So Sore

A lot has happened in the last 24 hours. Still trying to wrap my head around it. Did I mention I’ve been so antsy not knowing what I’m allowed to do or not do? You’re supposed to have a post-op visit at 6 weeks where they tell you that you can take the sling off or reduce using it, and further instructions. They didn’t think to schedule this when we scheduled surgery, so they could not get me in until end of week 9. I’ve e-mailed the surgeon’s medical assistant scads of times, and asked my physical therapists what they think I can probably safely do . . . but I didn’t really know, so I’d go bath and forth between daring to do something and then stressing that maybe I wasn’t supposed to do it. Things that are bad for you don’t necessarily hurt. More often than not, I erred on the side of caution and the most “active” things I did were in PT sessions. I recall one video experience I watched where the person said it was 6 weeks in the sling, 6 weeks getting used to gravity, so for all I knew, I was just supposed to lt the arm lay there most of the time. After all, I do NOT want to mess this up after all the pain I've been through

I finally get a surgical follow-up appointment and he gives such parameters that I’m aghast. He says go ahead and do this or that, and I leave the appointment pretty much dazed. I feel like we barely started phase 2 of recovery in PT – active motion (vs passive) and suddenly he says in certain positions I can go ahead and lift up to 2-5 pounds. What?? I’d been told no more than 1 pound, so my mouth is gaping. Maybe it was 1 pound at the 6 weeks mark. How'd it jump to 2-5? I would not even dare pick up my water container, because when it’s full, it’s nearly 2 pounds.

Now, before you think I’m careless, I did not go home and start weight lifting with glee. But I did start reaching out a little bit more. Usually I pick something light up with my left had, even say, a fork, and then give it to my right hand to hold onto, while holding my elbow firmly against my body. With permission, I now reached out a little bit for that kind of light object. I didn’t stretch out all the way – baby steps. I’d reach a couple inches further than I normally would to pick up a pen, or a napkin. I brushed my teeth with my dominant/operative hand for the first time since surgery (oooh, aaah).

And what happens next? I get so sore I can hardly stand it. Not the little kind of sore from a challenging work-out. We're talking every fiber of your arm and shoulder that is not bone, feels like it' been soaked in extra-strength soreness. After all, it's been mostly dormant for almost 2 months. I'm not sure one can fully comprehend this kind of soreness if you have not had sad innocent muscles atrophy like that.

Luckily they gave me a prescription for lidocaine patches. Otcs laughed in the face of that intense soreness. I was eventually able to sleep. Hooray. You’re only supposed to use them for 12 hours. I’m afraid to take it off. How bad it will feel again. I’ve mentioned I’m not a good example, right? I’m way too honest. Besides, my injury and surgery was relatively minor. I'm a wimp, so I'm sure I've made it sound worse. The printed info he gave me said in some cases one could be out of their sling and driving after a week. That was not my case. But it still sounds so bizarre . . .