BigStewMan Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 It's official. April 27th I will get surgery. They kicked me out of physical therapy again, and the cortisone shot did absolutely nothing. Met with the doctor today, and he said that it was time to operate. I had mentally prepared myself for this (very first surgery); but, was caught off guard when he suggested next Tuesday or Thursday! Fortunately, the schedule with the hospital wouldn't allow until the end of April--so I have 20 days to learn how to be brave. of course, the first thing my boss said was, "oh no. how long will you be out?" I replied, "I guess I can ask the doctor to come here and do the surgery at my desk." ****Steve**** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 Rotator cuff? Whatever it is good luck to you. The bravery part will be easy, especially after the anesthetics take hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 8, 2010 Moderators Share Posted April 8, 2010 Good luck, I hope it goes much better than expected, remind us right before you go in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 HS football? Good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Good luck with the surgery. I've been cut on a few times and for me the worst part was the anxiety leading up to the surgery and not the surgery itself. If that's an issue with you, discuss it with your Dr. Normally there's something he (or she) can prescribe for the morning of the surgery to take the edge off. It's worth it, or at least it was to me. Sometimes you can get something to take before you leave home, but most times the anestheologist will come in and fix you up. Good luck with the rehab and have a speedy recovery. Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hifi jim Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 BigStewMan ~ What surgery are you having? Rotator cuff isn't too bad, and you'll be up and around in no time. Labrum is worse and a very long and painful rehab. I had a SLAP tear (labrum) repaired in my left shoulder two years ago this August. I spent the first six weeks after the surgery wearing a brace and sleeping (and practically living) in my E-Z chair. Lots of painkillers, and therapy was torture. I wasn't back to normal for about six months, and it was almost a year until I could get back to work. The actual surgery was smooth as silk, and like you I'm no fan of hospitals, surgeries or needles... and I didn't feel a thing until the next day when the nerve block wore off. Follow your doctors orders, and find a good physical therapist (preferably someone who has rehabbed patients with the same surgery as you). Every surgery, and every rehab is different for every individual. Good luck to you, I'm sure you'll do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hifi jim Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 IME, after it's over you are really happy you did it and got it fixed. That's an excellent point Mark. I'd do mine over again in a heartbeat, such was the relief it brought and a return to normalcy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
germerikan Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Good luck!! I had rotator cuff and tore ligament surgery around 14 years ago. The next day I had to mobilize it and after 2 weeks everything was fine again without pain. After that it was just building up strength again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 I am not a blood and guts type of guy which I know is hard to comprehend given my rugged muscular exterior and confident good looks but I can understand your apprehension and I know it will work out well for you. I have a heart damn it, I sometime cry (invisible) tears, I am not made of granite! Its gonna work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Steve, 20 days is a long time to get 'prayed up' and emotionally prepared. Just be open and honest with the Dr's about your apprehensions, take your meds and therapy exactly as prescribed, and you'll be fine. Keep us in the loop please, we're all pulling for ya! [Y] Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Hey Stew.....I think winchester and I can do that surgery.....doesn't look too hard. Meet us after happy hour friday and tell us where to look for the rotator and we will give it a shot[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted April 8, 2010 Author Share Posted April 8, 2010 thanks for the kind words guys. doc thinks it will go easy and the recovery too, since he thinks all he will have to do is remove some of the bone. MRI didn't reveal any tears; but, sometimes they don't show up on the MRI. He will check everything while he's in there and repair any tears. If it's strictly bone work, i will be in a sling (can't use arm) for one week and the second week can begin therapy. If he has to do anything else in there, the recovery will obviously be slower. i know the good Lord is with me, so I'm not too scared. Thanks Chuck for the offer; but, doesn't winchester use gunpowder as a sedative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 Crude and somewhat effective, but dtel posted a much better one recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I've had a number of surgeries (too many). One was a shoulder surgery. My acromioclavicular joint was pinching a tendon and had a huge bone spur. So they tore it all up and put it back together. It weren't fun but it was interesting. They drove 2 rods into the joint to allow access to the joint (one of those holes went directly through the deltoid muscle). Then they opened up the joint using sterile normal saline under pressure. That blows open the joint so they can see what they are doing. I was advised to mobilize the bugger ASAP or risk losing some degree of loss in range and motion. They should use a nerve block as well as general anesthesia so you can expect the arm to be pain free and paralyzed in the immediate post-op period. It took about 6 months to fully recover. Now, however, the silly thing rattles like a bag of bones whenever I use the arm in certain ways. It doesn't hurt at all when that happens but it is weird. Worse still is after they surgery the guy showed me the photos of the shoulder joint itself pointing out the absence of cartilage and telling me I will need the whole shoulder replaced in the near future. On the upside I did get a really nice sling. Getting old $ucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peshewah Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Good luck Big Stew. It'll work out for ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmikid Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I wish you strength man! Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Thanks Chuck for the offer; but, doesn't winchester use gunpowder as a sedative? Gunpowder is merely the method of injection. The actual sedative is made of lead... though it sometimes, might have a nice steel jacket on it, depending on the application (injection into soft tissue....bone....) [] Good luck with the surgery.... FOLLOW the rehab program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 BigStewMan: I sent you mail via Klipsch, as well as direct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted April 11, 2010 Moderators Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thanks Chuck for the offer; but, doesn't winchester use gunpowder as a sedative? Gunpowder is merely the method of injection. The actual sedative is made of lead... though it sometimes, might have a nice steel jacket on it, depending on the application (injection into soft tissue....bone....) Good luck with the surgery.... FOLLOW the rehab program! Well that kind of explains it, I have always wondered how and why my kids had so much lead in there butts ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted April 13, 2010 Share Posted April 13, 2010 Steve, Sorry I'm so late to wish you well! So now you have two weeks to, well, stew. Trust me, everything will be OK. As others have mentioned, the doc can prescribe drugs to help very much with the anxiety (Valium is your friend here). Have they described the whole morning-of procedure to you? You might be able to set up a visit to the hospital to see where you'll be and what you'll be doing. They often will do this if you're very anxious. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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