Today marks 20 weeks since my shoulder surgery.
Dare I say that I think I’m turning another corner on this journey?
One of the things I noticed in the days and weeks following my surgery was that my shoulder joint was very tight. It took weeks upon weeks for things to loosen up; progress couldn’t really be measured day by day, much to my dismay. I think a small part of me expected (and still expects) to wake up feeling like my old self again.
Range of motion still leaves something to be desired, and there’s discomfort when I stretch my left arm in front of me, but I’m getting there. Forget lifting it to the side. That’s still painful. Putting on deodorant each day is a challenge, and shaving that armpit is ridiculously difficult. I probably should get it waxed, but I can’t lift my arm high enough, so that wouldn’t work either. Sheesh.
The repair of my torn labrum has definitely compounded the recovery, but I believe I am finally seeing improvement in this area as well. I’ve noticed that the constant ache is easing up, praise the Lord!
When we were at Disney with our children and grandchildren, I was able to pick up and carry all three of the babies. I was careful to lift them using my right arm primarily, and I kept my elbows close to my body to prevent tearing my left rotator cuff again, but the strength is coming back!
My oldest granddaughter even exclaimed, with delight and surprise, “NatNat, your arm is all better” when I lifted her up to hug her at the airport.
Be still my heart.
Reaching behind my back is something I cannot do yet. A childhood friend told me that it took her a year before she regained this ability, so I’m not losing hope.
There are a myriad of other tasks that continue to frustrate me, but the older I get, the more go-with-the-flow I find myself.
It is what it is, and I’m at God’s mercy as to when He heals me.
I’m just grateful for the strength He provides each day. I could not do life without Him.
Filed under: This-n-That |
AuburnChick's Adventures 
20 weeks???? I was like there’s no way! That sounds so long ago!!!! But I guess that’s right. WOW. Where does time go!
You’re sweet granddaughter recognizing your arm being better – what an intuitive little thing!
Some days, it seems like so long ago since I had the surgery. Other days, it feels like yesterday.
E girl is the sweetest little thing. She’s been told, for months, to be careful with my arm. That’s why she noticed right away. It’s seemed like forever since I could pick her up.
Yes to all this. All this sounds like how my recovery went. I learned to put my arm on the wall or countertop and stretch my body out from there to shave or put my deodorant on until I could lift it more.
I still have stiffness and when I try to lift it there’s a point that it just kind of stops and I have to use my other arm to pull it up. Finding your blog and talking about our shoulders is motivating me to start exercising it again!
I love this so much!!! I’m mad at myself for taking such a long break from blogging because the truth is that we need each other. The blogging community is a great place to support one another.
My physical therapist showed me how to stretch out my arm to shave or put deodorant on, but my shoulder just will not rotate in enough to create that space yet. It’s still a painful move to execute.
Do you have a pulley system for home? I bought a cheap one on Amazon that hangs over the door. It’s wonderful!
My husband made me a PVC pipe cane to help stretch out my shoulder as well.
I feel like we are Dora singing, “Just keep swimming.”
Have a fabulous day!