Thank you for all the tips! How much will I be allowed/physically able to use my hand while it is in the sling? Like can I hold the toothpaste tube while I open it with the good hand?
My surgery is June 3, we go to Myrtle Beach June 25th. Will the worst be over by then?
yes … the sling / **immobilizer holds your shoulder & lower arm securely … against your side
*only your wrist and hand / fingers will be movable ~
you will not wish to move your shoulder / lower arm
** it supports your lower arm and shoulder … Weight wise so there is no strain on that region
yes . Your trip 6/25 but
…you will continue to wear the immobilizer and require / benefit from [B]
ICE !
when in doubt ?
when you have nothing to do ?
before PT
after PT
ICE ICE ICE …
btw
allow your body to tell you when to sleep / turn your first five days inside out / upside down … often times bodies try to keep us up during the night after surgeries and then sleep during the day …
chalk off the first week = no expectations at all - concentrate on allowing your body to readjust …
You’ll do fine
but
this is a TOUGH ASSIGNMENT compared to THR … no need to ask me how I know ~
Regarding your Myrtle Beach trip, I think the worst will be over. I was out doing errands & things at two weeks, not that it was wonderful but I got by.
(Zu Zu - Did you get your biceps tendon reattached? Just wondering.)
Do you know how many “anchors” they think they have to put in?
“Like can I hold the toothpaste tube while I open it with the good hand?”
Of course - whatever your Doc says but I believe so. Actually, it felt a bit good to do that. It felt like it took some of the sting, stiffness & swelling out for a moment.
I think, at a few days post-op, I was given the exercises of opening & closing my fist for a few minutes a few times a day, just btw.
I agree that the nights are more painful than the days. Bring your pillows and everything you can think of to make yourself more comfortable.
I won’t have any real details on the actual procedures until the 18th because the last time I saw my doctor we were hoping the injections and PT would work and we wouldn’t ever get to this point. You all have been very helpful, it is nice to have tips from people who have been there.
as far as the details … I suffer from. ELGT = ?Extremely Low Gag Threshold …:eek:. so once they started in on details … I ‘tanked’
i remember the dr did not think I had a full tear ( RC ) as I could do everything but ride my unicycle … arms must be on constant outright position for balance
He tht I ruptured my bicep
The call came from nurse … ‘Calling to sign you up for surgery … Dr. Is excited you have a full and complicated tear … You did not rupture bicep .’
The surgery took twice as long as predicted as they said something ( fingers in mmy ears) about having to double sutured it !
Thus I really don’t know the details nor wish to know … Makes me vomit ! In an uncontrollable fashion …
I could not even look at the scar for a year !
ELGT !
on phone can’t type … Sorry it’s a mess
Yes, you’ll have use of your wrist/hand/fingers on your slinged arm. I was allowed to straighten my arm a couple of times a day after the first week (and good golly that felt good!!!). Just don’t move the shoulder too much until they tell you to. Then, do your PT religiously!! PT is so essential.
You will need someone to help you with weird basics like putting on underwear and socks. No bra for a while, either. You’ll learn to put your shirts on by starting with your “bad” arm in the hole then head, then other arm. Button up shirts are much easier. Ask my husband how much fun it is when your wife can’t use one arm and gets her period. Sorry if that’s TMI! But you never think of those things! Hair is an issue as well. I had very short hair at the time of my accident so that made things much easier.
^^^ Oh dear, you poor thing with the full tear!!! I’m the opposite and have EHGT. I used to work in the OR with the surgeon who fixed my shoulder, in fact.
“I won’t have any real details on the actual procedures until the 18th.”.
I think I probably should have figured that but, perhaps, wanted to ask to help you get familiar with some things he/she may speak about and you may want to ask. In case you are an internet researcher type, it gives you time to look things up before your appointment.
Oh, here goes, I’m hesitant to say this but I should tell you that I vomited for the first 24 hrs post-op. He said it wasn’t that uncommon as he does a regional anesthetic block to the shoulder in addition to general anesthesia and that is just a lot of anesthesia. That is why I said perhaps they can add an anti-nausea into your anesthesia. And maybe they can write you a script for a few nausea pills ahead of time, for afterwards at home, just in case.
“gets her period. Sorry if that’s TMI!”
Somehow I managed that one handed o.k.
“Hair is an issue as well”
Oh, right, I did have to teach a few people how to make a pony tail. Men are terrible at making pony tails! I bought some stretchy fabric hairbands and those worked better than having people make me really terrible ponytails.
I had my rotator cuff repaired in 2013. I was in a wedge sling for 6 weeks since they had to reattach one of my tendons, it sucked.
With the wedge my elbow was too far out to close my car door without hitting it so even though it was my left arm I still couldn’t drive myself until the sling came off.
I second the ice machine, I lived in mine! I had a Breg Polar Care version with the little motor, it sounded similar to a fish tank pump for noise, so not disruptive at all. The only issue I had was I couldn’t unplug or undo the ice pad by myself so I needed help to take it on and off as well as filling the ice. It was worth every penny though!
Dressing and bathing was a challenge, my husband got really good at doing my hair and putting on my bra. Pull on bottoms are a must, I lived in loose gym shorts and track pants, buttons and snug clothes were not happening. I also needed help with things like dispensing shampoo in the shower since I was using my good hand to hold my bad arm for the first few weeks.
Be prepared to live at PT. I was there three times a week for 2-3 hours each visit for 9 months. Shoulders are complicated and according to my PT clinic are the number one surgery that therapists would not want to have themselves. Do your PT exercises at home, DO NOT DO MORE! Do not suck it up and ignore pain when doing exercises, you do not want a setback from being stubborn.
If you are having trouble with certain activities (like putting a bra on) ask your therapist for help or get a referral to an occupational therapist depending on what activity it is. It was almost 6 months before I could put my bra on by myself because I just never thought to tell my PT, until my husband had to go on a business trip… He showed me some different stretches to help get the mobility back so I could reach up behind my back and problem solved in a few weeks. Do not be shy about your needs.
The biggest issue I had with pain was the 6 weeks in the sling. My muscles do not like being immobilized and I would get a lot of cramps and seizing in my shoulder, back, and arm. We didn’t quite figure it out until I was allowed out of the sling and the pain went away almost like magic, but my doc was helpful and the muscle relaxers did help to an extent.
It’s going to suck, I’m not going to lie, but it will be worth it!
Part of the reason I am having it done in June instead of maybe November or so after the nice weather starts to fade is my daughter will be home from college so I will have some extra help. She should be able to handle the hair thing.
I am an EMT so no, not easily grossed out and I would be interested in any info. I had 3 operations in 2014 alone so getting pretty good at what works and doesn’t work for me I think as far as anesthesia and the like goes. I get very sick from it but they have done a good job of preventing that with me lately. My biggest problem is I can’t pee for about 24 hours so I have to go home with a foley. Such fun.
Oh and if you know for a fact you get nauseous from pain pills tell them before your surgery! I have the added bonus of getting nauseous if I don’t eat, so with the pre-surgery fast I’m usually already nauseous when I’m admitted. I was given a nifty little patch to wear behind my ear and a script for some nausea meds to take home with me so thankfully I didn’t have any vomiting, although the next day at my post-op they gave me a shot of toradol and THAT almost made me vomit and pass out… I’m special apparently 
Yes, the seasick patch works wonders for me. I assume this is outpatient but guess I don’t know that for sure. Is that what yours all were?
Yes, outpatient at a surgicenter.
Yup, outpatient at the specialty hospital…
“I was in a wedge sling”
I think whether you get a wedge or not depends on which tendons are torn and to what degree, correct?
I didn’t have a wedge.
I had an immobilizer = a sling with a big rectangle block that kept my lower arm away from my body … But it buckles at waist so your shoulder girdle and arm are immobile / quiet / protected !
You should not be ‘bumped’ into !
The mobilizer …love / hate relationship
You hate it at first and then depend on it so much for SO long
then
You love it and not want to take it off !
Yes a anti vomit patch helps immensely !
I set up my PT exercises / pulleys in the house and in the barn …
Rode the ATV with my immobilizer and cleaned stalls with one arm (non-dominant)
It is quite an EVENT / JOURNEY !
my full tear was due to slamming into the arena floor - pitched off my three year old mare, ZZ… on purpose I took the full brunt on my right shoulder to
???
Of course to avoid landing on my titanium left hip !
not a good plan … got up / re-mounted but found my right arm did not work
had to lift my right arm/ hand over with left hand …???
Like a marionette with cut strings on one side .
Struggled
two weeks before I went to the a emergency ward … they took one look / listened to one sentence and said … Rotator cuff !
Six months PT … 3x a week and then 2x eventually once a week .
My doctor actually tht he was going to have to repeat the surgery because inspite of my PT and diligent home exercises … ROM was sloooow to return .
I gave regained almost but not all ROM … arm
is weak … can’t pitch hay flakes from the aisle to the back corner stall hay racks .
Ill not ever have RC / shoulder surgery again ! NEVER !
[QUOTE=beaujolais;8634382]
“I was in a wedge sling”
I think whether you get a wedge or not depends on which tendons are torn and to what degree, correct?
I didn’t have a wedge.[/QUOTE]
Yes, what type of sling you wear will depend on what tendons are involved and what repairs are done. I had one tendon cut and reattached with a bone anchor so the wedge kept my arm from putting any stretch on that particular tendon until the bone healed.
Kinda interesting: A friend had a relative who had to have his r.c. repaired with grafts from a cadaver as he had shredded his so badly. It’s been a few years and has worked well for him.
:eek::eek::eek::eek: just the first part :eek: can’t look at the link :eek:
[QUOTE=beaujolais;8634478]
Kinda interesting: A friend had a relative who had to have his r.c. repaired with grafts from a cadaver as he had shredded his so badly. It’s been a few years and has worked well for him.
I still can’t believe this. It doesn’t hurt most of the time, how can it be so messed up?! I really just want to say the hell with it and leave it as is.
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