Shoulder Replacement Surgery

[redlevel]

Tuesday my doc told me my right shoulder joint is "worn out". He said there is no cartilege left. He showed me a huge bone spur on the x-ray, and pointed out what he called soft spots caused by arthritis on the ball part of the joint. He pointed out that there is no gap between the ball and the socket, indicating that there is no cartilege there.

He said anti-inflamatory drugs wouldn't help (I had already discovered that for myself), exercises and pt wouldn't help, and cortisone injections would not help. He basically said that my only options are to live with the pain and loss of motion, or have the joint replacement surgery. He described my shoulder joint as "two rocks rubbing together". I will have an MRI next week to determine the extent of soft-tissue deterioation, I guess.

My understanding of the surgery is that he will saw off the ball part of the joint at the top of the humerus, "ream out" the soft bone tissue at the top of the humerus, insert a long metal stem into the bone, and attach a new metal ball to the metal stem, which is cemented into the bone.

The socket will be cleaned up by some kind of glorified Dremel tool, holes drilled into the socket, glue squirted into the holes, and a new plastic socket installed with pegs glued into the holes to hold it in place.

OUCH.

He said recovery time is four to six months. I just had to give up nearly a year to back surgery in 2006. When you get my age, you become very aware of any time lost to something like this.

The pain has been there for several years (I first dislocated the shoulder forty years ago), but it has reached the point where it never lets up. I can't find a comfortable sleeping position. I walk around with my right hand in my pocket to keep it from swinging when I walk, and I can't shake hands with my right hand.

I guess I just need to be thankful that there is an option other than just living with the pain. The trouble is that I have a six-month-old Llewellin Setter pup to train, five acres I want to get ready for a plum orchard, and a bunch of privet, kudzu, briars, and other invasives to spray, mow, plow, and otherwise dispose of. I finally got in a good dove plot that should draw a lot of birds for a Thanksgiving or Christmas Day shoot, but I can't get a shotgun to my shoulder, much less shoot with any accuracy.

Oh well. As they say, Man proposes, God disposes.

 

[jbrumberg]

redlevel:

Two quotes from the geriatric clients I used to work with:

"Aging ain't for sissies"

"One does not age gracefully nor well"

I am also discovering the "truth" of those statements . I learned that PT also stands for "pain and torture" .

Good luck- Jay

 

[randy41]

good luck red.

 

[Sigarms]

You are not alone. End of month I go in for surgery as well, and it will be the first time under the "knife" that is set up in advance.

Not for the shoulder, but now you've made me think. Had numerous shoulder dislocations some time ago (last one over 10 years) and the guys at WRAMC told me not to worry about it, where as the civilian doctors told me I should get cut open. Now you have me thinking

Good luck and I know the feeling.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Good luck!
Can you ask for a bionic shoulder??

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Well it sounds like you know what you are in for.

After my Bankhart(sp) repair on my shoulder the doctor said in 20 years you will need a replacement. If you can hold out longer the better off you will be. I know two people that had shoulder replacements there recovery time was more in the 6-10 month range. It is a big operation.

But they were in the same boat as you are in, pain all of the time, unable to sleep, unable to do much of anything. The two I know and others that I met in the waiting room all said as terrible as the surgery was it was worth it in the long run.

Good luck

steve

 

[jinman]

Just last week I was talking to a coworker who had knee replacement surgery only two months ago. He had been in severe pain and could hardly walk. Last week he said he was in no pain whatsoever. He only had minor discomfort for the first three weeks.

This is a guy who makes his living standing up as a ground school instructor. He is now back to work as if nothing had been done...except for the severe limp and pain that's missing.

I hope you have equally good luck and are ready to do some bird hunting next year's season.

 

[motepoc]

Red,

I know somewhat how you feel. I had (and have) the same thing wrong with my knees. I broke my right leg (femur) back in the early 80's on my motorcycle. Have had a lot of trouble with pain in the knee since then. When I was younger, I just put up with it. Still did most of the stuff I did before, play all kinds of ball, work at home and plant. But as I got older, it kept getting worse and worse. Retired from the plant in 2001. Still did a lot of the things I did before, but all ball playing has been gone for several years. Do bowl, but that's not as hard as other sports. Had to wear braces on both legs to be able to bend and then stand back up. Also, looked like I'd been riding horses all my life () LOL.

Finally had enough last year. Told the doctor he had two choices. Fix it or cut it off and stick it in the corner. Total knee replacement. Similar to what you described for the shoulder. They cut the top of the lower bone, and the bottom of the upper bone off and drive the metal pieces into them. Cut the back of the knee cap off and stick a plastic piece there. Then put a plastic piece between the two knee pieces, sew everthing up, and you're good to go. I was told before hand by several people that had this done to do all the PT people asked you to do, plus a little bit more. I had my surgery July 11, 2006 and I was bowling Sept 15, 2006. I have not had any pain since the operation. I'm sure I had some good pain medicine while I was doing my PT, but still no pain after it was gone.

Still have the left knee to go, waiting for the end of bowling season. No matter how long it takes to recover, I feel sure you'll feel better once it's done. Wish you the best in it, and work hard after it. It will help speed up the recovery time.

 

[Knotbored]

I also had a total knee left replaced 3 years ago- and my wife had the same 2 years ago. It must be almost the same experience for a shoulder. I was 65 at the time.
I experienced about one week of mild pain (about like a twisted ankle pain), one month of discomfort and rehab exercise, 3 months to get back to 100%.
Now I have to think twice to figure which knee was fixed-no feelings different then my good knee. Doc tells me to not jog, not kneel and use a shovel with my other leg-otherwise no problems.
(those three get me off the track, out of church and out of the garden)

 

[milkman]

I feel for you, this was in '04, wasn't a replacement, just a rotator cuff repair and AC resection, got my movement back, but I get to live with the pain. I've heard that the joint replacements come out really good though.

 

[WVBill]

I've had both of my knees replaced. Six months apart - second one a year ago last March. Same experience as everyone else. Used a walker for about a week after the surgery, then a cane for a few weeks and then nothing. Technology of the inserts keeps improving which means they last longer now than they did several years ago - so don't put it off. No reason to be in pain if there's a good alternative - and there is!

I also think the surgeon can make a big difference. The post-op pain/discomfort is not from the artificial knee it's from the trauma they do to all the ligaments getting it in there. So if you have a surgeon who knows his or her stuff your recovery can be shorter.

Also - DO THE PHYSICAL THERAPY! It can be tough but if you "baby" it your recovery will just take longer...

my experience - yours may vary....

WVBill

 

[Rara Avis]

Red
Just remember that physical therapy performed in Vermont is twice as productive...just let me know when you'll be here and I'll have the work...oops...I mean PT all ready to go...

 

[jbrumberg]

I agree that PT is really essential in getting back range of motion and recovery even if I will describe it as pain and torture. I have always followed through on PT (knee and ankle) with good effect. Jay

 

[scott_vt]

Red
Just remember that physical therapy performed in Vermont is twice as productive...just let me know when you'll be here and I'll have the work...oops...I mean PT all ready to go...

Afternoon Paul,
Gee Paul you are a very accomodating fella !!!

Red,
I broke my left leg, tibia plateau fracture, ouch, about 11 or 12 years ago. Yes believe it or not on a dirt bike out in the woods ! Im totally recovered but they installed the weather package chip in the knee durring repair ! I can tell a full day in advance that its going to snow before the weatherman even knows ! Hopefully they dont still offer that option !

 

[jbrumberg]

Scotty:

I believed the National Weather Service requires that all surgeons implant the weather package chip during surgery . I agree that I can also more accurately predict storm fronts prior to the different weather services and I am a full fledge weather geek with a lot of weather equipment at home. I have a lot of consistency between my different "weather receptor sites" and storms especially in Winter. Ever since I got my weather equipment around 10 years ago I have been trying to determine the correlations between the different weather criteria and my aches and pains without success. Barometric, temperature, and humidity changes interact in a complex way with weather changes, but my body appears to be a better predictor. Jay

 

[dooleysm]

You old guys crack me up. You need to look into the technology they're using today. You don't even need a surgeon to implant those chips now, they come standard issue. I'm only 30 and I ALWAYS know when it's going to rain.

If the aches and pains keep piling on like they have the past 5 years I'm going to have to move down to Tennessee to be closer to the good medicine distilleries.

 

[jbrumberg]

Shawn:

Just you wait , the moving to Tennessee (or maybe the Caribbean) is a good idea . I am more a martini self-medicator Jay

 

[dooleysm]

I can remember when 30 seemed ancient. I can't believe people still think I'm the 'youngster' at work.

A wife, 2 kids, and a mortgage sure doesn't feel young!

 

[zzvyb6]

I've had shoulder surgery on both sides. Hockey related. Actually there is not a joint in your shoulder, its just a meeting place for a lot of ligaments, bones and muscles. My Orthopedic guy called it a "capsule". They removed this with arthroscopic tools (small incisions: one for tools one for camera). Played hockey 2 days later. Range of motion is almost 100% now. Now I can reach into my back pocket to pull out my wallet and also reach for that socket wrench while working under farm equipment and cars.

Sleeping problems from the pain are now a thing of the past. I used to have to go with the linament with cayenne powder in it to get some work done. Once used so much I got 3rd deg burns. Now all that is past. Had 2 knees done, too. Same type of surgery. Big cuts take a long time to heal because they affect so much joint motion and lubrication. Small ones are best: least disruption in the affected area.

 

[scott_vt]

Scotty:

I believed the National Weather Service requires that all surgeons implant the weather package chip during surgery . I agree that I can also more accurately predict storm fronts prior to the different weather services and I am a full fledge weather geek with a lot of weather equipment at home. I have a lot of consistency between my different "weather receptor sites" Jay

Good Evenin Jay,
I attached a pic in this post of all the hardware they pulled out of my leg after the surgery about a year later. For the life of me I cant find the weather chip there anywhere !!!