shoulder surgery 2.0 {the details}...

The day before surgery 2.0 I took my last Barre3 class for three months. At the time I thought it would only be 6 weeks but my surgeon had other plans...

12.30.13

I miss this view

I have to say that surgery really went well! Bright and early on New Year's Eve day we checked into the hospital. I was less nervous this time around which I believe led to less pain meds which lead to less of a pain med hangover so that was a good thing! I wasn't nearly as delirious as I was last time...there was no cussing about where by bed had gone ;-)

ready to rock #2

This time around they didn't want me to wear my barre3 bracelets into the surgery center which, for some reason, made me really emotional! Thankfully I have a fabulous husband and he decided that Squirt the teddy bear could wear them as bracelets because he was allowed to come into the operating room again! Seriously, best husband ever!!! Recovery went well, I preferred apple sauce this time around as opposed to crackers.

The surgery ended up being more invasive than we thought. Or really, the tare ended up being worse. I still had a labrum tear but this time I tore the whole thing, where as last time I just tore a portion of it. So this time it was double the repair. He had to go through scar tissue, add 2 more anchors, and 3 more stitches. Something that I learned this time that I didn't conceptually understand last time is that a labrum is like a ligament but it has to reattach to the bone. So it doesn't just have to heal but reattach. Crazy!! I either didn't hear that or understand it last time but this time I do. That is why there won't be any barre3 for 6 weeks after I'm out of the sling...so it can fully heal.

Once we got home I had zero pain, which worried me slightly but one call to the surgeon's nurse assured me that it was okay that I wasn't in pain. The first 4 days were easy - relatively speaking. Day 5 is when the trouble started. Since I wasn't in pain I decided to wean myself off of my pain meds and I did it WAY too fast and had MAJOR withdrawals! Not fun.

Since I haven't been in much pain I've been sleeping in the bed since day 10 - as where last time I was in the recliner for 7 weeks. This has been a nice change of pace, pain wise.

We have been thankful to all of our friends and family who have helped us out in so many ways during this time. The dinners were delicious, the treats exciting, and the time helpful! My Mom spend days 3 & 4 with me so Jason could continue to work. It was nice to spend a few days with her. Unfortunately for Jason days 5 & 6 were the worst ;-)

my online barre3 friend Katie sent me these!

I got them the day we go home...it was a very drug-induced convo explaining who they were from to my husband!

 

barre3 dinner, juice, flowers from the home office & magazines/books

This time around I will be in the sling for 6.5 weeks instead of 5 weeks like last time. I won't be going back to barre3 for at least 6 weeks after that, where as last time I went back after 5 days. I am following all the rules this time...I do not want to do this a 3rd time! This time around is a bit more boring because my friends are all at work but I've been trying to get out of the house every day either to go to the store, the gym to walk on the treadmill {okayed by surgeon} or an appointment.

Things are going good!! 14 more sleeps until the sling comes off!!

Fingers crossed {that this good trend continues}...

a few random tips!!!

By the time you read this post I will be doped up on drugs & not really writing this blog post! I was paroosing though my photos and realized I hadn't shared a few of these tips with you all!

 

1. The rubber banded apple.

 

I was a little skeptical about this one. I don't like brown apples. And while it was a tad brown it was totally edible! On this morning I was heading to an early gym session and needed by breakfast to be ready to go! 

 

2. Cooler bag for grocery shopping.

 

My grocery store, New Seasons, is right across the street from barre3 {nifty - right}! Depending on what time classes are and who is teaching I sometimes go shopping before barre3 but I don't want my food to spoil! Solution --- bring a cooler bag with 2 ice packs into the grocery store. This way my meat, dairy, or freezer items won't go bad!!

3. Week long salad prep!

I know I've shared this one here before but it's so simple I want to keep reminding you all of it! I cut up lots of veggies and place them into 4 containers for salads for lunch during the week! Here the array was: edamame, purple cabbage, feta, tomatoes, green onions.

4. Double batch of soups...

 

When I make soup I almost always make a double batch. One batch will last us for about 2 dinners for 2 and a lunch or so. A double batch will give us a few more lunches AND many servings for the freezer!! This is perfect for those nights you don't want to cook...surgery....or to give to people who might need a meal because of an extenuating circumstance.

I hope that you might try one of these tips this month! Let me know if you do!!