September 9th surgery

[mabeckoff]

The in house ot is scheduled to come today to do an eval of me. So we shall see

Thanks everyone for your good wishes

[rohrer01]

Hi, Melissa. It was good to hear that you had an outing. How is your back pain? In my unprofessional opinion, the left side of your neck may hurt as muscles are trying to compensate for the lack in your right hand/arm/shoulder. If, in fact, you do have a rotator cuff tear, you have to remember that many of the "shoulder" muscles are connected to your neck. So it makes sense to me that you would start getting pain in the opposite side. I'm concerned that you haven't regained neurologic function in your hand. I don't think that would have anything to do with rotator cuff problems. I have a friend who had the rotator cuff surgery twice on the same shoulder. It never affected his ability to use his hand. It only affected his ability to use his shoulder. I really wish, for your sake, you would get that checked out with an MRI or something just to make sure that there isn't a piece of bone at the nerve root leading to your hand. I'm sure it would be easy to miss something like that during a surgery. We've all seen what the open spine looks like when they operate. I'm surprised that the surgeons can tell one structure from another, to be honest, as it all looks so meaty. Anyway, I'm really hoping you get to the bottom of this and start feeling better soon. Are you right handed? If so, double the concern to get well soon! Take care and gentle (((hugs))).

[mabeckoff]

Dr Bederman is scheduling me for a shoulder MRI so we shall see

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words

[rohrer01]

Dr Bederman is scheduling me for a shoulder MRI so we shall see

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words

I hope he includes the c-spine with that MRI. It will save you from having to have another one if nothing shows up with your shoulder. Let us know how it goes.

[mabeckoff]

I hope he includes the c-spine with that MRI. It will save you from having to have another one if nothing shows up with your shoulder. Let us know how it goes.

I will discuss that with him

[mabeckoff]

My in house PT is starting tomorrow.

[annabeller]

Hang in there. I have been following your thread for inspiration. You are a very strong woman. It remember it only can go up from here.


Annabelle

[mabeckoff]

Hang in there. I have been following your thread for inspiration. You are a very strong woman. It remember it only can go up from here.


Annabelle

Thanks . I am trying

[mabeckoff]

Well, today was tiring. I had both OT and Pt at home. They will be coming 3 times a week for the next several weeks

[JenniferG]

Glad that it's started Melissa. I just got back from a weekend away and was wondering how you were doing. I guess it'll take a few visits before you start to get improvements. Best of luck!

[rohrer01]

Well, today was tiring. I had both OT and Pt at home. They will be coming 3 times a week for the next several weeks

I'm so sorry that you are tired from your therapy. You are one lucky lady, though, to have them come to you instead of you going to them! Besides, I'm sure it makes the day pass more quickly, which means one more day of recovery "in the past". I hope you were able to get some rest. Take care.

[mabeckoff]

Today , Sunday has been a horrible day. I went to bed last night at 8:30am and got up today at noon. I am in horrible pain. I do not know if it is from the cold
weather we are having here in CA. I am , also, very depressed. Off and on I have had crying spells. I do not know what is going on

[LindaRacine]

Today , Sunday has been a horrible day. I went to bed last night at 8:30am and got up today at noon. I am in horrible pain. I do not know if it is from the cold
weather we are having here in CA. I am , also, very depressed. Off and on I have had crying spells. I do not know what is going on

Melissa...

Depression after a major surgery or illness is very common. If you are not taking an anti-depressant (or even if you are), talk to a doctor as soon as is reasonable. I am not prone to depression, but definitely had a huge depression about 6 weeks after my surgery. I have taken a very small dose of nortriptyline for about 20 years for a sleeping issue, but stopped taking it after surgery, as I didn't feel it was necessary with all the other drugs. When I realized that I was really depressed, I went back on nortriptyline, and started feeling better within a few days.

Hope you can get things under control quickly.

Regards,
Linda

[mabeckoff]

Melissa...

Depression after a major surgery or illness is very common. If you are not taking an anti-depressant (or even if you are), talk to a doctor as soon as is reasonable. I am not prone to depression, but definitely had a huge depression about 6 weeks after my surgery. I have taken a very small dose of nortriptyline for about 20 years for a sleeping issue, but stopped taking it after surgery, as I didn't feel it was necessary with all the other drugs. When I realized that I was really depressed, I went back on nortriptyline, and started feeling better within a few days.

Hope you can get things under control quickly.

Regards,
Linda

Thanks Linda

DO you think that Dr Bederman can help me with that medication?

[LindaRacine]

Thanks Linda

DO you think that Dr Bederman can help me with that medication?

It depends on his office rules, but I'm guessing that he'll help. At the UCSF Spine Center, we have a nurse practitioner who handles drugs for 3 months postop, but then then prescriptions have to be transferred to patients' primary care doctors or pain management doctors.

--Linda