Lyon wrote:
Loobie wrote:
Well I have to post about my shoulder you've all heard me bitching about. I was hesitant at first because I figured this would be pile on fodder, shell game for Bob to say it's not a good idea because there are some potential complications.
I'm on record a LOT of times for agreeing with the idea that, once someone is aware that they have cranial venous occlusions, having the operation to repair the occlusions is a considerable option.
I'm sure not going to gloat at your pain and I agree that the smaller/more pliable stents would seem to be less likely to cause the painful complication you're enduring and you've been very honest about that complication from the start.
I and people considering the operation appreciate your honesty so that they can better make an informed decision.
Bob, I hope you know I was yanking your chain calling you out like that. I figured I owed you some humor after ripping your butt last time. Subtle humor just suffers in cyberspace. I was trying to get a rise out of you, but should have been less subtle. I know you don't have malicious intent, so sorry if you thought I was singling you out. I was, but just to rib you.
So on to the rest of my post. I was doing it right after regular work hours at work, we have a major problem and if I didn't leave right then, I'd still be there and it's 3 hours later! I didn't cut and run on the team, but there were like 12 people posturing to look 'dedicated' for a 3 man job, and I just don't need to do that anymore since of my standing there, my long term career there AND they are very understanding of my situation which is huge. So on to finishing what I wanted to say.
I think EVERYONE has some of this, thus everyone talking about the neck pain. It's just that this one got 'banged' harder it seems. I think me and Marie got the worst of it, plus she had it happen on the shoulder she broke, so I must say I feel like a wuss, but we need to know. Joan is right, this is surgery and they are in your body, shit can happen. Hell, when I was at the physiatrist and we got to the fun 'needle portion' of the test (I won't bore you with specifics, look up EMG) he told me "there have been times when doing this that the (insert term here) of the lungs has been punctured. Good thing we're in a hospital if it happens 'cause you would need a chest tube if that happened". The last sentence was to put me at ease because it's rare, but there really couldn't be a less invasive procedure, but they're poking around and they are bllind to a point.
I just didn't want anyone to think that I wouldn't have done this knowing that my arm might get laid up for a while. I shouldn't say arm because I still use it almost normally. However, I can't lift anything of any mass and overhead tasks really hurt. But just as I was crying on Joan and Marie's shoulder, the pain was less the last two days. I hope it stays like that. My GP had me doing these 'neck stretches' and I think they actually harmed the situation.
So the whole thing to me is boiling down to the fact that it's raining on my recovery parade. I really feel like I could be working out fairly strenuously were it not for this. As it stands I am doing role reversal training right now. For the longest time it was only upper body. Now I'm doing leg extensions and ham curls on the Bowflex and it doesn't make me feel like I'm going to pass out when I'm done! I suppose this could be seen as improvement, but I also think it could just be that maybe the progression has stopped, and as I always say leave us in the same state for a while and we can get used to it. Maybe it's that, but either way, I'm damn glad I had this done. We're guinea pigs. The physiatrist is emailiing Dake his finding so he can have it "official" and not just from my mouth. Hopefully he will warn about it, but maybe he knows that he has that problem licked with stent size and technique. At any rate, him being aware can only help. My big deal out of all of this will be to not progress and not be taking any injectable drugs that make you feel so bad. I would kill to feel secure that I'm not progressing sans meds., but I was progressing ON them so that only makes partial sense in terms of state of mind.
I didn't like the feeling of being a guinea pig in the Tovaxin trial, but if I'm going to want to try new things and not just follow rote, it comes with the territory. So hopefully someone will read this and have a little better understanding of what COULD happen. I think us spinal acc. nerve folks are in the minority and hopefully it stays that way.
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, I finally thought it worthy of being checked out and I am going to write about it here. I was hesitant at first because I figured this would be pile on fodder, shell game for Bob to say it's not a good idea because there are some potential complications. This is a definite complication from the surgery and I'm going to put my caveats on here FIRST.
I still have some recovery to go - the arm falls forward a bit when I lift it - the elbow should be in line with the shoulder and it isn't. I have had one session of acupuncture - will have a second session tomorrow. I could not believe the difference the first session of acupuncture made in the range of motion of my arm. While on the river boat in China, I treated myself to a Chinese massage every other day - I wanted to keep the shoulder open and moving, and it was very inexpensive. All of this has helped -- it has just taken time and patience.
