I am so sorry to hear about your experience of needing a second surgery.<SNIP> The doc is everything.
Thanks for the kind thoughts yogione. As to the doc, truer words were never spoken. If my current doc had done my original surgery, I would not have had to go back through this and would have already been healed up by now and on my way across the country on my ST!
This was my second surgery with this doc and he is one great surgeon. 4 hr repair of the rc and a torn labrum as well as doing a clavicle resection to ease the arthritis and open tendon space. Had a scalene muscle block which knocked out all pain for the first 15 hours. Have a continual motion machine and cooling blanket and off all pain meds today. Have been sleeping in bed, poorly, but doable. Last night was almost OK.
Sounds like you had the full surgical monty! I was only on the machine for a week but I do believe it is why I have so much of my range of motion back so quickly. I've still got a good ways to go but I'm light years ahead of where I was at this same time after my last surgery.
For me, the after surgery pain was nowhere near as bad this time around despite the fact that this second surgery was more way involved. In addition to repairing the full thickness tear of the R/C tendon, he removed bone spurs, manipulated the arm to fix a partially frozen shoulder, reattached the bicep that had pulled away and a couple of other things that I haven't a clue as to what they were. All the first guy did was "repair" the rotator cuff and I still can't sleep lying down after 11 months. There was WAY more pain for a lot longer with that first surgery too. I don't think I got a decent nights sleep for the first two months from continually waking up in the middle of the night in pain... and that was while sleeping in a recliner, not lying down in a bed!
The body is pretty amazing and resilient and with a good recovery program and patience almost anything is possible. I of course wrote this last bit for myself since patience does not come easy for me.
Vic
Trust me, I know what you mean.
vinny said:
Bottom line, I was back on the bike in about 7 weeks, but not for long rides.
Glad to hear it Vinny. Given the mangling my shoulder has taken in the course of two surgeries, I'm not going to even attempt a ride until next spring at the earliest. Gives me plenty of time to figure out what my next ride is going to be :biker: since I sold both the ST and the VFR in the midst of all this.
