Arm in Sling Good News / Bad News

Well, I've mentioned that I had Rotator Cuff Surgery 2 weeks ago and that I couldn't do much with my arm in sling. I was at the Dr today the good news is that the sling is off and I am healing very well. Bad news is I am not allowed to do much of anything with this arm yet. I knew I would have weeks of PT but was hoping that the Dr would OK me to do whatever I was able too and use the arm as much as I could. No such luck. He said passive movement only, I am not to actively use it. Well with the sling off it is going to be a lot more comfortable and I can do somethings and I guess I'll be getting even more adept at left hand gardening. Holly

Oh, Holly! My thoughts & prayers have been with you since you mentioned this.... I hope you heal up in record time! My friend's mom (who is also my local garden guru) just had rotator cuff surgery also, and I know how frustrated she is with the limitations. I'm hoping both of you will be "good" and follow the doctor's orders so your arm heals well and completely! *HUGS*

keep trying to lift no more than a nice tall iced tea!! hope you heal fast.

Thanks Critter and Sally, I will be careful I don't want any complications. I'm going to need this arm good and strong. I like your idea Sally make that a glass of wine and I'm there. Maybe Ric should send me on a cruise, that's about the only way he will keep me out of the yard. He would probably get more rest that way too. I had the camera out this afternoon much easier without the sling. This sure is putting a crimp on my SCUBA diving at the aquarium, too. Right now I couldn't even get into a wet suit and It will be months before I can pull my self up the ladder to get out of the tanks. Oh well, this too will pass.

Holly, so glad that you are healing well. It is really hard not to use the arm, I know I need to limit the use of my right, like no purse or heavy bags but I always forget.

Picture this, I get out of the car in the parking lot, start walking, stop, my lips move, "d*** i* " change from the right had to the left, and start walking again. People think I'm nuts!

Take care!

Chris.

Oh Chris, Exact picture of me. I was sitting in the car with my bag on my lap and as I started to get out of car I realized that I had my bag in my right hand so I just dropped it on the ground and then after I shut the car door picked it up with the left. LOL

think of all the great mental exercise trying to do everything other-handed!

You all are hilarious. Holly, I'm sure this is really frustrating. If you can't finagle a cruise, how about a tour of the Great Gardens of the Eastern Seaboard?

Chris and Holly- you can type, right? I lost my voice today with a silly resp infection of some kind! I can't talk AT ALL! it's getting annoying. I had to skip my new job today lunch monitoring at elementary school since I couldn't 'yell' ; ^ ) at the K class. Actually good because there are carpenters here and needed to double check where the windows are going. It's shockingly easy to make assumptions and miss details. But they are hammering all day, and my ten yr old is home mildly sick too, can't read to him or talk above a whisper, so I feel like I might as well have my arm in a sling too! can't go in bedroom and zone out or nap. can't go out and play.......may have to find light housework AACK NOOOOO
Edit- I am sorry I showed my whiny side above. Please know I try to control it. Feel free to smack me. I meant to say that I understand your frustration because I'm frustrated too! PS I just snuck out under the pretense of looking for cats to cuddle and moved some little blackeyed susans~~~my plants explained to me that I needed to apologize and grow up.

This message was edited May 9, 2007 1:15 PM

Just saw this thread Holly and hope you recoup quickly! Our ferns will be here soon and my offer to drop them off and pot them up still stands. I'll be thinking of you.

Joanne

Oh Sally, I've lost my voice a time or two and that is "very" frustrating. Yes, I can type but not extend my arm, so I sit hunched over the key board and then if I want to use the mouse I reach over with my left hand and pick up the mouse pad and sit with it in my lap, easier for me than trying to left hand mouse. I'm headed out to dead head my daffs, I always pull the flower stalks when the flowers are done. It's beautiful today. You take care of your self.
Hart what a great idea. So many gardens I want to see.
Thanks to all of you for all the good laughs and support.

Oh Joanne, Thank you so much. We were talking about the ferns last weekend. Really looking forward to getting them and meeting you. I have plenty of help planting, and only about 1/2 of them stay here the rest are for friends. Ric really does know what he's doing a Gardener before me, and driving isn't a problem all I need is a pillow to rest my arm on. In fact I just took my son up to Lockhaven last weekend and dropped him off at a friends house, a good 5 / 6 hr round trip. They have both been great help, just tease me they call it the walk and point.

Sally, try gargling with lemon juice. It will help a little bit. One of those plastic squeeze things works the best because you can shoot it to the back of your throat and avoid some of the taste.

I lost my voice several years ago and a couple of days later was one of the reporters asking questions on a radio gubernatorial race debate. I sounded exactly like Daffy Duck. I guess everyone thought I'd been sucking helium. LOL

that must have been cute! another Great Moment in Your Career! I'll try the lemon juice......
(hope you saw my edit,I will not whine anymore)

That's Ok Sally, Vent away, it's good for your mental health.
Great story Hart.

Longwood Gardens~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a place like that would distract me from digging for a day!
Can you paint your nails? that would be another reason to keep the hands clean. By the way, any remedies for these stained fingernails? yuck, I shouldn't have been twisting those pothos stems, but I was too lazy to go back for scissors.

Wear darker nail polish-it hides the dirt better ! If that fails, you can soak in hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice or clean something with bleach & don't use gloves...this time of the year, I live with perpetually grubby nails...Linda

Daves Mid Atlantic gardeners are the best! Thanks for the advice and permission to vent.
By the way, bottled lemon juice, with sugar and water, makes much better lemonade than the powdered stuff. Cup of S andcup of LJ and water to make two quarts.

Sally, Hope your feeling much better today.
Had my first PT session today and the Physical Therapist said I have very good range of movement for a first session after surgery. I'll be seeing him 3 x a week for a month and he gave me homework too. I'll be back on track soon. Whoopee!!
Had a good day yesterday, did a little light weeding, pulled my daff stems and watered everything. Today I'm headed off to my daughters house to visit and take little Lily for a walk, Jen will push I'll just walk. Here is a pic of my 2 Grandchildren JR and Lily they are cousins. Today is JR's 4th birthday, party on Sat. JR is singing Twinkle Twinkle to Lily and making the star in the sky for her.
BTW Sally is right Mid-Atlantic gardeners are the best. Thanks for all the support. Holly

Holly,
you're too kind. I'm glad you're having good reports!
Still can't talk, which will be mildly interesting when we take oldest S to be interviewed to apply to a private school this PM. I may make a better impression if I can just smile and nod
: ^ )
than put my foot in my mouth!
So stayed home again all day with younger S who is sort of flu like, just can't sit up or walk without headache and stomach pain, but nothing else seems wrong.
Do your homework and have a wonderful day~~~tra la la

Keep up the good work, Holly. I am sorry to hear you need a temporary vacation from gardening. I can understand the frustration of it all. Last October, I had cervical spine surgery and couldn't do anything at all. There was still a lot of chores to do. (OK, OK when no one was looking I did pull a little weed or made a cut or two with my pruners...bad bad bad). It is verryyyy frustrating not to do when we as gardeners love to putter in the garden. Look at this time to plan on what you want to do when you can, watch HGTV for more ideas and make a trip or two or three through a local garden center just for therapy.

A speedy recovery to you, Holly.
LuAnne
RatherB

Thanks LuAnne, It is very frustrating. I have really good help, but I want to be doing it myself. I can just picture you out weeding, I did the same thing in the front yard in my PJ's with arm in sling pulling small weeds. My Dr. said months of painful PT and he was right, but every week I see improvement. I'm sure that next spring will see me out digging and planting again.

So you cheated too.....we just cannot pass by a weed without action, can we?!

My mother-in-law had your surgery. She also needed rehab and PT. It takes time, but she is MUCH better now. Just stay focused on the goal...not on those weeds! Hee Hee. It is so HARD to let others do for us. I hated it. I couldn't drive for a month and that was unbearable. I understand. Hang in there. I will be thinking of you.

I have really been blessed with all the help and support I have gotten. Family, friends and my DG friends have all been so supportive. It really makes it a lot easier.