Rotator Cuff Surgery and recovery so far...

Well, typing one-handed stinks, but I am longing to get some practice writing, so I want to post something.  I haven't been blogging so much lately since I have finally gotten the compulsion to write a story, science fiction of course, and for once Donna doesn't find the whole idea behind it to be too dark or depressing.  Heh!  So, I am very much trying to make that work.  However, it is a much slower process than blogging and I simply have missed the art of writing about stuff or things I have some knowledge about, rather than having to not only write well, but imagine everything that goes into such writing.  Much more slow going a process.

So, sorry anyone reading this, you are just going to get a brief journal on my recent rotator cuff surgery.  Anyone facing such a circumstance can at least read about someone else who's been through it. 

How did I tear it?  I honestly don't know for certain.  It could have been 13 months ago when my trusty steed nearly shot me off his back like a rocket and I latched on to his neck, tearing my groin muscle from its natural resting place on my pelvis.  Stirrups are great, and they kept me on the horse, but at a cost.  That injury took a good 4 months to heal, I would hate to add this to the toll.  My shoulder did not hurt until much later in the fall when I overdid some butterfly exercises at the gym.  So, who knows? 

The large bone spur they also found and removed on my Acromion certainly played a part too.  It just comes with age and the right circumstances too. 

Anyhow, on August 16th I got the "bad news."  When my orthopedic doc came in, he knew me well enough to know I like it straight and unfiltered.  I guess with many folks, especially athletes, this can be very unpleasant news.  To me, while unwelcome, it wasn't as though he was an oncologist or heart surgeon.  Perspective is a wonderful friend to have along at the doctor's office. 

The x-rays showed a good sized bone spur on the acromion and a rotator cuff tear in the left shoulder.  Honestly, the MRI photo I have here doesn't show the exact tear, but you can see lots of white, which is fluid, and in my case, a bit more than there should have been.  The doc did the rollerball device to "drill down" into the layers of the MRI and showed me a small blotch of gray in the black which indicated the tear.  It also indicated for "retraction" meaning it had been there for awhile and was pulling away even more from the humerus.  So, surgery was the only real option and the sooner, the better.  

As August 30th approached I did what I always do, I threw myself into literature and information about the procedure.  I feel like I can handle most things if I just know what's coming.  It helps me prepare and allows me to consider any options I might be presented with beforehand so I can not just react, but ponder things more.

The only real gotcha for me with the surgery was the idea of the "intrascalene shoulder block" they would want to employ.  It is designed to help minimize pain during and after the surgery.  They basically deaden the nerves going down the arm.  The way I read most places do it, they numb the neck, use an ultrasound and guide a catheter down to the nerves and inject the numbing "block" medication.  They leave the catheter and give the patient the ability to utilize a pump to continue sending the medication down the arm for up to 48 hours after the procedure.  That just really was the only heebie-jeebies I had over the whole thing.  Well at the surgery center, the anesthesiologist turned out to be an old Leon classmate.  Not someone I knew well, but enough to give us a rapport and he gave me a nice happy medium.  They could just do a "one-time" block of the shoulder which would last between 16-24 hours and then I would not have a tube sticking out of my neck.  I said "sure." 

Then Donna got asked to leave.  Ah, the first sign of what was to come.  They ask people who might faint to leave.  Heh!  They roll you onto your side, and give you a local lidocaine injection in the neck to numb the area for part 2.  Part 2, they use an ultrasound to guide a nice, long 2-3" needle into place and inject the specific nerves they need to numb.  Why did they show me the screen as they did this you might wonder, well because my dumb ass asked them to.  One should not ever watch a needle that long gently moving around in one's neck, ever.  :-)

Yes, that is a needle in the neck.  Thank goodness you are loopy.

They showed Donna the pic on the ultrasound once it was done and I think she truly felt quite relieved they had asked her to leave.  Anyhow, from there I was whisked off to the OR for the surgery and got to greet the docs, nurses and I must say, I am so glad I can remember how nice they all were. 

The surgery began with a simple arthroscope to assess the damage and if possible repair it without a full blown 3" incision on the shoulder.  Once they got in and found the damage, they realized the full procedure would indeed be needed.  The surgery took just under 2 hours apparently, and once they finished and I awoke, I got to see Donna again.   Since they were not 100% certain they would do the full rotator cuff repair until they went in, my first clue was the pillow sling on my arm.  Yep, they did the full monty.  Donna snapped a quick photo for family to let them know I was doing okay.  If I ever wanted to know how stupid I would look stoned, well, that pic sure answered that question.  I now have some metal screws and reinforced cord helping hold my repaired rotator cuff in place as it heals to the bone.  They will remain forever to help reinforce the repaired section.  (No, not enough to be a problem at the airport, I asked.)

Bone spur and the tear. (What they found)

Essentially what they did to repair the rotator cuff.

My impression of a Colorado resident after some recreation...

I got to return home by around lunch time on FRI and I can honestly say, I have very little recollection of the rest of the day.  Hydrocodone helped maintain the fog of the anesthesia.  I know I slept in a chair in the living room. But what I will remember most is how Donna had to take Sam for a haircut, and so I implored them to go ahead, I was going to rest, and when they returned home, my amazing bride had a marble cake with fudge inside and buttercream icing outside from The Cake Shop (my favorite cake, hands down).  Damn, I sure married up, well above my level. 

Saturday found me feeling okay, still somewhat numb from the nerve block and hungry.  Since I felt okay, we got dressed and went on our weekly Red Elephant jaunt.  Never underestimate the healing power of normalcy after surgery.  Yes, it was just some food and a few familiar faces, but it helps.  We really started the therapy routine being careful to stay in the docs guidelines.

By Saturday night, all the feeling had returned to my arm, and thankfully the pain was quite minimal and manageable.  UGA's loss to Clemson hurt far worse than my shoulder. 

Sunday morning, I quit taking the narcotic pain meds and switched to Advil.  The recovery is going great and I have found a new respect for people forced to use only one limb.  Putting on clothes, peeing, putting on shoes, cutting food, getting ice in your cup, are just a few of the challenges for which you have to plan.  Got out a bit more and went to get some bandages to keep things covered until the sutures come out next week.

The rest of the week I have just been getting antsy.  I feel great, and want to interact with people.  I have been going for walks, doing some light work from home, and caught up on nearly every TV show I ever wanted to watch.  Even read a book and started another. 

I am very blessed to have a fantastic wife, a loving son and they have been an invaluable help for me as I have tried to just heal up.   Now, sorry for just dumping this all out online, but I missed writing, no matter how awkward it is with only one useful arm.  I don't recommend tearing your rotator cuff, and I am sure the therapy is going to be much less than pleasant.  Alas, I have goals and I need to get back to normal to achieve them, so I will be a very determined, receptive patient.  Thanks for letting me brain dump folks.