Good news/bad news

[Steve St.Laurent]

Saw the surgeon today for my pre-op appointment and got to check out the MRI pics. Man is my shoulder torn up! From what I gathered from our conversation I'm going to be in a LOT of pain afterwards . I have two bone spurs that he's going to have to cut off - it was VERY evident on the MRI even to my untrained eye why I'm feeling pain! There's also lots of damage to the surrounding areas that he's going to take care of. He thinks he'll be able to repair everything though.



He "recommended" that I don't drive while I'm in the sling - 2 to 3 weeks - yeah right, like that's gonna happen. He told me "I RECOMMEND that you don't drive while you are in the sling, but I know that when you are self employed you do what you have to. It's not that you can't drive, but IF you got in an accident there is a chance of LIABILITY exposure because of the lack of use of your arm" - wink, wink, nudge, nudge. I understood what he was saying, let him know so, and we'll leave it at that .



Good news is that they've BOMB'd the recovery equipment quite a bit from what others have gone through. I'll be going home with a "PainBuster" installed in my shoulder. " :

The PainBuster Pain Management System includes a small round pump filled with a local anesthetic medicine to treat your pain after surgery. The pump is attached to a catheter (small tube) near your incision site. The pump is automatically delivering the medicine at a very slow flow rate. The PainBuster pump helps reduce your pain after surgery.

Sounds WAY COOL to me!! I'll also have the cooler thingie that Gary was talking about above. He expects me to be in the sling for 2-3 weeks after the surgery and 8-10 weeks of PT after that.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent



He told me "I RECOMMEND that you don't drive while you are in the sling, but I know that when you are self employed you do what you have to. It's not that you can't drive, but IF you got in an accident there is a chance of LIABILITY exposure because of the lack of use of your arm

Steve you still have time to trade for a new 02 automatic before the operation

 

[fest3er]

You know, Steve, if you'd gone to see Doc Tinker, he'd've had that arm off and shoulder cleaned out lickety-split!

And I'll bet he wouldn't done it for free!

Fest3er

 

[Briar Hopper]

Well, Steve, no more massages? Bummer, the GLTDR will miss ya at Scheid's.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Well, t minus 4 hours and cutting until I go under the knife. I'm going to be fuzzy and in a lot of pain for a couple of days so I probably won't be online to respond to anything until after that. See you guys in a few days.



-Steve

 

[Hammer]

Steve... .

I am glad to see that there is no cancer in the injured area at all,,I'll echo what they have already said,since I've been down this road twice already(both shoulders done)PT is the most important thing to this operation and the recovery,,You'll find good days and bad days all throughout the ordeal and sometimes the bad may seem more than good,dig in and stand for the long haul it will come around,,It took more time for my right shoulder to regain its strength than my left due to it being injured while at a state bowling tournament(doc told me then rotator cuff was the most messed up one he had worked on),,If you need anything drop me a note,,Best of luck to you... ... Andy



P. S. -Don't quit the meds though,how else are Sled Puller and I going to become moderators if your thoughts are not impared... LOL

 

[Amianthus]

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent

... I'm going to be fuzzy and in a lot of pain for a couple of days so I probably won't be online to respond to anything until after that...

You mean like you were in Muncie?

 

[willyslover]

Steve . . the colder the water in the Igloo pumper system the better for swelling and pain control. . so have you lovely wife look in the container often and change out the spent ice / excess water and refill the ice ... this devise is a great help !!



LET ME KNOW if there is anything I can do for ya. . I know I'm far away but don't be bashful

 

[TPCDrafting]

It's late to be offering my good luck in surgery, but I hope the recovery is quick. Any members live close to Steve and have an auto trans CTD that he could use while in a sling? If I lived closer and had a slush-a-matic, I'd be dropping it off today. Anyway, take'er easy for a while Steve!

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I'm home. Surgery went great. They didn't find as much damage as they had expected. I'm in a good bit of pain but I'm on enough drugs that I don't really care right now . 2 vicodin every 4 hours. Just wanted to give you guys an update.



tpc - I'm going to be borrowing Lsfarm's mini van again until I'm able to drive the beast again. Thanks for the thought though.



-Steve

 

[TPCDrafting]

MINIVAN STEVE

That's what I was trying to avoid! Glad to hear you came through OK. You'll be back in shape in no time.

 

[dezeldog]

Steve, How is that BOBMED shoulder coming along. Glad to hear that everything went well and that you're on the road to recovery. Tell us Steve was it Doc Tinker that fixed ya up . Anyway maybe we'll see ya in Fowlerville this month if the good Doc sets it up.



Jim

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Steve,



2 Vicodin every 4 hours? I'm surprised you're not already down at the GM dealership ordering a Durawax... . cuz' you gotta be on drugs to want one of those things!



Please tell us the minivan is BOMBed at least a little... . !!!



Matt

 

[Fireman Dave]

Steve,



Glad to hear things are moving in the right direction for you.



Hey - you KNOW you love the chick magnet minivan! :-laf