the shop content is that I'll be out of the shop for several weeks...

after struggling with a bad shoulder for 9 months, feeding it Tylenol and muscle relaxers that did no good, loosing sleep and being hindered in pretty
much everything I do.... I broke down and had an MRI and xrays and the diagnosis is torn rotator cuff on my dominant arm. Solution is arthroscopic surgery to
repair... 6 weeks in a sling with no use of that arm then rehab and another 3-4 months of limited to finally good use of it...

I've been paying attention to what I do with my left arm (which is pretty much everything I attempt) and I'm seriously concerned about 6 weeks without that arm... besides writing and typing... anything mechanical down to brushing my teeth. I don't see how I can manage without a manservant ! (wife says womanservant is out of the question ;-)

I know lots of you guys are as active and probably a few that are a clumsy and accident prone as I am. I'm wondering if any of you guys have had this
surgery on their dominant arm ( surely there are a few) and what exactly were your limitations and your ways of overcoming. I know about the sling and the foam couch cushion under it... and all I read is that that arm doesn't get raised up AT ALL for a while... do you have use of your arm from elbow to fingers IF you keep that shoulder/upper arm stationary ??? even if I had to strap it to my chest I could possibly manage with the forearm and hand free... How do you button blue jeans ? or wash the side of your body that has the good arm ??? how do you wipe your.... anyway...

I'd love to have some conversation by email or phone with survivors...the forum certainly isn't the place for it... anyone want to answer about 600
questions and give me the 411 ??

another point of concern ??? will I want to torch it out in 6 months and put in that 'new' shiney shoulder stuff with polished socket and carbon fiber ???

thanks
John

 

I'm no doctor (although I did sleep at Holiday Inn last night) but my experience was different than you describe. I tore my rotator cuff a couple years back and recall that I didn't have very many restrictions, in fact, after several days they wanted some movement as to keep it from stiffening up. I suppose it depends on how bad yours is torn which will dictate recovery time and the amount of rehab. I highly recommend that you follow the rehab orders to a "t" as this will get you back under your truck soonest.
I'm glad I had mine fixed as I can go about my daily routine and not think about it every hour of every day.
Good luck!
w

 

I've got no experience with this type of surgery that I can offer but I think you are doing the right thing by having your rotator cuff repaired. I hope all goes well and the inconvenience is tolerable. Hopefully the rehab time will pass quickly and you will look back and question why you didn't have it done sooner. If I'm not mistaken, some of the best surgeons that do this type of procedure are right there in your area. Good luck.

 

Haven't had rotator cuff surgery, but I did tear a bicep tendon several years ago and had it repaired. Recovery was: first week in a cast, next 3 in a range limiting brace and then PT afterwards. Believe me, it is hard to figure out how to do day to day living with the total loss of one limb On the jeans, I just resigned myself to either step up to the next size or wear sweats Most of the time I wear lace-up work boots, forget that I was lucky that it wasn't my dominant arm that I injured, but even then it was really a challenge.

 

John, I had my rotator cuff repaired about 5 years ago and I don't even think anything about it today. I don't remember them giving me a lot of restrictions. The rehab was much worse than anything that I would have voluntarily done myself. You get to do all kinds of exercises that hurt like the devil, but they had me working my shoulder just a short time after the surgery. As I recall they kept the pain pump in my shoulder for a few days after the surgery. Compared to knee replacement it's a walk in the park.

 

John,
I've no experience with a rotator cuff surgery and I don't envy you. All I can do is offer you my well wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery...
...well, that, and to remind you to resist any temptation to tear it all back apart and install the carbon fiber and polished socket.
........of course and exception would be made for adamantium.

Good luck my good man
Bobby

 

I don't know about the adamantium either... seems like the claws would get in your way wrenching... I can just see it.... tightening a tie rod end nut and it slips and you cuss and the claws come out.... dang... slashed oil pan....

j

 

LOL....I hadn't thought of that

And, it might get a bit dicey trying to hold a frosty beverage if it were in an aluminum can.

OK, No tearing the shoulder back apart. Let the Doc's do what they do and hopefully, only once...lol

 

I have broken both hands and had bone grafts and the like over the years. you have a bit of time to practice. take advantage of that! I have learned that I can lace leather boots, fasten clothes, (more importantly) unfasten clothes, and change a heavy winding, steel-nosed small block Chev starter motor next to headers with pins sticking out of my dominant hand. I can even sign my name if I have to. Be patient with your limitations and grateful for what you can do. Opening a beer was never more rewarding!

 

I dislocated my dominant shoulder and detached all the tissue, so they had to rebuild it. Now, this was about 15 years ago, and I am sure many things have changed since then.

Timeline was about the same as you describe. Shoulder in sling, strapped to the body for 3 months. Rehab after the first month. I got used to the basic tying shoes, buttoning things, etc. I could still use the hand (limited). I would take it out of the sling and type as long as it was at an angle similar tot he sling.

No regrets (didn't have much choice at the time). Still gets a little sore at times, but I have always had sore shoulders, so that could be more arthritis type things. The only thing that I can't do is reach up suddenly (like catching a quick baseball thrown over your head), and the shoulder doesn't have quite as much range of motion as the other, but overall I was happy.

It was a long time ago, so I don't remember most of the specifics, but it is short time to be down in the scheme of things as opposed to living with the pain all the time.

 

Hope the surgery goes well, good luck.

 

I've had the surgery plus having 3anchors installed to reattach ligaments and tendons s that I ripped of the bone. Now they want to replace the joint as the anchors have ripped off again and the cartilage is completely gone The worst part was moving any part of my body made the shoulder hurt like hell the first 3 or 4 weeks. I did find out the more I worked it the better it is do the rehab and don't slack off it will hurt but Alieve works well. It may not seem like it will ever get better but it does just keep plugging Way on it. Good luck. Dave S

 

In the last two years, on my right hand, I had carpel tunnel surgery and then 14 months later I got a splinter in my index finger. Thought nothing of it until several weeks later when I began growing a bump that kept getting bigger and bigger. On the palm side of the finger between the first and second joint about the size of a marble. Finally got surgery on it in August. Between the two of them I was out of commission for about two months, and being self employed it has been expensive. But I did learn to do a lot more with my left hand during that time and I still use it more than I used to. The worst is taking showers and anything else in the bathroom.
Good luck with it, and have faith in your surgeon. Mine was fantastic and I have no problems with my hand. I was even able to write the checks for the part that wasn't covered by insurance.

 

I've had three friends over the years get rotator cuff surgery. They all took it easy for a while, but their docs all wanted some motion pretty soon after the surgery. In the end, they all say that it's worth doing.

Good luck with your surgery!

In the bigger picture....the 60 year old truck gets another 6 months of rest. You'll be good and ready to get back into it when you recover.

Dan

 

Hey Jon,
Good luck with your surgery! I've torn mine but I'm trying to hold off as long as possible - just don't ask me to get anything out of an airplane overhead bin. That move isn't happening.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1