Tags
humerus head fracture, open reduction internal fixation, ORIF, pain management, physical therapy, shoulder fracture, shoulder surgery
I’ve been working like crazy preparing for a big garage sale this weekend, and am now stepping over piles of treasures throughout the house. After an entire year of total neglect, I have a lot of work to do on the garage and yard to get ready for yard sale visitors this weekend, and have been sweeping, scrubbing, hosing down, and hauling trash to the curb. While rearranging heavy steel angle iron real estate signs, I let one slip and whack me right across my upper arm where the plate is. OUCH! I stopped and put a cold pack on it, and I think I’ve gotten by with just a big bruise.
A friend and former client posted a message today on Facebook listing the top 10 things she can’t wait to do when she’s recovered from her rotator cuff surgery. One of them was eat a Burger King Whopper, and that made me laugh. She’s right – there’s no way to do that with one hand! It was a good reminder of how far I’ve come in basic function. Although my range of motion is not great, and sleep is broken, there’s not much I can’t do with my left arm.
I know that cleaning and hauling trash doesn’t qualify as physical therapy, but I haven’t had the energy to do my regular exercises in addition to getting the house/garage in order. When this is over, I need to get back to regular physical therapy exercises every morning. My arm and shoulder feel so much better all day if I set aside just a half hour for PT.
I hope everyone out there is doing better. October 14th will be the first anniversary of my accident, and my last visit with my surgeon is in mid-November. It’s been quite a challenging year in every way, but I’m grateful for the small things that make me smile.
Shoulder Diary - From Injury to Recovery 
I was really thankful to find this diary. My husband had shoulder surgery one month ago and we have had a hard time finding anyone to compare notes with. He was hoping for the plate like yours but the severity of the fracture required a prosthesis. We have no idea what to expect as far as his eventual recovery. We just hear “everyone is different.” Quite a miserable situation right now with sleep deprivation, pain, and no definitive answers. We often feel we are on our own. Best wishes to you …we will be consulting your posts often.
Hi, Judy. Tell him I empathize. My surgeon vacillated for almost two weeks between the ORIF vs full shoulder replacement. I’ve often wondered if the recovery was better or worse for the replacement.
I’m functioning much better, and can lift and carry up to about 40 pounds with that arm. However, eleven months after surgery I have stiffness and constant low-level pain. My arm is a little achy all the way down to my wrist and hand, and is still very sensitive to cold. I don’t know how long it takes for the nerves to calm down, but it’s the same hyper-sensitivity that I’ve heard people describe after chemo-therapy.
My surgeon thinks I should be completely healed and better than ever. On the other hand, the physical therapist hinted that it’s very common to develop arthritis in an injured joint. In that respect, maybe your husband’s replacement will go better.
Please keep in touch.
Pat