AuburnChick's Adventures

Time flies when you’re recovering from shoulder surgery!

It’s hard to believe that four weeks ago, I was beginning this journey anew. I’m also 29 weeks post-surgery on my left shoulder.

Y’all!!!!! That’s crazy!!

Life is still challenging, but I’m pretty stubborn and fiercely live out the motto, “Where’s there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Rather than giving in, I am finding alternative ways of doing the things that need doing.

One of the things I’m struggling with is my hair.

Last week, I couldn’t get in with my hair dresser, so the Mr. and I had to wash it ourselves.

Thank heavens for a detachable shower nozzle, but it was still hard because my left shoulder still isn’t moving properly, so reaching across my head to scrub the right side was impossible. Cue the Mr., who took care of the places I couldn’t reach.

Then, I had to dry my hair. Ugh.

Here’s what I looked like.

Straightening it was equally difficult. I could straighten the left side of my head, but trying to get to the right side was a situation. The Mr. is scared of hot things and refused to help. Ha!

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One thing I’ve talked a lot to people about when they inquire about my shoulder is how much less pain I’ve had with this one.

While it definitely has hurt and continues to ache, it’s not as bad as the left shoulder was. I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with horrible pain either.

Sleep has been frustrating for almost a year now, and post-surgery rest has been challenging. After sleeping on the couch at my son’s house during the recent holiday weekend, I decided to try to move back to the bed at home.

I was unsuccessful at keeping myself propped up and woke up to find myself leaning on my right shoulder. One of my pillows fell off of the bed midway through the night.

I wound up returning to the couch the next night.

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Mornings still look like this, with my makeup and matcha on a small table by my recliner. It’s difficult for me to lean across the bathroom sink to look in the big mirror and apply makeup.

I had Tiger Tables Monday. This was me after I got ready but before I put on my sling.

One of the parents I talked to asked if I’d been in a car accident. 😬🫣

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The work load in my office increased exponentially this week.

Tuesday afternoon, my bicep and shoulder hurt pretty badly. I had entered a lot of information on the computer and had started using my right hand a little (with my arm still in the sling), so I assumed that was what probably triggered the intense pain. The same thing happened after my left shoulder surgery.

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I got my hair cut Tuesday after work, which was absolutely wonderful. My hairdresser is simply the best!

I had my fourth physical therapy session yesterday afternoon, and it went so much better than last week’s. I mentioned the stabbing pains I’d had the afternoon before, and my therapist commiserated with me but agreed that it was most likely the micro movements waking up all of my nerves from all the typing I did that day.

He added a few new exercises to my regimen. I was allowed to do tricep reps with a band, and although I was scared, I did two sets of twenty! It’s moments like that when I feel hopeful that I’ll recover well. He did tell me not to include the new exercises at home though. He doesn’t want me to overwork my shoulder.

My therapist always stretches out my arm during each PT session, and yesterday’s was rough. I have a lot more pain in the back of my shoulder this time around. He reminded me that I’d had a lot of pain in the back of my left shoulder but had forgotten. Ha! The memory is a funny thing.

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I’ve recently noticed that the skin on my biceps is loose and stretchy and resembles old lady skin – wrinkly and such. First, I saw this on my right bicep, but at physical therapy yesterday, I noticed it on my left one as well. 😭

I thought it was due to dry skin – maybe from the summer heat or the ibuprofen 800 I’ve been taking for inflammation since December.

I bemoaned about it to my therapist yesterday, and he chuckled a little as he told me that having back to back surgeries was to blame. Not being able to move my arms much made me lose muscle mass in both biceps, so the loose, wrinkly skin is from that. He assured me that I’d get back to where I was as soon as I can start building muscle again.

Y’all!!!!! I just cannot sometimes.

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All things considered, I’m doing extremely well. My physical therapist was pleased with the way my arm was moving (despite the pain his stretching brought on), and he applied a heating pad (my favorite) and stem treatment at the end of the session.

He told me that I still need to baby my arm – that there’s still a lot of healing happening.

So, I’m trying to do follow orders with the knowledge that it won’t be long before I’ll be able to do more.

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Oh, and let me update you on my left shoulder.

So, I had that surgery the week before Christmas. You’ll remember that there was a ton of damage in there, and the recovery has been very long and painful.

I can honestly say that I’ve made a lot of headway with the range of motion in that shoulder the last week or two.

Undergoing back-to-back shoulder surgeries made me quite nervous; concerns about overusing the left arm as it compensates for the right one have plagued me the last few weeks.

I think, though, that it’s because I’ve had to do everything one-armed that I’m doing better than I expected.

Well, that plus God’s healing touch. 🙌🏻

I’m able to reach my left arm halfway behind my back now. It’s not quite far enough to scratch an itch, but it’s getting there!

I can stretch my arm over my head with my elbow pointed out to the side without as much pain, although I don’t have full range of motion when I raise it straight up.

I’m not actively doing PT exercises on that side, but as I’m able to do more on the right side, I’ll be reincorporating them into my routine.

So, seven months in, and I’m making much-longed-for strides, and this gives me great joy because this journey has been h-a-r-d.

I very much appreciate your continued prayers and offer up my own for the struggles you are going through.

God is so very good. I’m thankful for this community where we lift one another up and celebrate one another’s wins.

Filed under: This-n-That |