SHOULDER SURGERY SCHEDULED

[BigStewMan]

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!!

Thanks FIni,

I'm not too stressed about it. Had my pre-op doctor's appt yesterday. he asked if i had any questions and i told him "I'm planning on sleeping through it." He said, "that's what we're hoping for." He told me to take a couple of weeks off work; but, i told him that i didn't want to waste my vacation days sitting around recuperating and wanted to go back to work right away. So he said, "Fine. Surgery on Tuesday and you can go back to work Friday--just don't use your right arm at all." I figure i can sit home or I can sit at my desk at work and save my vacation day--and see how many free sodas i can get from sympathetic co-workers. i've already found a very attractive female that new to the office and told her that she was going to have to press the elevator button for me because they're operating on my good arm. she said she wouldn't mind that at all.

hey, i'm single now. I can get as much mileage out of this injury as possible right. Hmmm, i guess i'll need help bathing too--better get to work on that one []

[ace168516]

Steve, best of luck...will be pulling for ya here..both the surgery and the button pushing []

ACE

[gnatnoop]

Good luck with the surgery Steve, I'm sure it will turn out just fine, but if not, can i have first dibs on your stereo? []

[BigStewMan]

thanks--you can have first dibs; but, they're going to the person that has second dibs--my brother. but, please don't take your well wishes back.

[fini]

I figure i can sit home or I can sit at my desk at work and save my vacation day--and see how many free sodas i can get from sympathetic co-workers. i've already found a very attractive female that new to the office and told her that she was going to have to press the elevator button for me because they're operating on my good arm. she said she wouldn't mind that at all.
hey, i'm single now. I can get as much mileage out of this injury as possible right. Hmmm, i guess i'll need help bathing too--better get to work on that one

All that soda drinking, you're gonna need help in the restroom too, with your belt, zipper and, uh, stuff. []

[Marvel]

Steve - You are certainly in my prayers for this, and I know you'll keep us informed.

Bruce

[winchester21]

All the best bud- we are all praying for you. It will be over and you will be better before you know it.[Y]

[J.4knee]

I've had my knees scoped 3 times. If your Anethesiaologist is good he/she will start a chat with you right before you go under and when you wake up in recovery your first thought will be to pick the conversation where "You" left off. That happened the first time I went under. All I could think of when I was lucid again was WOW does that come in a doggy syringe? Good luck but you'll do fine.

[fini]

I've had my knees scoped 3 times.

You better get it done again (you know, to match your username!).

I've only had my knee scoped once. Definitely a pain-free, almost happy experience![] I was only partly sedated so I could watch the cuttin' and chewin' of my meniscus on the tv screen. I was also able to tell some pretty raunchy jokes...

[BigStewMan]

thanks again everyone. as long as i sleep through it--i'll be happy. but with only one hand available afterwards, my posts will only be half as good.

[dtel]

thanks again everyone. as long as i sleep through it--i'll be happy. but with only one hand available afterwards, my posts will only be half as good.

That's fine they will still be funny, is it the hand you favor ?

[gnatnoop]

thanks again everyone. as long as i sleep through it--i'll be happy. but with only one hand available afterwards, my posts will only be half as good.

make sure you mark and X on the good shoulder and and "check mark" on the shoulder for surgery . let us know if t hey do it right.

[BigStewMan]

thanks again everyone. as long as i sleep through it--i'll be happy. but with only one hand available afterwards, my posts will only be half as good.

That's fine they will still be funny, is it the hand you favor ?

I favor them both; but, yes it's my dominant arm. Good thing i got rid of the stick shift and now drive an automatic. I think this doctor is very cautious, i've been asked a million times "it's the right shoulder, correct?" i told him to pay less attention to which shoulder it is and make sure that he doesn't accidently perform a reverse circumcision.

[dtel]

I favor them both

I would think so, I meant to say dominant. []

I know you said he is cautious but you might want to use a marker on the left shoulder and put wrong arm, also maby write on your, never mind he could not make that mistake. []

[fini]

I know you said he is cautious but you might want to use a marker on the left shoulder and put wrong arm, also maby write on your, never mind he could not make that mistake.

dtel, that would be useful for knee surgery. You know, right knee, left knee, wee-knee...

[BigStewMan]

so, the past two weeks the inflammation in my shoulder seems to have started subsiding. it was steady for six months. i'm not pain free; but, probably 90 percent of the pain has went away and i can now raise my arm above my head. i called the doctor and told him to cancel surgery scheduled for next tuesday. Not comfortable going forward with surgery now that the pain is so low that i normally wouldn't even make a doctor's appt for this level of pain. Thank God that the inflammation/pain has started going away (it was a long six months). i'm hoping that with exercise the remainder of the pain will go away--and stay away. if i returns, i'll deal with it then. i guess the surgeon will only get to golf nine holes instead of 18 since he lost some cash with me canceling. Thanks again for your well wishes--i'm going to keep them anyway. **Steve**

[Hifi jim]

Hey Stew, I'm still not sure what you're particular prognosis is, but let me tell you how I happened upon shoulder surgery. In December '07, I hurt my shoulder in a work related accident and I felt the discomfort right away. It took about a month for me to get to the point where I could no longer raise my arm above my head. February '08, I was diagnosed with a torn labrum in my left shoulder (SLAP tear). I started physical therapy and continued until the end of June '08 when my doctor and I decided on surgery. Although I was feeling better and able to raise my arm over my head, my shoulder still felt unstable and if I attempted to swing my arm in a circle the shoulder felt as if it would fall out of the socket. The labrum is largely responsible for the shoulders stability among other things. I knew at that point, that I would never again have my shoulder that I once had... especially if I didn't have surgery. Although the doctor could make no promises, he felt surgery would still improve my condition greatly. My surgery was scheduled for late August '08 and he gave me the month of July off (no physical therapy... yeah!). I was very, very nervous about having surgery. I'm fearful or germs, needles and hospitals in general so the idea of surgery was very off putting to say the least. I'm right handed by nature and this was my left shoulder, but I need to be able to use both hands above my head for my profession so a strong and stable shoulder is a must. Surgery day came and I was nervous as could be. Prior to surgery I received a shot that made me feel like I was on cloud nine. The next thing I remembered was waking up in recovery. The next few days were painful, but the prescribed Percocet helped greatly. Physical therapy was a chore and I'd never want to do it again but I would to get the shoulder I now have. It's coming up on two years since surgery, but I now have a strong and stable shoulder that allows me to do most of what I used to. Long story short, I'm very glad I went through with my surgery and longish rehab. I was almost sure in June '08 that I could avoid surgery and live with my ailment but I'm very glad I didn't. I'm not sure about the particulars of your case, but for me surgery was the right choice. I'm not suggesting that surgery is necessary in your case, but please give it some thought. If you don't do it now, you may inevitably need it later. I'd rather do it early and start enjoying my new shoulder. YMMV.

[djk]

" i called the doctor and told him to cancel surgery"

I'm glad to hear that, did you try and get in touch with the Egoscue people?

[oldtimer]

After all this my shoulder hurts, but i think it is really from the neck. "What a drag it is, getting old.."

[Timmikid]

Sorry if I missed it, but have you consulted a chiropractic? I go every three months and it's a lifesaver for me. I have heard the Danish are the best... Best wishes, Tim.