The Bug is Free! Well, in a little while anyway...

It has been a little over 3 months since my shoulder surgery. The last time I saw my surgeon, a month ago, he took my arm & moved it around & seemed displeased with my progress - & told me that swimming would be the best thing for me! The next day I asked my physical therapist about swimming – he said that I was not ready to try to do that yet. Which is good, because I’m not sure how I was going to manage to swim without putting my arm over my head – maybe the butterfly, or that Australian crawl? I don’t swim well at the best of times – I can just see the fiasco that would be the Bug in the pool with no overhead arm motion. Cleanup in Lane 5!


That made me feel a bit better about my progress – as usual, the surgeon is pie in the sky & why aren’t you swimming the English Channel, whereas reality is are you able to pull your hair back in a ponytail yet (the answer is yes!).

Yesterday I saw my surgeon again for another follow-up. They took an x-ray which apparently looked fabulous. He said, how bout we say I’ll see you when I see you! I thought that sounded extra fine. But there was the little matter of my physical therapist’s recommendation that I have another 6 weeks of therapy. And the fact that Dr. M & I had already discussed that I wasn’t quite where I wanted to be. So I told Dr. Surgeon that I thought I wanted to follow my PT’s advice. He agreed – admitting that the PT knows best at this point (duh!).

But then I’m DONE. Whatever my arm can do after six more weeks is what it can do. I’ll keep doing my home exercises, but as of Christmas, I’m finished with going somewhere I pay people to torture me. Merry Christmas to me!

This photo is from Christmas 2006 - note the doll on the dresser - my cousin the potter made the head & hands, & her mother made the dress from pieces of my Mom's wedding dress. Yes, that's supposed to be me - I think it's a pretty good likeness, but I'm afraid someone will use it as a voodoo doll someday.

What the doctor said…

I had my follow-up appointment today & the doctor said I could go back to work as long as I wear my sling. We didn’t discuss how I would get there. Heh. I’ve been driving one handed for six months anyway. Since it was basically my decision I decided to go ahead & go back tomorrow. I want to save my vacation time for when I actually feel vacation-y. This will also save my sanity.

I’ve tried reading (my Dean Koontz book is crazy-making).

I’ve tried sleeping (nice – but too much of a good thing…).

I’ve followed Dr. M around the yard as he waters flowers (too muggy!).

I’ve watched lots of PBS (I’m just not that into TV).

There are only so many blogs I can read or baseball games I can watch.

So, hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go! For those of you concerned about me going back too soon – I don’t work very hard. Mostly I type letters & read blogs – so not much different than what I do at home!

PT starts in two weeks; there will be no more arm talk until then!

Relieved

First, thanks for all your well wishes. I enjoy the commentary almost as much as my drivel :) Mrsupole I’m definitely paying attention to the area we discussed. Brenda – I had arthroscopic surgery on my shoulder.

My biggest fear going into this business was “when will the doctor release me to return to work?” Well, that one is still simmering in the back of my head. (mmm, smells like marinara – oh wait, that’s lunch. Thanks Dr. M!)

My second biggest fear was that the doctor would confirm that I’m a hypochondriac & close me up without doing anything. At least that fear is gone – the doctor’s comment to Dr. M: “no wonder she was in pain!” Apparently there was some bone on bone activity. Ouch! Of course, that’s a mixed blessing because now I have to go back to worrying about fear #1. Sigh.

I’d like to say that I won’t take up blog time with a blow by blow of my recovery & physical therapy, but well, I think it will ease my mind to share my with angst with the blogosphere. Feel free to ignore!

Well, it’s time to go take the dressing off. That’s my bellowing you’ll be hearing. Dr. M is a saint!