Nope, don't have one!
Last night I could not sleep, I still can not get comfortable. When I spoke to my PT (physical therapist) he asked me if I’ve slept in a recliner. “No, I don’t have a recliner, I usually prop myself up with a bunch of pillows behind me either in the circular part of my wraparound couch or a circular chair I have” I replied. “Oh, in other words you’re not really sleeping“, that’s putting it mildly. Sometimes I do finally fall asleep about 4 am, right when my husband comes down to leave for work and kiss me goodbye. These are the little stupid things you don’t realize you are going to go through after shoulder surgery.
I haven’t been able to have my hair done, I don’t think I could sit and bend my head back in to the washing sink. Just the thought of that sends imaginary pain waves through me. I never thought about my teeth cleaning either, but I can’t imagine doing that with my hurt arm either, when I have problems just getting comfortable at home sitting quietly by myself.
Not being able to drive and having to depend on others is ridiculously annoying. I have a wonderful friend who says she doesn’t mind, but she’s been like my personal cab service.
The only thing I can do to thank her is buy lunch or breakfast when we go out afterwards. I don’t want to become a burden.
All these things go through your mind as you are sitting with the heating pad on your shoulder trying to ease the pain the PT did since yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, my arm actually feels better, it feels like it almost unlocked, like it had been in the same position and I was like the Tin Man and needed some oil. In my case the “oil” was the PT the nice young man did yesterday with the arm, he loosened it. The shoulder was so “tight” from not having been used for 7 weeks, that now it can move, but now it is also sore from the new movement.
I will continue being the good soldier and doing the work and care they tell me to do because so far it is paying off. It just seems that this is going to be a long painful road.
My husband was speaking to a friend whose son went through this and said it took a good 14 months and the worst pain in his life. This from a healthy 24 yr. old javelin thrower who had the same operation as mine where the labrum was gone in his shoulder and they drilled holes in the bones and sewed him back together with the damn nylon. So. I’ll hang tough and know I’m not being a baby with the pain, it just is.
I’m just getting house happy!
