About my aging body.
I'm 40, soon to be 41. And I just hurt.
My shoulder is killing me today after PT. PT makes me nauseated, such that I can't wait to get home to down a Phenergan. If I have a driver, I take pain meds prior to PT. Today, I didn't so I sucked it up and took both meds as soon as I got home. Now the room is spinning.
I've now lost 4 pounds since surgery. Tuesday was the first day I ate all 3 meals. I spent yesterday barfing. Today, I'm just nauseated.
It just hurts. I'm not sure if it's better or worse since surgery. My arm has passive ROM that's nearly full, but there's a lot of weakness. Dressing myself is a challenge. I can't put on my winter coat, which sucks right now with these temps. I can't do anything with my hair except for a headband - no ponytails or braids. Sleeping is interesting - land wrong and you wake up with shooting pain.
I knew going in that it may not be a cure. And maybe I just need to be more patient. But I'm getting frustrated.
5 comments:
I'm sorry to hear you are feeling poorly, ma'am. I have read through pretty much all of your blog archives, and it occurred to me that you are doing pretty much exactly what I want to do: Ob/Gyn, midwest, small practice, family. I was wondering if I might email you with questions. If so, please email me permission at chibi.squirt@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Jen H.
Even after a year post total shoulder replacement surgery, I still have trouble putting on/taking off clothes and coats. Thank goodness for my husband's help. He's seen the inside of more women's dressing rooms that any other man. As far as hair goes, try laying on your bed with your head over the edge. You can then brush your hair into a ponytail and put in the elastic. It takes a bit of practice, but I have even managed a french twist. Praying for you for a total recovery.
Patience, grasshopper.
My wife doesn't have it either for recovery.
The only way to get through it is to do it. Make sure you're doing your PT "homework" religiously and work on rebuilding your strength as soon as PT gives you the clear.
Sucks in the meantime. Try to treat yourself to something nice like a massage.
Love your blog and been following your latest saga, again so sorry you're going through this crap.
I wish you a better, more painless, less "vomitous" recovery...and hope you find a good, healthy outlet for your frustration.
One question if I may: does going through something like this (even though it is ortho in nature and you're obgyn) change the way you think about/deal with patients. Just curious. I mean, there's not doubt you demonstrate empathy and compassion for your patients already, but now that you've experienced undesirable side effects of drugs and the torture of PT...how does that change, if at all, how you think about what your patients are going through. Yeah, I know some people will look at this question and be all like "well duh, of course it does!" but I'm interested. As you've mentioned earlier, your blog is an outlet for venting and also allowing laypeople to realize that doctors experience life and have to go through things like everyone else, etc. so that's why I'm curious to know your thoughts.
Of course, you're also in a bit of pain and not enjoying the drugs so if the last thing you want to do is blog more...well, of course that's understood!
In the meantime, if your children are old enough I think you could guilt them into quite a bit of free labor, compassion, and compliance. It always works in my house ;)
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