Ladies, Gentlemen,
My whole story starts the day I was getting up off the floor. I put my right hand down to steady myself and help me stand up. I heard my cuff tear and then a quick "pop POP" and I was in a world of hurt. I tried to fix it myself thinking that I could still use my arm so the damage couldn't be all that bad. I was wrong. I managed to destroy my right cuff and tear two of the four bicep tendons. Just about every time I would reach out forward, like picking up a sponge, would cause real pain.
I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Stayner at Northern Rocky Orthopedics to see what needs to be done. After general x-rays, the doctor sent me for an MRI of both shoulders. Come to find out, my left shoulder is just as bad as the damage to the right shoulder and reccomended a reverse joint replacement because my cuff and two tendons were beyond repair. Same with my left shoulder. I was hoping I wouldn't need to repair the left shoulder because that's my retarded hand and I thought I didn't need a repair.
I am at ten days post surgery on my left shoulder. My range of motion is much better than pre-op.
I have been sleeping well and I haven't needed opioids since last Thursday afternoon.
I have been doing stretching and very easy ROM movements many times a day.
I know it doesn't sound very wonderful but I am able to remove a can of Copenhagen from my left rear pocket of my pants. I realize that doesn't seem like a big deal. When your time comes, you will find out how hard I've been working on my PT.
When I had my right shoulder fixed in March(14th) it took me about 3 months of constant stretching to be able to take my wallet out of my right rear pocket and I don't want to do that part again. I was able to cast a flyrod but I couldn't takie my wallet out of my pocket.
I went to PT 3 times a week for 6 weeks. All of the six weeks were spent on ROM with very little use of my muscles. Basiclly, I either laid on my back or sat in a chair while a pleasant young lady moving my arm around for 45 minutes and send me home. I can do all of my PT by myself and save a thousand dollars to buy more ammunition and reloading supplies.
I am able to drive safely with both hands on the steering wheel and I'm back to wiping my ass with my left hand already, all of the practicing I did to train my right hand to do that task was useful last week.
In my opinion, the surgery I had done, a full reverse joint replacement, is way, way easier and way,way less painful and debilitating than a rotator cuff repair, no doubt about it. I say this because I helped my wife with her PT after a partial cuff tear a few years ago. My wife is no sissy and is the mother of our kids. She even told me the pain from the repair is worse than delivering a child. I believe her.
Anyway, if anybody cares,
I would be happy to answer any questions, let me know.
journals.lww.com
Had to completely redo the tyvek, that peak was the last bit that needed to be done. Bitch of it was I had just thought about getting down and moving the ladder. But it was lunchtime and I was in a hurry. My nephew was with me and I told him we'd go out deer hunting that afternoon.
