I can hardly believe that it’s been one year since I had the accident, fracturing my arm and shoulder in five places. So much has happened in the last year – the end of a long relationship, the continued decline of the housing market (my industry), and the long recovery from shoulder surgery.
There are days when I’m very aware of the stiffness and pain of my shoulder, and other days when I can ignore it and move through the day. I’m still taking low dose pain meds at night, just to relax and get some sleep.
Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good October. We’re having lovely weather here, and are so glad to see the long hot summer end! I took the photo below early one Sunday morning when the light was streaming in through the storm door. The odd assortment of items on the table were already there – I really didn’t stage this. I bring home things from my daily walk, and there they sit!
Shoulder Diary - From Injury to Recovery 
Congratulations on making it through one year! My husband had shoulder surgery with a humeral head replacement late August. Sadly, we found out after an EMG test a week ago his axillary nerve was severely damaged and there is only a 50 50 chance of rehabilitating the arm. They will do another EMG test in December to see if there is any nerve regeneration. So he has lots of pain still, and an uncertain future. Would love you to continue your diary in the future as it has been helpful to read.
OMG, LovingWife! What an awful ordeal for your husband to have that kind of pain and so little encouragement that he’ll have full use of his arm again! I had a hysterectomy years ago, and many times I’ve said that I’d rather have a hysterectomy every day than go through this kind of pain and disability. I’ll continue posting updates, even if only once a month. My last official visit with my surgeon is November 15th.
Pat
I will be coming up on my one-year anniversary THIS coming October. Broke the shoulder on the 6th & had ORIF w/plate & 12 (count ’em!) screws on the 20th. I have really enjoyed reading your blog because it’s just so wonderful to know that there are others out there w/a similar sitch. I don’t have full ROM, but I am not unhappy w/the way my shoulder is currently. I seriously doubt I’d entertain the idea of hardware removal simply because I pray I NEVER have to have anymore surgery on that area again! Scar has formed a keloid despite my daily application of Mederma and/or cocoa butter. All in all, though, I’m OK w/everything. It’s SO MUCH better than it was!
Hi, Ginger. Welcome! I’m glad you are past the worst of it. I’m with you on not wanting to face another surgery. If I were much younger, it might be worth it, but I’ll never forget those months of sheer agony! A lot of folks have congregated on the August 2012 page, so you might check out comments from others on the journey. Pat
Oh my gosh…. this has been an amazing journey for me to read and I thank you so much for sharing. I fell March 2 and crushed my shoulder. On March 12 I got my plate and screws and this awful ice water with a cooler thing that was attached to me for a week before I got so sick of it I just pulled it out. It made me hurt worse if that was possible. Like you and I suppose everyone else that has gone through this surgery, I could not sleep, new bed, lots of big pillows, pills, pills and more pills for months….and painful PT. My husband was wonderful – he helped me bathe, dry off, I had my hair cut as short as I could because I could not dry it – now, 4 1/2 months later, I am doing so much better. My arm is still discolored and looks like it hangs, my clothes fall off on the left side, bra straps are big pieces of soft elastic pinned to my bra, and it still feels like a rubber band around my arm. My arm also still has its own mind and sometimes it does not act like it is attached to me… BUT I can now bathe, dress myself, pull my jeans up and button them, and get a t-shirt on (and tug it off from the neck). I am up to 15 minutes on the arm bike, rowing towards me, which is huge and I can lift 3 lb weights for 30 reps. Have only tried to drive 2 times and it pulls like heck so I probably won’t go too far for a while. Scar still pulls pretty bad but I can live with it. I had to get off the paiin meds… I hated the way I felt on them and getting off of them let me know it was time. I went through some minor withdrawal and discomfort and felt pretty sluggish a few days but Have found 2 advil PM and a little Zquill help me sleep through the night, and I am down to 3 pillows. Reading your journey made me laugh and almost cry a few times to know that where I am and what I have and am going through is just the way it is and I will get through it. Thank you so much … I wish I had found this months ago
Deb
Oh, Debbie, lots of people here can empathize! Someone I know only from internet genealogy broke her shoulder a few months ago, and she said the blog was TMI for her. She didn’t want to know what came next. 😉
When I was going through it, I only wanted to know what was normal. It would help if surgeons would share some of their knowledge, just to prepare patients for the road ahead.