I fell off a bread truck onto my elbow over 10 weeks ago driving my humerus into my rotator cuff. Three of the four tendons are completely torn. Surgery will be in early June, with a 50-50 chance of doing any good at all, only a 25% chance of complete restoration of function. Then 6-12 weeks in a sling, 6-12 months of physical therapy. The PT will maximise whatever I've got, so my functioning will be at least improved regardless.
Not very encouraging, but I have already started adapting, anticipating what I can lift and what I can't, where I can reach. One gets creative. I am not especially discouraged. Life goes on.
I get twinges--nothing awful--in a somewhat damaged or unstable rotator cuff from time to time. Whenever I do these days, I think of you, because that sounds unimaginably painful.
ReplyDeleteOuch. That's a lot. Praying.
ReplyDeleteYou can keep praying, but it's not painful at all. Apparently it would be painful if the tendons were only partly ripped, but three of my four are completely torn.
ReplyDeleteI have a bad shoulder. My ortho guy said: "You have inflammation of the rotator cuff, caused by calcification of the shoulder joint, and I don't recommend surgery." All in one sentence like that. I asked him why he was so quick to advise against surgery. He said that shoulder surgery is always difficult, always has a long, painful recovery, and sometimes does not do much good. I appreciated his honesty. If he had said, "Boy, you really need surgery." I would have signed up on the spot. (I trust him a lot, because he did both hip replacements on me, and they have worked out great.) So, I take Tylenol and try not to sleep on that side.
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