United States
Rotator cuff repair and bicep tenodesis or release surgery scheduled for one week from today (hopefully COVID-19 doesn't decide to interfere) but I'm starting this thread while I have a few minutes (and can still type). This is a looooooong post and feel free to ignore it. I'm using it to document the prep work I did. My way isn't the only way and may not be the best way, but maybe you'll get a few ideas!
I've been prepping for a few weeks - much more than I ever did for my hip replacements. That's probably because I live on my own now and my physical therapist told me that this surgery was much more painful and a more difficult rehab than the hips (which I was lucky and breezed through, for the most part). This was then reinforced by 1,000,001 people who threw in their 2 cents worth if they heard about the surgery - each felt the need to tell me this surgery wasn't for the faint of heart and would be very trying! I think I cooked one more meal each time someone provided that advice.
I injured my shoulder benchpressing without a spotter - just a stupid mistake and I'm paying for (in pain, lost activity and my share of the surgical cost) but it was funny to see the expression on the young ortho's face when he found out that this ordinary 57 year old woman was benching multiple reps at 80 lb! The pain was severe the first couple of weeks. During the first week or so, I couldn't lift my hand to my head (or hold it there if I used the other arm to lift it) to shampoo my hair, etc. I used ice and naproxen and did get some range of motion back as the swelling subsided. When I was still having significant pain and weakness after 3 weeks, I saw the ortho. He suspected a rotator cuff injury and sent me for an MRI. The MRI showed a 1.5cm full thickness tear of the supraspinatus tendon as well as a labral tear impacting the long bicep tendon insert. Surgery was recommended and scheduled (I'm glad I didn't delay a month because of the San Diego seminar I had planned for the day of surgery since the seminar has now been cancelled).
I live alone but my 19 year old son will move back in for a few days (or longer maybe since his university has gone online for the next few weeks). Living alone meant I had to think a bit more about what I needed to do to be self-sufficient.
Preparations have included:
- lots of cleaning including defrosting the upright freezer and getting rid of stuff to empty out 2 shelves!
- meal prep - wide assortment of meals (most put in individual serving sizes and all cut into bite-sized pieces since a knife will be difficult to use) and "starters" like browning ground beef, dicing cooked chicken, etc. I have celiac so take out (even if I have someone to get it for me) isn't very easy to do and, who knows, maybe I'll eat healthier for a few weeks!
- electric toothbrush
- battery-operated can opener (set it on the can and push a button and no need to hold)
- hand soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner all put in pump bottles (I used a couple of old hand soap bottles for the shampoo and conditioner) so easier to use one handed
- TENS machine - never had one before and now I'm hooked
- icing - I'm not sure if I'll get an ice machine, so I bought some new ice bags (I use the type you can fill with ice or fill with the homemade gel solution (alcohol/water mixture). The contraption that I had used to hold an ice bag on the hip is also designed to be used for the shoulder or back and I've made sure I'll be able to get it on and off.
- for the ladies - don't forget the front clasp bras! You won't be able to hook it behind you and it won't be fun to try to twist it around after you hook it when you can only use one hand. I also got some snug camisoles to wear as undershirt for days that I don't want to mess with a bra.
- other clothes - big, soft V-necked t-shirts, too big scrubs with elastic band, loose tank tops with large arm holes, a tank style "swing" dress (tanks can be worn with cardigan)
- shoes - I generally wear either tennis shoes or dressy slip-ons. I got elastic shoelaces for the tennis shoes
- electric spiralizer (for healthy zoodles)
- small coffee pot for the office (I won't be able to fill a mug from the dispensers the firm provides)
- lots of hand towels - I was advised that they are easier to use to dry yourself after a shower because they're not as heavy or bulky
Grooming issues - mostly for the ladies:
- shaving the legs will be difficult afterwards - get it done beforehand! (one week before is best)
- mani/pedi planned for the weekend before surgery
- hair getting chopped off - I've been letting it grow and it tangles so much that I won't be able to control it with one hand
- even worse than the legs will be shaving the underarms - again, get it done beforehand (and then try to ignore it)
- coloring my hair afterwards will be difficult one handed. One of my friends kept asking what she could do to help. I decided this was a perfect "girl's night" event for a few weeks out (when I'll hopefully also be able to have a glass of wine).
I spent some time trying to be mindful with all I did as I prepared for surgery - trying to see where I use both hands or the surgical hand and see what it's like using the other or where I needed to make accommodations. For instance, I hadn't thought about the fact that I wouldn't be able to use my trusty recliner because it operates with a lever on the right side, which is the surgical side. Luckily, I also have a reclining couch and can use the left side of that. I practiced putting on and taking off the seatbelt with my left hand and driving one-handed (when I could bring the second into action if necessary) - I can tell you, crossing the arm over to shift isn't fun (and I'm glad I have an automatic).
My surgeon also told me to keep using the arm as much as possible (but let the pain be my guide) to keep the range of motion. He said it would help recovery later. While I wasn't supposed to benchpress or do anything to bring a weight up beyond the hip, he did let me do squats and deadlifts. Being the wild child that some on the hip forum know me to be, I did an inhouse powerlifting competition at my training gym a couple of weeks ago and broke my personal records by squatting 165 lb and deadlifting 200 lb (the only day I took it really heavy after the accident). After the meet, I stopped lifting but have been doing lots of range of motion exercises. When I'm going stir crazy during the first 6 weeks after surgery, I have plans to do lots of leg work!
I've been prepping for a few weeks - much more than I ever did for my hip replacements. That's probably because I live on my own now and my physical therapist told me that this surgery was much more painful and a more difficult rehab than the hips (which I was lucky and breezed through, for the most part). This was then reinforced by 1,000,001 people who threw in their 2 cents worth if they heard about the surgery - each felt the need to tell me this surgery wasn't for the faint of heart and would be very trying! I think I cooked one more meal each time someone provided that advice.
I injured my shoulder benchpressing without a spotter - just a stupid mistake and I'm paying for (in pain, lost activity and my share of the surgical cost) but it was funny to see the expression on the young ortho's face when he found out that this ordinary 57 year old woman was benching multiple reps at 80 lb! The pain was severe the first couple of weeks. During the first week or so, I couldn't lift my hand to my head (or hold it there if I used the other arm to lift it) to shampoo my hair, etc. I used ice and naproxen and did get some range of motion back as the swelling subsided. When I was still having significant pain and weakness after 3 weeks, I saw the ortho. He suspected a rotator cuff injury and sent me for an MRI. The MRI showed a 1.5cm full thickness tear of the supraspinatus tendon as well as a labral tear impacting the long bicep tendon insert. Surgery was recommended and scheduled (I'm glad I didn't delay a month because of the San Diego seminar I had planned for the day of surgery since the seminar has now been cancelled).
I live alone but my 19 year old son will move back in for a few days (or longer maybe since his university has gone online for the next few weeks). Living alone meant I had to think a bit more about what I needed to do to be self-sufficient.
Preparations have included:
- lots of cleaning including defrosting the upright freezer and getting rid of stuff to empty out 2 shelves!
- meal prep - wide assortment of meals (most put in individual serving sizes and all cut into bite-sized pieces since a knife will be difficult to use) and "starters" like browning ground beef, dicing cooked chicken, etc. I have celiac so take out (even if I have someone to get it for me) isn't very easy to do and, who knows, maybe I'll eat healthier for a few weeks!
- electric toothbrush
- battery-operated can opener (set it on the can and push a button and no need to hold)
- hand soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner all put in pump bottles (I used a couple of old hand soap bottles for the shampoo and conditioner) so easier to use one handed
- TENS machine - never had one before and now I'm hooked
- icing - I'm not sure if I'll get an ice machine, so I bought some new ice bags (I use the type you can fill with ice or fill with the homemade gel solution (alcohol/water mixture). The contraption that I had used to hold an ice bag on the hip is also designed to be used for the shoulder or back and I've made sure I'll be able to get it on and off.
- for the ladies - don't forget the front clasp bras! You won't be able to hook it behind you and it won't be fun to try to twist it around after you hook it when you can only use one hand. I also got some snug camisoles to wear as undershirt for days that I don't want to mess with a bra.
- other clothes - big, soft V-necked t-shirts, too big scrubs with elastic band, loose tank tops with large arm holes, a tank style "swing" dress (tanks can be worn with cardigan)
- shoes - I generally wear either tennis shoes or dressy slip-ons. I got elastic shoelaces for the tennis shoes
- electric spiralizer (for healthy zoodles)
- small coffee pot for the office (I won't be able to fill a mug from the dispensers the firm provides)
- lots of hand towels - I was advised that they are easier to use to dry yourself after a shower because they're not as heavy or bulky
Grooming issues - mostly for the ladies:
- shaving the legs will be difficult afterwards - get it done beforehand! (one week before is best)
- mani/pedi planned for the weekend before surgery
- hair getting chopped off - I've been letting it grow and it tangles so much that I won't be able to control it with one hand
- even worse than the legs will be shaving the underarms - again, get it done beforehand (and then try to ignore it)
- coloring my hair afterwards will be difficult one handed. One of my friends kept asking what she could do to help. I decided this was a perfect "girl's night" event for a few weeks out (when I'll hopefully also be able to have a glass of wine).
I spent some time trying to be mindful with all I did as I prepared for surgery - trying to see where I use both hands or the surgical hand and see what it's like using the other or where I needed to make accommodations. For instance, I hadn't thought about the fact that I wouldn't be able to use my trusty recliner because it operates with a lever on the right side, which is the surgical side. Luckily, I also have a reclining couch and can use the left side of that. I practiced putting on and taking off the seatbelt with my left hand and driving one-handed (when I could bring the second into action if necessary) - I can tell you, crossing the arm over to shift isn't fun (and I'm glad I have an automatic).
My surgeon also told me to keep using the arm as much as possible (but let the pain be my guide) to keep the range of motion. He said it would help recovery later. While I wasn't supposed to benchpress or do anything to bring a weight up beyond the hip, he did let me do squats and deadlifts. Being the wild child that some on the hip forum know me to be, I did an inhouse powerlifting competition at my training gym a couple of weeks ago and broke my personal records by squatting 165 lb and deadlifting 200 lb (the only day I took it really heavy after the accident). After the meet, I stopped lifting but have been doing lots of range of motion exercises. When I'm going stir crazy during the first 6 weeks after surgery, I have plans to do lots of leg work!
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Glad to know you are on a healing path.
Hello Sara,
