Well I guess I can put any MC activities away for awhile. Tomorrow morning I go in for Rotator Cuff surgery. Here is a brief read on that:
Patient-to-Patient: Practical Tips and Information for Those Facing Rotator Cuff Surgery and Recovery
Prepared by members of the Facebook group, "Rotator Cuff Injury and Surgery,"September, 2014
These tips come from current and former rotator cuff patients. These are not intended to give medical advice and should not replace information or instructions given to you by your health care professionals. We are here to help and support you based on our own varied experiences. If you have any questions, we encourage you to ask your surgeon and/or your physical therapist. Each surgery is different depending on which tendons are repaired, how large the tears were, whether you have other work done, whether the labrum is torn, and so forth. There are lots of variables, so please consult your surgeon before doing anything he hasn't specifically told you to do.
Rotator cuff repair surgery may be "day surgery,"but it is in no way minor surgery. And you should expect to be an active participant in your recovery for six months or more. Many of us have found that it takes more than a year to recover fully.
Before surgery
1. Choose the right doctor. You may or may not have already chosen a surgeon. It is a personal choice, but we recommend that you use a surgeon who either specializes in upper extremities, particularly the shoulder, or who has performed numerous rotator cuff surgeries. Check your surgeon's patient satisfaction statistics. You can learn a lot just by searching on the internet.
2. Choose the right date. You will most likely be in an immobilizing sling for four to six weeks. After that, you will have limited use of your arm. So be certain to find a date where you can safely "clear your calendar"for several weeks. If you live in a winter climate, keep in mind that you will need to get to and from physical therapy, even if you don't venture out beyond that, so you'll need to deal with winter coats and possibly boots, and you may need to contend with slippery sidewalk or road conditions. Your surgeon will let you know how long you should plan to be off work. Our advice is to take as much time off as you possibly can, even if you have a "desk"job. The surgeon may suggest one or two weeks, but our experience is that you will be much better off if you can take a minimum of a month to six weeks off. Being able to continue on pain medications past two weeks may be necessary, for instance.
3. Arrange caregivers and drivers. You must have someone to drive you to and from the hospital, and you will want someone home with you for at least 24 hours, if not longer. If you live alone, please arrange this in advance and find someone you can depend on. You most likely will not be allowed to drive for six weeks, so figure out how you will get to physical therapy and doctor's appointments during that time. Now is the time to get to know your neighbors! And don't feel badly about asking friends to help; if anything, they'll appreciate it and want to help out.
4. Arrange for your medicines. Ask your pharmacy for non-child-proof caps for your medicines. If there are children at home, be sure to keep these out of reach of them. In addition, we recommend purchasing a stool softener or other anti-constipation over the counter medicine because the narcotics you will be prescribed will make you severely constipated. Drink plenty of water. It's a good idea to keep a list of your medicines and when you are supposed to take them. Mark when you've taken them and at what time. It's easy to lose track of when you've taken medications when you are groggy or in pain.
5. Purchase items in advance. Once you have your surgery scheduled, you'll need to do some things in advance to make sure the day of and the weeks after go as smoothly as possible. We suggest the following:
a. Recliner chair. You won't be able to sleep in a regular bed unless you can use pillows to sit up. It's easier to sleep in a recliner because you can sit up, and it minimizes any possibility of rolling over. Most of us have found sleeping in a recliner to be a much better option. Some people need to sleep in the recliner for just a few weeks, others need the recliner for months. If you have a recliner at home, remember that most manual recliners have a right-handed lever. If you are having your right shoulder done, you won't be able to operate the lever. You may want to consider renting or buying a recliner with an electronic control. Not only can you operate it with your left hand, but it moves the back and legs separately, allowing you to position it more accurately for a good night's sleep.
b. Neck cushion. Some people find using a neck cushion (like the ones people bring on airplanes) more comfortable when sleeping sitting up.
c. Ice gel packs. Some doctors will send you home with an ice machine (Cryo-cuff), but even if yours does, you'll need the flexibility of ice packs. The flexible blue gel ones work best. Get two or three so that there is always a cold one in the freezer.
d. Clothing. Oversized button down shirts are the easiest to deal with. You will take your sling off, keeping your "involved"arm hanging at your side. Then you will slip the arm into the sleeve. With your opposite arm, you'll be able to grab the shirt and bring it around your back and slip your other arm into its sleeve. It will take a little time to learn to button one-handed. If you are having trouble, lean your back against the wall and try it. Here's another trick: stand in front of a dresser, pull out a drawer that is at waist level and rest your arm on it while getting the sling into place. Some of us have found big tee shirts to work well, too. Put your involved arm in first, then slip it over your head and put the other arm in. Some women have found slip-on dresses to work well. In terms of underwear, women should feel free to go "bra-less"whenever possible. If you need to wear a bra, hook it in the front and twirl it to the back. You can tuck the strap of
the involved side into the bra itself if you prefer not to have it on your shoulder. Front-zipping sports bras exist but it is difficult in the first few weeks to zip them. Loafers and other slip-on shoes work well. For sleeping, consider button-down night shirts. If it's winter time, you might want to use a large jacket or cape that you can pull over the involved arm and sling and button in the front.
e. Toiletries. Shampoo and conditioner and bath soap in pump bottles, floss picks, vibrating tooth brush.
f. Other items. Electric can opener, shower chair, shower sling, standing blow dryer
g. Food preparation and delivery. If you are the primary cook in the family or you live alone, we suggest preparing several meals ahead of time. Put them in single meal containers that are easy to open. Pre-cut them. If you live alone or are alone for long periods of time, consider food delivery options. Many restaurants (not just pizza) will deliver. There are also food services that will set up programs for you in the short term if you are home bound.
6. Links to helpful information: a.
This is an excellent animated video of shoulder anatomy. b.
This is a video of an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, part "actual"surgery and part animated. It's a bit gruesome but if you want to know what's going to happen, this is the video to watch.
Patient-to-Patient: Practical Tips and Information for Those Facing Rotator Cuff Surgery and Recovery
Prepared by members of the Facebook group, "Rotator Cuff Injury and Surgery,"September, 2014
These tips come from current and former rotator cuff patients. These are not intended to give medical advice and should not replace information or instructions given to you by your health care professionals. We are here to help and support you based on our own varied experiences. If you have any questions, we encourage you to ask your surgeon and/or your physical therapist. Each surgery is different depending on which tendons are repaired, how large the tears were, whether you have other work done, whether the labrum is torn, and so forth. There are lots of variables, so please consult your surgeon before doing anything he hasn't specifically told you to do.
Rotator cuff repair surgery may be "day surgery,"but it is in no way minor surgery. And you should expect to be an active participant in your recovery for six months or more. Many of us have found that it takes more than a year to recover fully.
Before surgery
1. Choose the right doctor. You may or may not have already chosen a surgeon. It is a personal choice, but we recommend that you use a surgeon who either specializes in upper extremities, particularly the shoulder, or who has performed numerous rotator cuff surgeries. Check your surgeon's patient satisfaction statistics. You can learn a lot just by searching on the internet.
2. Choose the right date. You will most likely be in an immobilizing sling for four to six weeks. After that, you will have limited use of your arm. So be certain to find a date where you can safely "clear your calendar"for several weeks. If you live in a winter climate, keep in mind that you will need to get to and from physical therapy, even if you don't venture out beyond that, so you'll need to deal with winter coats and possibly boots, and you may need to contend with slippery sidewalk or road conditions. Your surgeon will let you know how long you should plan to be off work. Our advice is to take as much time off as you possibly can, even if you have a "desk"job. The surgeon may suggest one or two weeks, but our experience is that you will be much better off if you can take a minimum of a month to six weeks off. Being able to continue on pain medications past two weeks may be necessary, for instance.
3. Arrange caregivers and drivers. You must have someone to drive you to and from the hospital, and you will want someone home with you for at least 24 hours, if not longer. If you live alone, please arrange this in advance and find someone you can depend on. You most likely will not be allowed to drive for six weeks, so figure out how you will get to physical therapy and doctor's appointments during that time. Now is the time to get to know your neighbors! And don't feel badly about asking friends to help; if anything, they'll appreciate it and want to help out.
4. Arrange for your medicines. Ask your pharmacy for non-child-proof caps for your medicines. If there are children at home, be sure to keep these out of reach of them. In addition, we recommend purchasing a stool softener or other anti-constipation over the counter medicine because the narcotics you will be prescribed will make you severely constipated. Drink plenty of water. It's a good idea to keep a list of your medicines and when you are supposed to take them. Mark when you've taken them and at what time. It's easy to lose track of when you've taken medications when you are groggy or in pain.
5. Purchase items in advance. Once you have your surgery scheduled, you'll need to do some things in advance to make sure the day of and the weeks after go as smoothly as possible. We suggest the following:
a. Recliner chair. You won't be able to sleep in a regular bed unless you can use pillows to sit up. It's easier to sleep in a recliner because you can sit up, and it minimizes any possibility of rolling over. Most of us have found sleeping in a recliner to be a much better option. Some people need to sleep in the recliner for just a few weeks, others need the recliner for months. If you have a recliner at home, remember that most manual recliners have a right-handed lever. If you are having your right shoulder done, you won't be able to operate the lever. You may want to consider renting or buying a recliner with an electronic control. Not only can you operate it with your left hand, but it moves the back and legs separately, allowing you to position it more accurately for a good night's sleep.
b. Neck cushion. Some people find using a neck cushion (like the ones people bring on airplanes) more comfortable when sleeping sitting up.
c. Ice gel packs. Some doctors will send you home with an ice machine (Cryo-cuff), but even if yours does, you'll need the flexibility of ice packs. The flexible blue gel ones work best. Get two or three so that there is always a cold one in the freezer.
d. Clothing. Oversized button down shirts are the easiest to deal with. You will take your sling off, keeping your "involved"arm hanging at your side. Then you will slip the arm into the sleeve. With your opposite arm, you'll be able to grab the shirt and bring it around your back and slip your other arm into its sleeve. It will take a little time to learn to button one-handed. If you are having trouble, lean your back against the wall and try it. Here's another trick: stand in front of a dresser, pull out a drawer that is at waist level and rest your arm on it while getting the sling into place. Some of us have found big tee shirts to work well, too. Put your involved arm in first, then slip it over your head and put the other arm in. Some women have found slip-on dresses to work well. In terms of underwear, women should feel free to go "bra-less"whenever possible. If you need to wear a bra, hook it in the front and twirl it to the back. You can tuck the strap of
the involved side into the bra itself if you prefer not to have it on your shoulder. Front-zipping sports bras exist but it is difficult in the first few weeks to zip them. Loafers and other slip-on shoes work well. For sleeping, consider button-down night shirts. If it's winter time, you might want to use a large jacket or cape that you can pull over the involved arm and sling and button in the front.
e. Toiletries. Shampoo and conditioner and bath soap in pump bottles, floss picks, vibrating tooth brush.
f. Other items. Electric can opener, shower chair, shower sling, standing blow dryer
g. Food preparation and delivery. If you are the primary cook in the family or you live alone, we suggest preparing several meals ahead of time. Put them in single meal containers that are easy to open. Pre-cut them. If you live alone or are alone for long periods of time, consider food delivery options. Many restaurants (not just pizza) will deliver. There are also food services that will set up programs for you in the short term if you are home bound.
6. Links to helpful information: a.
especially showering and dressing
