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Rotator cuff surgery

Thanks HW. Just ordered one.

Gonna miss that January and February coyote calling but looking forward to working towards recovery.
I'll shoot the coyotes for you this winter
 
One thing I want everyone to be aware of is a thing called a “FROZEN SHOULDER”. You get it by babying your injured shoulder (I.e. putting it in a sling so you won’t hurt it any more). You do not want to get a frozen shoulder. When I blew out my left shoulder I had already scheduled my surgery around my schedule. Surgeon and I agreed to wait 3 months until I got back home from our summer camp site. In the meantime I babied the shoulder so I wouldn’t injure it any further. Worst thing I could have done. When I went in for my pre-op interview with the surgeon I couldn’t move my arm around at all. The pain was intense.

He said that I had a frozen shoulder and that he couldn’t operate on it until he “unfroze” it - which involved him putting me under and manipulating the shoulder (read: moved the shit out of my arm/shoulder!!!) until all the frozen tissue (like scar tissue) was broken up. When I came to, the pain was horrific. Much worse than anything I’d ever experienced. It required 6 weeks of PT (remember, my shoulder still has the torn rotator cuff, labrum, and bicep tendon), THEN….. he could do the surgery.

Ask your doctor about a frozen shoulder.
 
Frozen shoulder is nothing to ignore at all. It can become permanent. More than anything it is important to do daily stretching exercises leading eventually to conditioning and regaining strength. As said before DO NOT baby that shoulder. Do everything you can to move back into normal use and range as you can. Follow what your doctor and the physical therapist tells you to do. Dump that sling as soon as you can and do not get adicted to it. Yes, there will be some pain but eventually it goes away.
 
Had two tears and the biceps done on my left shoulder a year ago this coming week. If I remember right I was first able to shoot my bow in July/August and those first attempts were brutal, just no strength in that bow arm/shoulder. Ended up in decent shooting shape by the season but not to the point I would of wanted to do a 3d shoot with tons of targets.

Everything folks say here is true. Recovery sucks, recliners suck, PT sucked but you just have to get through it all, it takes time. You'll find out what you are made of the first time you try driving and move that shoulder just right and get a massive zinger.

Having a helper around that first week or more is critical and make sure you have the cold wrap ice machine, darn glad I bought one. Good luck!
 
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Day two.
So far the biggest problem was my wife trying to pick up the pain meds, even with a prescription the pharmacist needs a surgeon's consent, only needed one when the nerve block wore off (have 50), just Tylenol after.
Saving the strong stuff in case I need it during therapy.
Should see surgeon this week, right now I am not even sure what they did
 
Ice is your friend!

I think the pain med rules have got very, very stupid. The Feds should prosecute the hell out of the pushers of Oxy (Purdue Pharma's owners) and go back to assuming that most of us are responsible adults instead of most of us being closet druggies.

Good luck on the journey! I have to take the same journey again, myself, and am not excited.

But remember, your best friend for a week or so is ice.

David
NM
 
Ice is your friend!

I think the pain med rules have got very, very stupid. The Feds should prosecute the hell out of the pushers of Oxy (Purdue Pharma's owners) and go back to assuming that most of us are responsible adults instead of most of us being closet druggies.

Good luck on the journey! I have to take the same journey again, myself, and am not excited.

But remember, your best friend for a week or so is ice.

David
NM
Agree, brother in law sent me his ice machine, awesome.
 
Just had mine done two weeks ago.
I've been fortunate.
Only took their dope the day of and the day after since they told me to stay ahead of the pain.
I hate that stuff.
Been fortunate. No pain at all.
Sling is annoying but I can't really complain.
Sitting in the recliner looking at the wall for 10+ hours is about to drive me nuts.
 
Getting caught up on soaps, wow, saw a post on Wisconsin people. Been watching Big Sky, you guys got some whacked out people 🤪
 
Day 6
Finally met with surgeon,Set up physical therapy, sling for another5 weeks.
Asked alot of questions. Locked shoulder does not just happen from lack of exercise, also prior to surgery.
I figure anyone who can do what he did,4 1/2" cuts, Ill follow directions.
Stitches out, Down to two Tylenol, hurts during the day, not bad.
 
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