Shoulder Surgery and Recovery...what should I expect?

[nancie2k]

husband waited too long-doc had to dig deep to find the tendons, and could not get it 100%. okay, maybe 100 times worse..but in the end, it needed to be done. he is going without the sling at home, he had a sling and a wrap that kept the arm next to his body til the staples were removed.he was taking 10 mg percocets before the surgery, now he takes maybe one 5 mg at nite, but not everynite. after it is done, it just gets better from there!
i just have a fracture of the radius and we are both disabled!!!!! mine is about 6 1/2 weeks and it still hurts and is swollen.
i was wondering if he had done some exercises ahead of surgery recovery would be quicker.
ask your doctor!!!!!
i think my hubby just said, "do it!!!" without asking too many questions.
good luck!!

 

[nancie2k]

are you still having the surgery?
husband just had to back under anesthesia to have the wound drained and irrigated-he got a hospital infection :angry:
he was not prescribed antibiotics post-op, the suture line was looking inflamed by memorial weekend,doc did not see him ,just said put heat on, it was sutures dissolving.it was not improving,so he saw the doc the next friday where dr. withdrew a lot of fluid with a syringe and put him on antibiotics.by monday there was so much gunk oozing out even i got grossed out(i am an rn)saw dr on tues, was drained on wed.at least this was not as much pain as last time(one month ago) but it is a horrible setback. they doubled the dosage of antibiotics and this better be the end of that.

 

[JimG.]

are you still having the surgery?
husband just had to back under anesthesia to have the wound drained and irrigated-he got a hospital infection :angry:
he was not prescribed antibiotics post-op, the suture line was looking inflamed by memorial weekend,doc did not see him ,just said put heat on, it was sutures dissolving.it was not improving,so he saw the doc the next friday where dr. withdrew a lot of fluid with a syringe and put him on antibiotics.by monday there was so much gunk oozing out even i got grossed out(i am an rn)saw dr on tues, was drained on wed.at least this was not as much pain as last time(one month ago) but it is a horrible setback. they doubled the dosage of antibiotics and this better be the end of that.

Ouch, what a mess! Before I decided to get some of the world's best involved with my situation, I had a similar experience after my second operation on my left leg. Got a low level infection in my tibia that prevented healing and lead to my second non-union of that fracture. That was about the time I started thinking of wheelchairs and crutches for the rest of my life.

Once I got to HSS, my orthopaedist got an epidemiologist on the case. Even though no infection agent was ever positively identified, I was hanging 100ml IV's of vancomyocin 2 times a day for 10 weeks and I took 750mg of Cipro twice a day for months after my surgery. Hope your husband's situation resolves itself without too much discomfort.

As for Teachski, I'm guessing that my story and yours have scared her off of surgery forever :-? .

 

[teachski]

Still scared, but as of right now...going through with it.

 

[nancie2k]

best of luck, teachski!!!
jim g sounds like you had a bone infection which is very hard to get rid of with virtual no circulation in bone material. i am glad you survived all that!!!
husband had tib-fib rotating fracture near the ankle a few years ago, rutland hospital put a steel rod in his bone, no complications there.
i can only imagine how you felt thru all that.

husband jokingly says at least it is not the flesh eating disease.....

 

[teachski]

I don't know what to think, so I've decided just not to think. The more I think about it, the more scared I get, so why think. I know I have to do something, and the longer I wait, the worse it will get. I have a bone spur and a partial tear to the rotator cuff. If I wait the tear will continue to get larger and I will have a full tear. I'm just not going to think about it.

I have to look at the long-term result...I've heard mostly positive about that, so that is what I am going to focus on.

 

[JimG.]

Still scared, but as of right now...going through with it.

Smart move. And you'll have everyone from AZ's support to help you thru.

 

[teachski]

Thanks Guys!
Do you do windows and mow lawns?

 

[smitty77]

husband jokingly says at least it is not the flesh eating disease.....

Be very thankful. A neighbor two house up from my parents lost his wife to that. She was in her late thirties, and left two twin girls, a loving husband, and lots of friends behind. The doctors were not really sure how she got it. I wouldn't wish that disease on my worst enemy.

On a lighter note: Good luck with the surgery TeachSki!!!

Smitty

 

[skijay]

I wish you the best for a speedy recovery on the surgery.

 

[teachski]

I am home

Seems to have gone well. Pain no worse than what I had after the fall in Feb.

Yesterday was tough... the pain killers made me quite ill. I got sick each time I took one. They were different than what I had there.

I got to the hospital at about 6:30. I was in surgery till 8:40...it actually started at 7:30. I was in the little recovery till 9, at 9:30 the doctors talked to me and told me what they did and told me that I could go home when ever my ride could get there. My brother was there by 10, I was at his house by 10:30. I was at my sister's by 6 as my brother was leaving for the weekend. I was home here by 10AM this morning. I think I'll be more comfortable at my own house.

 

[JimG.]

Re: I am home

Seems to have gone well. Pain no worse than what I had after the fall in Feb.

Great to hear! It's all uphill from here on out.

 

[nancie2k]

glad all went well!
husband just started PT today and is doing well, also