Rotator cuff surgery

[Blu-meanie]

I tried acupuncture on mine. It worked. A surgeon told me to try it, but find a real guy from China... . and not a young one. It's been 8 years and still good. Three sessions.

 

[HBarlow]

I tried acupuncture on mine. It worked. A surgeon told me to try it, but find a real guy from China... . and not a young one. It's been 8 years and still good. Three sessions.

I've always wondered if acupuncture actually worked. You're the first real person I've ever known who had experienced acupuncture. Knowing how old the Chinese culture is I had to reluctantly admit it might but you're the first guy I know who had actually tried it.

 

[mwilson]

I've always wondered if acupuncture actually worked. You're the first real person I've ever known who had experienced acupuncture. Knowing how old the Chinese culture is I had to reluctantly admit it might but you're the first guy I know who had actually tried it.

It's official, "It's a Big Tear, you need surgery!!!" Woo Hoo!!! Meet with the surgeon April 16th.



He did say "Do what you want in the meantime, you can't screw it up any more than it is now"... ... . I believe him.



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

Mike,

Well, that makes your decision simple and clear.

Best of luck on the surgery and recovery.

Looking on the bright side, you're fortunate to have a job that allows you to work with your head and a computer not with your hands or body.

 

[Regcabguy]

Best of luck and don't rush it. I've had two frozen shoulder surgeries which are lightweight compared to rotator cuff. Follow your physical therapist's instructions to the tee. I've followed patient's recoveries from that surgery many times. It'll work out in the end.

 

[mwilson]

Met with surgeon yesterday, all accounts tout him as "one of the very best in Bangor". I was impressed with him and he laid it out like this... .



"Option 1, you can do therapy and bring it a ways but it will always hurt when you push it"



"Option 2, I can do the surgery, you do the therapy as I instruct and you will have a working shoulder. You have had the right side done already, you know what this will be and you must have done what you were told afterwards because you have good movement and it appears to be in good shape. Shoulder injurys are painful as you already know and so is the therapy. I feel surgery is your best option, you are already a member of the club and I feel that you are determined enough to have good results. "



I went with Option 2, for May 1st.



He rubber stamped my trip to Columbus as long as I had another driver with me but I don't know if I can deal with towing the fiver and all the things that go with it. A flat tire alone could be a disaster with one decent arm. I guess the hotel option makes more sense.



I will need a TDR emblem for my sling, will have to score one of those so people will know who the old ******* with his left arm tied up is... ... . I was gonna' make up an "mwilson" sign but the sling will work better... .



Mike.

 

[Jim W]

Mike; I hope your surgery goes good for you and you rehab too.

I had a flat last year on the trailer out in NB. Insurance company paid for the tire changing on the trailer (State Farm) along with the damage caused by the blow out.

Hope to see you there.

Jim W.

 

[HBarlow]

Mike,

The CMEP RV park is nice and if its anything like summer of 2002 a lot of fellow TDR members will be staying in the park and you'll be able to talk with many of them each evening.

Someone will help if you should have a tire failure and tire failures are very rare nowadays for those who keep them properly inflated and making sure they're not rolling on overage tires.

I recommend you take the small risk and pull your trailer. You'll enjoy it.

 

[wcoomes]

Wife had surgery on hers in 2010, we bought a recliner for her to sleep in on some advice we received. I'd suggest the same to you, and make sure if your surgery is on your right shoulder you have the recliner controls on your left. She said she couldn't have made it without it.

 

[mwilson]

Wife had surgery on hers in 2010, we bought a recliner for her to sleep in on some advice we received. I'd suggest the same to you, and make sure if your surgery is on your right shoulder you have the recliner controls on your left. She said she couldn't have made it without it.

Thank you for that and I appreciate that you posted it.



I have been through this before with my right shoulder and she is right on, there is no way that you could handle the first several weeks without a recliner.



You can prop pillows under everything, etc. but the second that you go to sleep laying down the shoulder will relax. Then you get the big jolt of pain. Repeat, repeat, repeat.



But sitting in the recliner gravity is on your side and if you get your arm on the armrest just right you can fall asleep with minimal pain. I am even thinking about celebrating my second go-around with a rotator injury by purchasing a brand new La-Z-Boy for the three weeks after surgery marathon. I may go do that next week as a matter of fact.



Mike.

 

[jgillott]

Bringing up this old thread to ask some questions from those of you who have been there before me. How do I know if it is a rotator cuff injury? I did something to my left shoulder and the pain is just incredible. I can't lift my arm above my shoulder either from the side or in front. Even leaning on the thing is just terrible. My Dr. is off for the Thanksgiving weekend. Otherwise, I'd try and see him tomorrow.

I don't even know what I did. I was laying on the floor and as I was getting up it just popped and it went to instant pain.

 

[CUMMINZ]

JG, I had forgotten about this thread and went back and read my post in March 2013. BELIEVE IT OR NOT::: I had left shoulder surgery three months ago and a total right hip replacement four months ago. Believe you me the shoulder surgery has been the worst. I just started therapy about three weeks ago and it has been fairly painful. My labrum was torn in several places and tendon problems. When I hurt mine I was deer hunting and camping in the NC mountains. While dressing early that morning I had slid my left arm through my fleece vest and the sleeve caught and I forced my arm to get it through.. I felt the burn. My arm was way back behind me and it twisted the shoulder. My therapy is working on giving me more range of motion behind my back. Doc said it would be 8-10 months for complete heeling. If you felt a burn you most likely torn the labrum. I suffered for three years before I finally had an MRI. JG good luck with the shoulder.

 

[Regcabguy]

The rehab can be tough when they start to stretch those ligaments and muscles but it'll come together. Do the home therapy religiously and by their instructions.

 

[jgillott]

I can't tell at this point if it is a burning pain or not. It hurts on the back side of my outer shoulder. It almost feels like it is stuck in one place. Wondering now if I somehow dislocated it.

 

[jgillott]

Well some good news I guess. The dang thing was dislocated. Let me tell you, putting it back in was 100 times worse than the pain when it went out. Too soon to tell what other damage is done. But, it is back in and it moves. Still a little tender, but much better than last night.

 

[mwilson]

I feel your pain Brother. I waited too long and attempted to keep on going when I dislocated my shoulder. It hurt bad enough when I finally decided that I needed a trip to the Emergency Room that I asked for some high powered pain killer upon arrival, IV please!!........Then they offered to knock me out before they popped it back in which sounded like a wonderful idea to me at the time.

They were showing how it was going to be done, two doctors each with a towel twisted around my arm so they had a good purchase. Then I went out like a light.

You are probably not done yet but at least you can stand it going forward until the evaluation I'm sure you are going to get next week. Is your range of motion still diminished???

 

[jgillott]

Yes, my range of motion is diminished somewhat. I have a hard time reaching behind my back or getting my arm back far enough to put on a jacket.

I'm not having much pain today. It does hurt a little when I turn the wheel driving, but otherwise not too bad.

I'll give my Dr a call on Tuesday when he returns to the office and see where I go from here.

 

[Wayne M.]

Wow J, I hope you get back to 100% real soon. So many joint issues! At work, one guy coming back from a hip R&R, another going out. Knees all over the place. A few shoulder jobs too. Just Sunday my wife rolled her ankle on the steps. She'll be starting therapy real soon.

 

[mwilson]

Can you lift your arm all the way up to the front and to the side? I could not either time after wiping out. Pain did diminish but range of motion did not return until after the surgery and therapy for either shoulder.

Lot of muscles involved in a shoulder, I'll tell ya"!!!

 

[Wayne M.]

Indeed! The entire skeletal deal and how all the joints work are amazing.