Rotator cuff repair surgery

[heartosunshine]

I'm having this surgery in a week. It's arthroscopic, on my non-dominant side, going home that day, and I'll be in a sling for 6 weeks. I'm familiar with surgery recoveries in general, but have some specific questions about this one.

 

I'm currently taking college classes and wondering when I'll be able to resume my studies after the surgery. The surgeon is vague on this, saying that everybody is different & she has some people go back to work the following Monday (surgeries are on Thursday). Is this realistic?

 

They told me to wear a loose fitting button down shirt for surgery but what about for the 6 weeks after? I don't really care when I'm at home but I should look presentable when I venture out. Especially with regards to supportive bOOkshelves. Should I get a couple camis or tank tops? Are button down shirts or pullover t-shirts easier to deal with while wearing a sling?

 

Any other info you could provide would be great! :)

 

 

[AK_Mom4]

I had similar surgery last spring (2014) - same incisions, different repair.  All my post-op forms talked about rotator cuff recovery.

 

I couldn't wear a bra because it put pressure on the top of my shoulder.   I wore wide strap tank tops with built-in shelf bras.  When I had to go in public, I wore a strapless bra.   Button ups were easiest for me to get on, but I needed DD14 to do the buttons since it was my dominant side.  Pullovers were OK as long as the neck was loose because I needed to put my bad arm in first, then pull it over my head and then the good arm last (did that make sense).  After the first two days, I put the sling on after my clothes.

 

Actually, I mostly wore the tanks and zip-up hoodies.  I was back working (left-handed typing) three days after surgery and could do most anything I wanted by then.  First couple days, I was still nauseous from the anesthesia so YMMV.

[heartosunshine]

Wow, you went back at work quickly! Very good information, thank you.

[AK_Mom4]

Wow, you went back at work quickly! Very good information, thank you.

 

I'm a computer programmer.  I dug out an old trackball and put that inside my sling for the mouse.  Typing left handed is slow but it works.  My arm was a good excuse to take extra breaks during the day to wander around the house.

 

I really had very little pain except at night. Even night time was manageable as long as I remembered to take pain meds before bedtime.  I think I would try to move my shoulder in my sleep and it would hurt. 

[Garga]

DH just had this done almost 6 weeks ago, so he's still in the sling.

 

He cannot drive. He cannot type. I think those are the things that bother him the most. He has been home from work the entire time.

 

He cannot drive because he would be driving with one hand. The doctor said, "No." The doctor also pointed out that if he was pulled over and the officer saw the sling, he would be written up as driving while impaired. Beyond that, the shoulder needs to be babied. If he was driving and suddenly had to twist the wheel, his reflexes might take over and he's wrench the shoulder.

 

 

The doctor's office told us that this is a dangerous surgery to recover from. Why? Because you're not in a lot of pain afterwards. It takes 6-12 months to fully recover and during that time you think you're doing great. But any thoughtless moment (picking up something too heavy etc) and you end up messing up the arm and being back at the beginning again.

 

Typing: the sling keeps your arm in a very certain position. You can't twist your arm, you can't raise it, you can't get it closer to your body or farther from your body. It's pretty immobile. So when he tries to type, it's like he's a little T-rex and his arms don't reach. He's been typing one handed and that's super frustrating. Trying to type two handed makes his neck hurt pretty bad from the sling pulling on it.

 

Also, the sling pulls on the other arm if he doesnt' have it just right and now his other arm/shoulder/neck is feeling the strain just from being in the sling all day and all night.

 

Today, he tried typing a bit to answer work emails and his arm was starting to throb from it. (This is 5.5 weeks post surgery.)

 

I can't give advice about bras. He found that he can do like a PP said and take off the sling and gently get that arm through the sleeve, and then put the shirt on the rest of himself.

 

He's constantly dripping sweat from the arm with the sling because it retains body heat and he runs high in temperature.

 

He's constantly (constantly--it'll drive a woman INSANE) adjusting the sling. It's a series of velcro straps and all day long I hear scritch, shuffle shuffle, scritch. Note, if they give you three straps, figure out how to use the 3rd. At first he had one going over the other shoulder, one around his waist and a mysterious third. No one told him how to use the 3rd and there was no instruction book. He attached the third to a ring in the front to a hook in the back. It made a big difference in keeping the sling from pulling on his neck so hard.

 

Of course, everyone is different and perhaps your repair won't be as bad as his, but the doctor was firm, very, very firm that my dh couldn't go to work. DH works a desk job, and was surprised at first when the doctor said that, but after trying to type or do anything, he sees that he really can't. Just sitting in a car jostles him and causes the arm to start to ache.

 

Also, he can't sit in the passenger seat in the front. He has to sit behind the driver because the belt would go across the wrong shoulder. (But you might have the surgery on the other shoulder.) It took him a few weeks to be able to figure out how to put the seat belt on himself and we had to snap him in just like a baby. (So if it's your left arm that had the surgery, you won't be able to wear a seatbelt in the driver's seat because the belt will go across that shoulder...at least at first.)

 

It's been great that I homeschool because I've been able to take him to PT and wherever he needs to go.

 

But he's missed out on: Luray caverns, a trip to a mansion, a trip to the state museum, Ren Fest, and apple picking. He's stuck at home because as little as 2 hours out is too much for his arm.

 

He had planned on sorting all our papers while he was out, but after about an hour, his arm starts to hurt just from the slight bit of twisting and reaching needed to sort paper into piles. He's been sorting in small bits of time.

 

Now, he's not in tremendous pain at all, but the reality is that if you're like him, it'll be very difficult to do even the simplest of things for long. And he couldn't bathe other than sponge baths for a week. And taking off the sling is "creepy feeling" to quote him. His arm sort of dangles there and feels strange. He can move it now, but at first he couldn't really move it on its own. I don't know if it was because he was fearful he'd injure it, or if it just didn't respond well. He can remove the sling long enough to bathe, but it's still hard to bathe one handed.

 

Ok--he's actually doing very well according to the PT, but it was a big repair and the reality is that sometimes you just simply have to slow down and wait to recover.

 

On Monday the sling comes off, but the PT said he wouldn't be able to use the arm. It won't be immobilized in the sling, but he won't be allowed to lift anything and possibly not drive still. We have to wait to see what the doc says. I think it would be dangerous for him to drive if he can't use the arm, so I think I'll still drive him around. I don't know about typing. Perhaps when he can better position his arm for typing he'll be able to do it again.

 

Plan for the worst. We were told it would be a simple repair and he'd be out of the sling in a week. It was a HUGE SHOCK to have the surgeon say, "It was pretty bad. Sling for six weeks. And we're telling your company that you may be at home for 12 weeks." Because we don't know for sure if he's going to be able to go back to work after the sling is off. The surgeon might still say he has to stay home. He might be at home from work for 3 months, but I hope not! His company wouldn't like that and the work would pile up.

 

Again...plan for the worst and hope for the best. We didn't see this coming at all.

 

But I have to say, it's been lovely having dh home for so long. And he's been so stress free since he's not at work.

[Garga]

Oh--sleeping. He's beein sleeping on the lazyboy for 5.5 weeks now so that his arm is supported. He's had a terrible time sleeping.

 

And then he went off the oxycodone. That stuff is addictive and when you go off ot if, you can feel symptoms of withdrawl. He only got about 2 hours of sleep a night for 7-10 days after going off the oxy. It messed up his ability to sleep. He would wander around the house all night long utterly exhausted and unable to sleep.

 

I'm telling you this because if you go off the meds and then try to study for a test and get rest, it might not happen. Doctors don't tell you these things. Thank goodness he wasn't at work and couldn't drive. I can't imagine having a guy driving around and working on 2 hours of sleep a night for a week.

 

Unfortunately, all this is pretty normal. So...be prepared.

[Garga]

For the button down going home...yeah. My dh was in the sling and they didn't want him taking it off AT ALL for the first 4 days. This mean he had to simply drape a shirt over himself at the hospital and leave. But the sling is BIG and the shirt didn't reach around it, so his belly was sort of hanging out. And when he got home...same problem. The button down wasn't big enough to go around the sling and come together in the front.

 

When he got home, he cut a slit up the side of a tshirt and through the bottom of the sleeve. Then he could drape that side over the sling and then tuck it under the sling and then I used medical tape to tape the sides closed around him. The other arm went in like normal.

 

The day after the surgery, his dad took him to Goodwill and he bought some 3x sized button down shirts that were big enough to get around DH's body and around the sling. But he looked super silly with his arm under the shirt. Like Quasimodo. At least that part only lasted a couple of days and then he could take off the sling just long enough to get dressed. He has it off about 10-20 minutes a day for dressing and bathing.

 

So, before the surgery get a HUGE shirt to drape over yourself or you'll be flashing skin. And if it's like DH, you'll have been given a ton of morphine and will be really loopy for the first couple of hours and you won't be thinking clearly. So, whoever is picking you up will have to help drape your clothes around you so you don't walk out with body parts showing.

[heartosunshine]

DH just had this done almost 6 weeks ago, so he's still in the sling.

 

He cannot drive. He cannot type. I think those are the things that bother him the most. He has been home from work the entire time.

 

He cannot drive because he would be driving with one hand. The doctor said, "No." The doctor also pointed out that if he was pulled over and the officer saw the sling, he would be written up as driving while impaired. Beyond that, the shoulder needs to be babied. If he was driving and suddenly had to twist the wheel, his reflexes might take over and he's wrench the shoulder.

 

 

The doctor's office told us that this is a dangerous surgery to recover from. Why? Because you're not in a lot of pain afterwards. It takes 6-12 months to fully recover and during that time you think you're doing great. But any thoughtless moment (picking up something too heavy etc) and you end up messing up the arm and being back at the beginning again.

 

Typing: the sling keeps your arm in a very certain position. You can't twist your arm, you can't raise it, you can't get it closer to your body or farther from your body. It's pretty immobile. So when he tries to type, it's like he's a little T-rex and his arms don't reach. He's been typing one handed and that's super frustrating. Trying to type two handed makes his neck hurt pretty bad from the sling pulling on it.

 

Also, the sling pulls on the other arm if he doesnt' have it just right and now his other arm/shoulder/neck is feeling the strain just from being in the sling all day and all night.

 

Today, he tried typing a bit to answer work emails and his arm was starting to throb from it. (This is 5.5 weeks post surgery.)

 

I can't give advice about bras. He found that he can do like a PP said and take off the sling and gently get that arm through the sleeve, and then put the shirt on the rest of himself.

 

He's constantly dripping sweat from the arm with the sling because it retains body heat and he runs high in temperature.

 

He's constantly (constantly--it'll drive a woman INSANE) adjusting the sling. It's a series of velcro straps and all day long I hear scritch, shuffle shuffle, scritch. Note, if they give you three straps, figure out how to use the 3rd. At first he had one going over the other shoulder, one around his waist and a mysterious third. No one told him how to use the 3rd and there was no instruction book. He attached the third to a ring in the front to a hook in the back. It made a big difference in keeping the sling from pulling on his neck so hard.

 

Of course, everyone is different and perhaps your repair won't be as bad as his, but the doctor was firm, very, very firm that my dh couldn't go to work. DH works a desk job, and was surprised at first when the doctor said that, but after trying to type or do anything, he sees that he really can't. Just sitting in a car jostles him and causes the arm to start to ache.

 

Also, he can't sit in the passenger seat in the front. He has to sit behind the driver because the belt would go across the wrong shoulder. (But you might have the surgery on the other shoulder.) It took him a few weeks to be able to figure out how to put the seat belt on himself and we had to snap him in just like a baby. (So if it's your left arm that had the surgery, you won't be able to wear a seatbelt in the driver's seat because the belt will go across that shoulder...at least at first.)

 

It's been great that I homeschool because I've been able to take him to PT and wherever he needs to go.

 

But he's missed out on: Luray caverns, a trip to a mansion, a trip to the state museum, Ren Fest, and apple picking. He's stuck at home because as little as 2 hours out is too much for his arm.

 

He had planned on sorting all our papers while he was out, but after about an hour, his arm starts to hurt just from the slight bit of twisting and reaching needed to sort paper into piles. He's been sorting in small bits of time.

 

Now, he's not in tremendous pain at all, but the reality is that if you're like him, it'll be very difficult to do even the simplest of things for long. And he couldn't bathe other than sponge baths for a week. And taking off the sling is "creepy feeling" to quote him. His arm sort of dangles there and feels strange. He can move it now, but at first he couldn't really move it on its own. I don't know if it was because he was fearful he'd injure it, or if it just didn't respond well. He can remove the sling long enough to bathe, but it's still hard to bathe one handed.

 

Ok--he's actually doing very well according to the PT, but it was a big repair and the reality is that sometimes you just simply have to slow down and wait to recover.

 

On Monday the sling comes off, but the PT said he wouldn't be able to use the arm. It won't be immobilized in the sling, but he won't be allowed to lift anything and possibly not drive still. We have to wait to see what the doc says. I think it would be dangerous for him to drive if he can't use the arm, so I think I'll still drive him around. I don't know about typing. Perhaps when he can better position his arm for typing he'll be able to do it again.

 

Plan for the worst. We were told it would be a simple repair and he'd be out of the sling in a week. It was a HUGE SHOCK to have the surgeon say, "It was pretty bad. Sling for six weeks. And we're telling your company that you may be at home for 12 weeks." Because we don't know for sure if he's going to be able to go back to work after the sling is off. The surgeon might still say he has to stay home. He might be at home from work for 3 months, but I hope not! His company wouldn't like that and the work would pile up.

 

Again...plan for the worst and hope for the best. We didn't see this coming at all.

 

But I have to say, it's been lovely having dh home for so long. And he's been so stress free since he's not at work.

 

I'm sorry to hear that your Dh is still struggling. It's my understanding that these repairs take forever to heal. :(

 

When I asked my dr how long without driving, she said as long as I wasn't on pain meds it was fine. She warned me, though, that if I was involved in an accident they would think it's my fault because of the sling. This concerns me because I really need to drive myself to school. I have a lot flexibility with the instructors but if I miss class, I'm going to struggle with a lot of these concepts we're learning.

 

I'm going to have to type one-handed. Yeah, it'll stink, but I don't have a choice. I could take incompletes for the semester but then I wouldn't finish the program this year like I planned.

 

Everything you wrote in your post is what I'm afraid will happen. My dr. thinks it's not a huge tear (it is a full-thickness tear & hurts like crazy right now, though). Once she gets in there, however, it may be different. They didn't charge me for the additional biceps tendon repair, but told me that it may be needed. Great.

 

My Plan A will be best case scenario, go back to school quickly, drive, etc. Plan B (after reading your post) will be to take the time off & take incompletes in my classes and make them up next semester.

[heartosunshine]

Oh--sleeping. He's beein sleeping on the lazyboy for 5.5 weeks now so that his arm is supported. He's had a terrible time sleeping.

 

And then he went off the oxycodone. That stuff is addictive and when you go off ot if, you can feel symptoms of withdrawl. He only got about 2 hours of sleep a night for 7-10 days after going off the oxy. It messed up his ability to sleep. He would wander around the house all night long utterly exhausted and unable to sleep.

 

I'm telling you this because if you go off the meds and then try to study for a test and get rest, it might not happen. Doctors don't tell you these things. Thank goodness he wasn't at work and couldn't drive. I can't imagine having a guy driving around and working on 2 hours of sleep a night for a week.

 

Unfortunately, all this is pretty normal. So...be prepared.

 

 

I've had back & knee surgeries, so I am familiar with this issue. :glare:  Frankly, that's one of the main reasons why I question going back to school so quickly.

 

 

For the button down going home...yeah. My dh was in the sling and they didn't want him taking it off AT ALL for the first 4 days. This mean he had to simply drape a shirt over himself at the hospital and leave. But the sling is BIG and the shirt didn't reach around it, so his belly was sort of hanging out. And when he got home...same problem. The button down wasn't big enough to go around the sling and come together in the front.

 

When he got home, he cut a slit up the side of a tshirt and through the bottom of the sleeve. Then he could drape that side over the sling and then tuck it under the sling and then I used medical tape to tape the sides closed around him. The other arm went in like normal.

 

The day after the surgery, his dad took him to Goodwill and he bought some 3x sized button down shirts that were big enough to get around DH's body and around the sling. But he looked super silly with his arm under the shirt. Like Quasimodo. At least that part only lasted a couple of days and then he could take off the sling just long enough to get dressed. He has it off about 10-20 minutes a day for dressing and bathing.

 

So, before the surgery get a HUGE shirt to drape over yourself or you'll be flashing skin. And if it's like DH, you'll have been given a ton of morphine and will be really loopy for the first couple of hours and you won't be thinking clearly. So, whoever is picking you up will have to help drape your clothes around you so you don't walk out with body parts showing.

 

This is really good to know!

[Garga]

DH reminded me that his iphone has software where he can speak into the phone and it'll type what he says. So, that could help from time to time, too. He doesn't use it all the time, but it's something that helps.

 

I guess DH's doc said he couldn't drive because of the accident thing. Your doc is letting you decide, but DH's doc just said no. I guess he didn't want patients coming back and saying he told them to drive and trying to sue him.

 

The doc was adamant about not working. DH didn't understand why at first, but said he's surprised at how simple tasks can be so difficult to do and stress the arm. But then, DH had built up a lot of sick time, so he could afford it. If he didn't have the time, then he'd have probably gone to work and pushed through. A friend of ours had to do that. Sure, it hurt and made recovery a pain, but he couldn't afford to get fired.

 

I don't want to sound doom and gloomy, but we would have loved to have known all possible realities before this happened. DH would have better planned this if he'd known he'd have been home for a month and a half (or more--we still don't know the full extent until the visit on Monday.) He'd have waited until his two week winter break (he works at a college). Also, winter would have worked well for him since the sling makes him so hot.

 

DH said if you want to ask more questions afterwards or just chat, send me a message. I sure hope your situation is easier. I'd be so concerned about driving. I wouldn't trust DH behind a wheel with one hand. Turning would be hard, twisting to look behind would be hard. That'll be your biggest issue, I think.

[Innisfree]

Can I just say how much I appreciate all this information? Dh is going to have this surgery at the beginning of December, and we've been wondering about a lot of details. This will really help us plan.

[AK_Mom4]

I couldn't drive after my surgery for nearly four weeks.  I could not fasten and unfasten the seat belt and if it put pressure on my arm, I was miserable.  Fortunately I had teens handy to chauffeur me, though even that could be uncomfortable.  We had to make a long car trip when I was about 4 weeks out from surgery and I ended up sitting in the back seat with my arm on pillows most of the trip.  I don't think driving is something you should count on doing right away.   

 

I didn't take the good drugs because I am allergic to codeine and some others - I got by with Aleive.

 

I did have the most wonderful device after surgery.  Looked like a cooler that you filled with ice and cold water and then it pumped the cold water thru a pad that went around my shoulder. Iceman?  I used this thing for WEEKS to keep the swelling down.  DH would fill it with ice in the morning for me and then again when he came home at night.  The kids would help me get in and out of it (they got to be experts).  No swelling meant faster healing.

 

I dictated long email responses and I actually wrote a white paper while I was recovering by dictating it to my iPad and then having DD13 edit it for me.  Voice to Text has come a long way.  I also made lots of phone calls in place of emails to co-workers.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

For the shirts- a friend had this surgery and ordered online two shirts made for people with disabilities. One side fastened with Velcro. She swears this helped her so much.

[heartosunshine]

DH reminded me that his iphone has software where he can speak into the phone and it'll type what he says. So, that could help from time to time, too. He doesn't use it all the time, but it's something that helps.

 

I guess DH's doc said he couldn't drive because of the accident thing. Your doc is letting you decide, but DH's doc just said no. I guess he didn't want patients coming back and saying he told them to drive and trying to sue him.

 

The doc was adamant about not working. DH didn't understand why at first, but said he's surprised at how simple tasks can be so difficult to do and stress the arm. But then, DH had built up a lot of sick time, so he could afford it. If he didn't have the time, then he'd have probably gone to work and pushed through. A friend of ours had to do that. Sure, it hurt and made recovery a pain, but he couldn't afford to get fired.

 

I don't want to sound doom and gloomy, but we would have loved to have known all possible realities before this happened. DH would have better planned this if he'd known he'd have been home for a month and a half (or more--we still don't know the full extent until the visit on Monday.) He'd have waited until his two week winter break (he works at a college). Also, winter would have worked well for him since the sling makes him so hot.

 

DH said if you want to ask more questions afterwards or just chat, send me a message. I sure hope your situation is easier. I'd be so concerned about driving. I wouldn't trust DH behind a wheel with one hand. Turning would be hard, twisting to look behind would be hard. That'll be your biggest issue, I think.

 

I've thought about the voice to text software. I figured I'd wait & see if it's needed.

 

I really appreciate you sharing your Dh's experience. For my back surgery, dr. to told me basic 6 week recovery but I'd probably be able to get back into life after a couple weeks. At the hospital, just before surgery, they tell me no bending over (at the waist) or lifting more than 5 lbs for 3 months! Ummm...what?! Would have been nice to know that before so that I could have planned for more help.

 

I had my pre-op appt today & dr thinks I'll be in sling (the larger, padded one - immobilizer?) for 4 weeks. My tear, while full thickness, hasn't separated too much according to the MRI, but she won't know for sure until she gets in there. Your Dh must've had a larger separation so that makes the recovery harder & longer.

 

I'm starting to think that driving is not a good idea, at least for the first 4 weeks. Maybe longer. :(

 

[heartosunshine]

I couldn't drive after my surgery for nearly four weeks.  I could not fasten and unfasten the seat belt and if it put pressure on my arm, I was miserable.  Fortunately I had teens handy to chauffeur me, though even that could be uncomfortable.  We had to make a long car trip when I was about 4 weeks out from surgery and I ended up sitting in the back seat with my arm on pillows most of the trip.  I don't think driving is something you should count on doing right away.   

 

I didn't take the good drugs because I am allergic to codeine and some others - I got by with Aleive.

 

I did have the most wonderful device after surgery.  Looked like a cooler that you filled with ice and cold water and then it pumped the cold water thru a pad that went around my shoulder. Iceman?  I used this thing for WEEKS to keep the swelling down.  DH would fill it with ice in the morning for me and then again when he came home at night.  The kids would help me get in and out of it (they got to be experts).  No swelling meant faster healing.

 

I dictated long email responses and I actually wrote a white paper while I was recovering by dictating it to my iPad and then having DD13 edit it for me.  Voice to Text has come a long way.  I also made lots of phone calls in place of emails to co-workers.

 

Thanks for going into detail about the driving. I'll plan on not driving for the first 4 weeks which means I'll miss my classes. It's too far away & at a time of day when no one is around to take me. That makes me sad because I really, really enjoy them. But, life happens, and I really want to fix the pain & range of motion in my shoulder. I won't start physical therapy for 4 weeks, but Dd could probably drive me to that, if needed.

 

You know, the dr. didn't mention the ice machine. I had one with my knee & it was the best! Hopefully, I'll get one with my shoulder.

[heartosunshine]

For the shirts- a friend had this surgery and ordered online two shirts made for people with disabilities. One side fastened with Velcro. She swears this helped her so much.

 

I thought about fashioning something like that from a store-bought shirt. Good to know it's worth it!

[Garga]

DH borrowed his dad's ice machine (it was like a PP said), but in the end he found that a big ice pack worked better for him. I don't know where he got it, but we have a huge ice pack designed for things like this. It is about 11x16 and is filled with gel you can freeze. You can put it in a cloth bag.

 

The ice helped him a lot and he used a lot of ibuprophen. He runs hot, so he was happy with the ice. I run cold, so having to have an ice pack on my arm would have been like torture. I don't knowhy why I'm using past tense. He still uses the ice pack every day and sometimes the ibuprophen after PT.

 

So, if you can't get the ice machine and then have to be attached to it, a big ice pack can be another option.

[Garga]

For my back surgery, dr. to told me basic 6 week recovery but I'd probably be able to get back into life after a couple weeks. At the hospital, just before surgery, they tell me no bending over (at the waist) or lifting more than 5 lbs for 3 months! Ummm...what?! Would have been nice to know that before so that I could have planned for more help.

 

Aw man! That was really crummy of them. What's up with these doctors? :( They're like used car salesmen selling lemons, telling us all a pack of lies to get us onto their operating tables. I'm not angry at them, but just gobsmacked. I keep hearing story after story about this. What's their game?

[4kidlets4me]

I had similar surgery last October so it's been almost a year since mine. I was in a sling for 6 weeks, and could not drive at all. I couldn't even buckle the seat belt by myself let alone operate the vehicle. I couldn't shower without my husbands help for at least 2-3 weeks. I could wear a bra but had to have someone buckle it up for me. What surprised me the most was how weak I felt for several weeks afterwards. Walking around for more than an hour just wiped me out. I think it was a combo or not sleeping well(had to sleep in the recliner for 8-10 weeks) and the pain meds. I couldn't cook either, had to have my husband or teens help me. I couldn't even cut my meat by myself. The sling really makes it impossible to move your arm around. It was easiest for me to type with my iPad because I could move it close enough to reach with both hands. Even after getting out of the sling I had a lot of difficulties. I wasn't able to put on a bra by myself for a long long time. My arm just wouldn't bend that way. I think it was several weeks after the sling came off before I felt comfortable to drive. I had to go to a empty parking lot and practice driving before I felt comfortable again. 

[Garga]

I had similar surgery last October so it's been almost a year since mine. I was in a sling for 6 weeks, and could not drive at all. I couldn't even buckle the seat belt by myself let alone operate the vehicle. I couldn't shower without my husbands help for at least 2-3 weeks. I could wear a bra but had to have someone buckle it up for me. What surprised me the most was how weak I felt for several weeks afterwards. Walking around for more than an hour just wiped me out. I think it was a combo or not sleeping well(had to sleep in the recliner for 8-10 weeks) and the pain meds. I couldn't cook either, had to have my husband or teens help me. I couldn't even cut my meat by myself. The sling really makes it impossible to move your arm around. It was easiest for me to type with my iPad because I could move it close enough to reach with both hands. Even after getting out of the sling I had a lot of difficulties. I wasn't able to put on a bra by myself for a long long time. My arm just wouldn't bend that way. I think it was several weeks after the sling came off before I felt comfortable to drive. I had to go to a empty parking lot and practice driving before I felt comfortable again. 

 

 

DH's sling comes off tomorrow and he's hopeful he can drive.  I'm nervous about it.  It's like you said--we go out to run simple errands (me driving, me buttoning his pants, me tying his shoes, me putting on his seatbelt) for two hours and he's exhausted.  Exhausted.  Just from being driven around and walking slowly through a few stores. 

 

You're right about cooking and chopping food. Today we went out to lunch and he could barely cut his chicken and only because it was cooked very soft.

 

I don't think that the fact that the sling comes off will magically make him able to work for 8 hours a day, drive back and forth to work (45 minutes each way) and run errands, etc.  I asked him why he thinks he'll be able to drive when he'll only be able to bend the arm at the elbow since his PT told him not to raise his arm higher than his waist. 

 

And he's so messed up from the oxy with his sleep.  It's been 3 weeks and he still has withdrawl symptoms--feeling like things are crawling under his skin and sleep issues.  I really am irritated at the doctors for not giving us a better heads up about this.  We honestly thought that after a single week he'd be 80% better.  My dh took of a whole two weeks so he could be 100% before he went to work.  When we found out that it takes 6 mos to a year to recover (much less the 6 weeks in the sling and 6 weeks after that to get mobility, and then a few more months after that for strength training) we were so annoyed!   Grrr!

[Garga]

I had similar surgery last October so it's been almost a year since mine. I was in a sling for 6 weeks, and could not drive at all. I couldn't even buckle the seat belt by myself let alone operate the vehicle. I couldn't shower without my husbands help for at least 2-3 weeks. I could wear a bra but had to have someone buckle it up for me. What surprised me the most was how weak I felt for several weeks afterwards. Walking around for more than an hour just wiped me out. I think it was a combo or not sleeping well(had to sleep in the recliner for 8-10 weeks) and the pain meds. I couldn't cook either, had to have my husband or teens help me. I couldn't even cut my meat by myself. The sling really makes it impossible to move your arm around. It was easiest for me to type with my iPad because I could move it close enough to reach with both hands. Even after getting out of the sling I had a lot of difficulties. I wasn't able to put on a bra by myself for a long long time. My arm just wouldn't bend that way. I think it was several weeks after the sling came off before I felt comfortable to drive. I had to go to a empty parking lot and practice driving before I felt comfortable again. 

 

 

If you can remember, can you tell me everything that happened in the first few weeks after the sling was off?  Dh is wondering about work (he works mostly at a computer, typing.)  I see what you  wrote about driving.  DH thinks he'll be driving soon, but I think it's wishful thinking.  I think it's a great idea to practice in a parking lot at first.  Brilliant!

 

What will it really be like tomorrow when the sling is off?  Will he be able to sleep in bed again?  Or will he still need to prop up the arm on the recliner chair?  Will he be able to type or write?  The pt said he probably would get very achy if he writes or types more than a couple of hours at a time and he'd have to watch his posture like a hawk so he doesn't start slumping in odd positions and straining his other muscles. 

 

Will he pretty much be as he is now, only without wearing that sling?  Or will he be able to do more?  No one gives us clear answers.  They just say, "Well, everyone is different."  Ok...but they never give a range of what the differences are.  I'd like to know worst case so we can prepare for that. 

[heartosunshine]

If you can remember, can you tell me everything that happened in the first few weeks after the sling was off?  Dh is wondering about work (he works mostly at a computer, typing.)  I see what you  wrote about driving.  DH thinks he'll be driving soon, but I think it's wishful thinking.  I think it's a great idea to practice in a parking lot at first.  Brilliant!

 

What will it really be like tomorrow when the sling is off?  Will he be able to sleep in bed again?  Or will he still need to prop up the arm on the recliner chair?  Will he be able to type or write?  The pt said he probably would get very achy if he writes or types more than a couple of hours at a time and he'd have to watch his posture like a hawk so he doesn't start slumping in odd positions and straining his other muscles. 

 

Will he pretty much be as he is now, only without wearing that sling?  Or will he be able to do more?  No one gives us clear answers.  They just say, "Well, everyone is different."  Ok...but they never give a range of what the differences are.  I'd like to know worst case so we can prepare for that. 

 

How was your Dh's appointment?

 

[Garga]

How was your Dh's appointment?

 

 

 

Good.  The sling came off.  He's beein sleeping in the recliner still because the arm of the chair props him up.  The doc said that he'll be achy by the end of the week and he'll have ups and downs throughout the next few weeks.  DH is finding his shoulder getting achy and throbbing if he starts to overdo it.  We went to the movies tonight to see The Martian (lots of fun), but it's a 2 hour 21 minute movie and we got there 20 minutes early.  3 hours of sitting in the theater, after puttering around today, made his arm throb.  He was also having some pain in the good arm from overusing it, and today his back was starting to hurt from holding the bad arm in place without the help of the sling (just with his own muscles.) 

 

We haven't had him try driving yet because honestly we haven't had 2 minutes to rub together to get out to a parking lot.  I do not feel comfortable with him driving until he practices a bit in a parking lot.  His bad arm is very stiff and hard to move around.  He wants to drive and is being a bit rash about it, I think. 

 

I'm going to drive him to work tomorrow.  He'll work 1/2 a day, so just 3.5 hours.  It's a 45 minute drive each way, so I'm not going to go there and back just to turn around to go there and back to pick him up.  We're going to convert the back of the mini van into a school room (all the seats fold into the floor.)  I'm gathering pillows and blankets and all our books.  I know he's anxious to be able to drive himself so he doesn't disrupt our day, but I feel it would be unsafe for him to be driving 45 minutes at the 65 mph speed limit and then through the town traffic without testing his abilities for a few days beforehand. The boys and I think it'll be kinda cool schooling in the back of the car.  Fortunately it's good weather.

 

If I think of something else, I'll let you know.  Other than a bit of pain (not enough for meds, just an achy feeling), and not being able to drive, it's not too bad.  It's not like he's completely bedridden or hopped up on pain meds.

[4kidlets4me]

If you can remember, can you tell me everything that happened in the first few weeks after the sling was off?  Dh is wondering about work (he works mostly at a computer, typing.)  I see what you  wrote about driving.  DH thinks he'll be driving soon, but I think it's wishful thinking.  I think it's a great idea to practice in a parking lot at first.  Brilliant!

 

What will it really be like tomorrow when the sling is off?  Will he be able to sleep in bed again?  Or will he still need to prop up the arm on the recliner chair?  Will he be able to type or write?  The pt said he probably would get very achy if he writes or types more than a couple of hours at a time and he'd have to watch his posture like a hawk so he doesn't start slumping in odd positions and straining his other muscles. 

 

Will he pretty much be as he is now, only without wearing that sling?  Or will he be able to do more?  No one gives us clear answers.  They just say, "Well, everyone is different."  Ok...but they never give a range of what the differences are.  I'd like to know worst case so we can prepare for that. 

 

I was very protective of my arm once the sling came off and would even wear the sling when going out so people wouldn't bump into me. Mine came off right before Xmas time so I was out in the crowded stores a lot. I could type but had to move the keyboard closer to the edge of my desk so I wasn't having my arm at a weird angle. I had a lot of pain and still iced it every day. I couldn't sleep in my bed for another 2-3 weeks. I'm a side sleeper so I had to learn to not roll over on that side and adjusting covers was a pain in the butt. I think it was really another month to 6 weeks before I felt more like I was back to normal. I had 5 months of PT and even when that was over I still felt not healed. It's only been in the last 2 months that I've been feeling completely healed. My surgeon stressed multiple times that I wouldn't be healed for an entire year and even after that my shoulder would never be 100% back to what it was. 

[Garga]

I was very protective of my arm once the sling came off and would even wear the sling when going out so people wouldn't bump into me. Mine came off right before Xmas time so I was out in the crowded stores a lot. I could type but had to move the keyboard closer to the edge of my desk so I wasn't having my arm at a weird angle. I had a lot of pain and still iced it every day. I couldn't sleep in my bed for another 2-3 weeks. I'm a side sleeper so I had to learn to not roll over on that side and adjusting covers was a pain in the butt. I think it was really another month to 6 weeks before I felt more like I was back to normal. I had 5 months of PT and even when that was over I still felt not healed. It's only been in the last 2 months that I've been feeling completely healed. My surgeon stressed multiple times that I wouldn't be healed for an entire year and even after that my shoulder would never be 100% back to what it was.

A funny (sort of): we left the surgeon and DH had the sling off for the first time. He got in the car and shut the door...and slammed it into his arm. "Ow ow ow!" clutching the arm.

 

We stopped at Walmart for some supplies, got in the car...and he did it again! ARGH!!!

 

Thanks for the info. He has adHd. See the emphasis on the H. It drives him crazy to try to stay still. I'm actually pretty proud of him for being as still as he is being. He's old enough now and has hypered himself into injury in the past, that now he's really doing a good job reeling in his tendencies to hyper around the house and mess up the arm. Work will be tricky. He often overdoes things at work because he feels an internal pressure to be at his best all the time...even when he's not at his best because he had a surgery.

 

Thanks again for replying.

[Tsuga]

No clue but I know two people who had this. I did not ask about their bOOks. However, they both made full recoveries and were happy with it. I wish you a similarly positive outcome.

[heartosunshine]

Good.  The sling came off.  He's beein sleeping in the recliner still because the arm of the chair props him up.  The doc said that he'll be achy by the end of the week and he'll have ups and downs throughout the next few weeks.  DH is finding his shoulder getting achy and throbbing if he starts to overdo it.  We went to the movies tonight to see The Martian (lots of fun), but it's a 2 hour 21 minute movie and we got there 20 minutes early.  3 hours of sitting in the theater, after puttering around today, made his arm throb.  He was also having some pain in the good arm from overusing it, and today his back was starting to hurt from holding the bad arm in place without the help of the sling (just with his own muscles.) 

 

We haven't had him try driving yet because honestly we haven't had 2 minutes to rub together to get out to a parking lot.  I do not feel comfortable with him driving until he practices a bit in a parking lot.  His bad arm is very stiff and hard to move around.  He wants to drive and is being a bit rash about it, I think. 

 

I'm going to drive him to work tomorrow.  He'll work 1/2 a day, so just 3.5 hours.  It's a 45 minute drive each way, so I'm not going to go there and back just to turn around to go there and back to pick him up.  We're going to convert the back of the mini van into a school room (all the seats fold into the floor.)  I'm gathering pillows and blankets and all our books.  I know he's anxious to be able to drive himself so he doesn't disrupt our day, but I feel it would be unsafe for him to be driving 45 minutes at the 65 mph speed limit and then through the town traffic without testing his abilities for a few days beforehand. The boys and I think it'll be kinda cool schooling in the back of the car.  Fortunately it's good weather.

 

If I think of something else, I'll let you know.  Other than a bit of pain (not enough for meds, just an achy feeling), and not being able to drive, it's not too bad.  It's not like he's completely bedridden or hopped up on pain meds.

 

I hope work goes well for him (and school for you & the kiddos!). You know, going to work may help regulate his sleep cycle. I struggle after each surgery with major restlessness during recovery. It's that awkward time where you're healed enough for your body to be restless and want to move but not enough to resume activities.

 

[heartosunshine]

No clue but I know two people who had this. I did not ask about their bOOks. However, they both made full recoveries and were happy with it. I wish you a similarly positive outcome.

 

Well, I just don't understand why not?! :D

(I also know a couple people irl but not well enough to ask about that, which is why I asked here. Any questions can be asked here. ;))

 

[heartosunshine]

Update:

 

I had the surgery & there was more damage than expected. I have my first post-op on Friday, so I'll find out what exactly was done & if I have to wear the sling longer than expected. I was in a lot of pain the day after so they gave another script for a better pain killer. Pain is easing up now 5 days later & I'll probably be down to just ibuprofen in a couple days. They gave me an ice machine that's helped a lot with pain as well.

 

I'm not allowed to take off my UltraSling IV at all or take a shower until my appt. This differs from what the surgeon said initially, so I'm wondering what else will be different.

 

For post-surgical clothing, I bought ribbed tank tops on sale & cut the shoulder strap. I also bought 2 oversized t-shirts, cut up the side seam, & added velcro ovals. I'm so glad i did this because it would be impossible to change my shirt since I can't remove this sling & there's so many straps to it.

 

Thanks so much to all! I was better prepared because of this thread.

[Tsuga]

Oh gosh, sorry to hear there was more damage. I hope that it works out.  :grouphug:

[Hyacinth]

Care to update us, heartosunshine?

 

I'm having an MRI in November to determine the extent of my damage and to see if surgery is warranted (please no please no please no).

[heartosunshine]

Care to update us, heartosunshine?

 

I'm having an MRI in November to determine the extent of my damage and to see if surgery is warranted (please no please no please no).

 

Oh, no. Hopefully, you won't need surgery. Have you been through physical therapy yet?

 

My doc performed SAD/DCE (because of bone spur, expected), rotator cuff repair (unexpected), and biceps tenodesis (unexpected). My sling stays on for a total of 5 weeks except to shower and even then I have to be very careful not to move my arm at all. There is a risk of pulling out the anchors used to secure the repairs, in which case I'd have to have the surgery again. At 5 weeks, I'll be put into another sling & start physical therapy.

 

I was on painkillers longer than I expected but the doc said that is typical because of all the work done. More repairs during surgery = more pain & more restrictions afterwards. I'm currently down to ibuprofen around the clock and grit my teeth with the evening pain, when it's the worst.

 

I'm able to do my coursework but I don't go to class because it really isn't safe for me to drive. Honestly, I haven't felt up to leaving the house much so it's fine. (I think of it as homeschooling college. :001_smile: )  I may take an Uber to class next week if I'm up to it. Fortunately, my instructors are understanding.

 

The biggest things I've had to do is clear my calendar, deal with some house mess & disorganization, and rest. I've missed some events (Dd's choir concerts), postponed others (appointments), and will do whatever it takes to get to one in particular (The Lion King). My family has been great helping out so that's a huge benefit.

 

This surgery has been tough for me but then I think about using my left arm again without pain. That makes it all worth it!