to hear it's getting better -best of luck.
Loren

(quoted from post at 19:15:22 02/26/13) I don't know why you are still wearing a sling now.A few years ago,I had a complete shoulder joint replaced on a Dec.14,dressed myself for release on the 16th,wore sling week-week half(off and on),pain meds less then week or if needed,started driving and therapy first week of Jan.lifting wts.and rowing machine either 5 or 6 weeks every other day.Started empting grain bins late Feb.-Early March,climbing into cab over truck.It is all in what the doctor says and what you feel or want to do.To each his own,but it seems like people that don't push themselfs take longer to heal up.Good luck in whatever you have to do to get back on your feet.

Click to expand...

Don't listen to this guy. Cuff repair is much different than shoulder replacement. The tendon repair takes a long time to heal. Listen to the doc and do not push yourself any harder than he says.

Well Chuck,it depends on the doctor and how he does the process.We have a couple doctors (for R.Cuff)that will have you back in full mode in 4 to 6 weeks and others that wouldn't have you fit in a yr.Mine was all DR.approved and on his scheduled time table.So a lot depends on Surgeon and how good his work is.