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}...

shoulder surgery 2.0

...and NOT happy about it.

It's officially official. I am having another shoulder surgery. It's scheduled for December 31st but if I can have it earlier I will. My DR is recommending I be out of work for an extended period of time (well over 2 months) so I'm trying to figure that out...between L&I pay, sick days, and cutting back spending now {during Christmas - haha}...we will make it but it will be stressful.

Stressful. But, as I've been reminded, this is most certainly not the worst thing I could be going through. While I am no where near happy about this, I must remember that.

This time will be a bit different. He'll have to go through scar tissue which won't be fun but what will be most noticeable...it is a different season! I'm trying to focus on figuring out how it will be in the winter.

-- I know I won't be able to drive as much because of the weather - in the summer the roads were always dry but that won't be the case now. It isn't safe for myself or the other people for me to be driving while in the sling.

-- Getting a coat on is going to be near impossible. Good thing I have nice barre3 friends! One of my barre3 friends name Regan {of Cardigans and Couture} has nicely lent me a Nike poncho. It might not be the most stylish thing but for those moments when I can't get my coat on and run to the store because I am by myself it is going to be priceless!

-- Pull On Jeans. Yes, you read that right. Turns out...they're actually a thing. In the summer I just wore yoga pants and hiking pants when we went out. I won't have the torque in my shoulder for months to button jeans! I was joking with my Mom that I needed to buy maternity pants so that I can pull up my own pants and she had an even more stylish suggestion. Jag Jeans have come to the rescue! I have to say...after surgery I might have to own a pair that are my right size. Currently, I own a size 8 because I can get them up with one hand BUT the 6's definitely make my butt look better. But since the sling is stylish enough no one will be looking at my booty ;-)

-- I already know what to expect - both good and bad. I know the pain but I also now know how GOOD being healed can feel. I had 2 glorious weeks before the injury that I could do anything I wanted and I am CRAVING that feeling again!!

Fingers crossed {that version 2.0 goes as smoothly as version 1.0}...

minus 65...

...pounds that is!

I can't believe I forgot to blog about this. Well, I kind of can because I slacked for much of the month of March!

Some interesting thoughts came out of losing this 65 pounds. When I first started my journey I did not believe that I could do this but I knew I had to try. And try I have. And lose I have. There's been a few things lately {namely when thinking about whole foods and no-dairy} where I've said out loud to others and to myself - "I can't do that". Well, I instantaneously switched my words up after I said the word can't...because I can. I can try to do anything!!

 

 



I kind of can't believe this was me one year ago {and then me last week}...

left: April 2012 ~ Kauai

right: April 2013 ~ Phoenix

 

But at the same time I can believe it is me! It's weird. Before I lost all this weight I sometimes would picture myself how I look now. And sometimes now, I picture myself as I used to me. Weight loss is a long, twisted, and mind-bending journey. I'm a size 8 in almost everything now. My top is a size Medium. That in and of itself is mind-bending. When I started this journey I was almost reading to buy a size 20W and size 1X shirts where too tight. It's weird to not shop at the stores I used to. It's weird to be able to walk in lululemon or Nordstroms or even Khols and find things that fit. It's going to take some more time to get used to that!

 

I buy myself rewards at the major weight loss milestones. In the past I haven't considered a -5 from a 10's weight loss {like -65} to be worthy of a reward but then I saw something I really wanted and wanted an excuse to buy it. Plus, when I hit the -60 pound mark I figured I'd plateau, but I didn't. I have kept on losing and couldn't be happier or more proud of myself! My very fashionable best friend told me this top was a good choice. She write a fashion blog...she should know! And just after I purchased this top {with the snazzy zipper in the back} she wore one on her blog ;-) See, now I'm starting fashion trends! Oh, and just to tip this adorable shirt over the edge - it's a size small. Yes, small.

 

reward top from LOFT

wearing my top in sunny Phoenix with my cousin!

 

All in all, losing 65 pounds has been amazing experience. How could it not be?? Can't wait to see where I go from here! I don't "think" I will lose a bunch more weight but I do believe I will become more and more toned. I told my best friend yesterday "Maybe next year I'll wear a 2 piece suit in public". And you know...I hope I will!!

Fingers crossed {that I'll be bikini ready next summer. Heehee}...

GOALS...

Up until now I really didn't want to set goals and I'm kind of still not sure I want to...but I'm going to try it. The toughest part for me will be the T {time-bound} in the SMART goals montra. Not setting goals means I don't have to possibly eventually face failure. But, I think things have been going pretty good around here SO maybe it is time. One of my good friends/co-worker Shelley has started writing her goals down and it inspired me to do the same, somewhat. She and I are very different but are on a journey towards weight loss, which we have both struggled with our whole lives.

{weight}

Before these last months I never had put a weight goal into number form. My "weight watchers" ideal weight is somewhere in the 140's but I'm not sure that is obtainable...When I started this journey I thought that 180 lbs would be a good goal but I'm there now...

My eventual weight goal is 160. It took me 8 months to lose 40 pounds and I'm kind of at a plateu so I'm thinking I could lose the next 20 in the next 8 months {hopefully sooner}. Phew. Kind of feels weird to write that down!

{events}

Sunday, December 2nd ~ Jingle Bell Arthritis Walk/Run 5K in Portland, OR
~This is not only a goal for me to be able to run a 5K by this point but I live with osteoarthritis on a daily basis. I hope that many of my family and friends will join and support me in this cause.

Saturday, August 3rd, 2012 ~ SPARTAN RACE 3K Obsatacle Course in Washougal, WA
~This really is why I started setting goals. My good friend Danielle particiapted in the race this year and SOMEHOW convinced a few of us to tag along next year. Thankfully we have a L O N G time to get ready for the race. 380 days from today, as a matter of fact.

{etc.}

Size 12. I'm currently in between a 14 & 16 depending on what brand the pants are. I don't own any size 12's so this will be a big deal because I"ll have to go out and buy new pants!! I hope this will happen in the 2012-2013 school year.


No more doctors. Well, not all, but most. My goal is by my 30th birthday {3/16/13} to only need to go to my massage therapist :) and my chiropractor during any given month. I know I will always being going to doctors, it's kind of my "thing", but I am getting SO sick of paying around $200 per month in co-pays. I'll need to see the OB and the Endo and the PCOS specialist once a year but I want to be done with physical therapy and labs and blood draws. I don't know how realistic this goal is since many of my 'things' that I have are life long it is my hope that with this new life style change I've got going on I won't need as many doctors.


Are my goals...

Specific ~ yes.
Measureable ~ yes.
Attainable ~ yes.
Relevant ~ yes.
Time-bound ~ yes-ish.

Fingers crossed.