Shoulder replacement - Page 4 - Montana Owners Club

dsprik · 07-18-2008, 03:53 PM

Well not good news. I talked to the nurse at the the surgeon's office today. She consulted with the doc in between his patients. I cannot get an appointment to discuss my options until Aug 21st - five weeks from yesterday. Seems even Drs need a vacation. Can't begrudge him that, though.

She said the the tests indicated that I did need a full replacement on that left shoulder and maybe a "Reverse Replacement". This is a new procedure that I have recently been reading up on. Usually done on athletes. The "ball" and "socket" are reversed with the ball in the shoulder and the socket in the arm bone (humerous).

I mentioned to her the trip to FL and she said that the Doc was aware of that. She said that even if I had the surgery today, I wouldn't be ready to drive by the end of Sept (to the Rally). I beg to differ that point! This was strictly her opinion as I asked her and she did not question the Dr on this - she just came back with that reply as soon as I asked her. Should be 2-3 weeks as per other shoulder replacement people I have talked to. Bear Hunter, an MOCer I ran into just last week was one of these sources.

Sure the Doc always has extended plans for your recuperation. I would follow all rehab instructions, but the not driving for two months would be a little out of the ordinary according to my research.

I am not sure what I want to do yet. It seems my options are now limited to having surgery in FL and missing some work at Disney, which I don't want to do, or waiting until next spring and working at Disney in some pain this winter.

I am looking into a good part time job this summer that will carry over next summer. I don't want to come back in the spring and tell them, sorry can't work right away now. I'm sure everyone would be willing to work with me on this, but it just depends on finances.

It would help if the price of diesel would drop back to Aug 2007 prices...

dsprik · 07-21-2008, 02:00 PM

Talked to the Dr's office today. Food for thought for me over the weekend. We just plain have to do something. I talked to the nurse today and I told her that it was apparent that Dr Chuinard was not going to be able to do my surgery within the time frame that I needed the surgery to happen and I needed him to recommend someone else. She hesitated for a moment, then responded that she would have him call me...

So we'll see what happens there. When I get to Disney I need to be working when I hit the ground there. I really don't want to have surgery in a hopsital I have never been to before by a surgeon I am not familiar with. I have done that before.

I could wait until next Spring. The pain does not bother me, but I would be concerned about the degradation of the shoulder even further than it is now. It has been going downhill rapidly the last 6 months. I really don't want to face the possibility of complications by waiting another 9 months...

8.1al · 07-22-2008, 06:19 AM

Dave,
Hopefully you can light a fire under the doc, all the waiting and runaround must be frustrating.

dsprik · 07-22-2008, 11:26 AM

Yes it is, Al.

Talked to the Dr's nurse again today. They wanted to do the elbow to help what they think is nerves being pinched from the EMG test. She said they had a surgery date to do my elbow for the end of Aug. For some reason the shoulder surgery was not as easy to schedule, with the probability of that coming the end of Sept.

I will call back tomorrow and tell them I want the shoulder done first - then the elbow. I want to see how much the tingling/trembling will clear up after they fix everything in the shoulder. What if they do the elbow, then discover that the shoulder damage was mainly responsible all along? I am suspicious of this being the case anyway.

It might be that the elbow procedure is a much simpler procedure that they can do right in the office. I have seen some minor surgeries done that way. That would explain why they could get a time for that way before the shoulder procedure?

Has anyone ever had a procedure done on their elbow to relieve nerve pressure? What kind of a procedure is it?

exav8tr · 07-22-2008, 01:24 PM

Dave, I feel your pain in regards to scheduling all this. I have a big toe that doesn't bend much anymore, losing the joint space, sometimes can barely walk it hurts so bad. Two years ago, while in AK, I had surgery on the left one, it was the worst of the two, it is great now. I chickend out on the second surgery at that time and am kicking myself in the butt now. I want to get it done this winter, which means I will probably have to winter in California near Travis AFB. I had hernia surgery done there last October and my surgeon said she would be glad to help me again. I guess it's just a matter of sucking it up and get it scheduled. I know my pain and solution is small compared to yours and I sure hope you get it figured out and totally repaired. I had fluid removed from my bursa in my elbow and low and behold I developed a post op infection and became septic and nearly croaked. Please check out your surgeon and facility well before going under......

dsprik · 07-22-2008, 01:54 PM

Will do, Phil. Sounds like you could use your own live-in surgeon, too.

exav8tr · 07-22-2008, 03:06 PM

Well, after I get my toe fixed it will be time to work on a constantly sore neck muscle, maybe both at the same time...I hate this getting old crap. Someone said 60 was the new 50 but it feels like 70 sometimes. I am actually quite lucky, I can, at least, still do outside chores on the Monty.

**Rondo** · 07-22-2008, 04:19 PM

Dave-- I told the DW about your elbow surgery and she said she knew of two that had it done. It's about the same surgery they do for carpel tunnel that has gone up into the elbow. Of the two that had hit done it was a relatively simple operation and both came out of it successful! The shakes and etc that some have are attibuted to carpel tunnel that has gone to the elbow also. I have it in my right arm and I think it is do to the shoulder deal but it isn't bad enough for the doc to operate on it- according to him anyway. I think my left shoulder is showing sympathy pains for my right now too! It's been hurting some also! OH well, the price of playing all the sports I did in high school, working construction and working on the farm!! Keep me informed on what happens and how things turn out! If needed we have some really great orthopedic docs down here in Omaha at the University Hospital, Methodist and the Alegent hospitals here and it's partway to Florida too!

dsprik · 07-22-2008, 04:24 PM

Thanks, Ron!

dsprik · 07-24-2008, 05:25 AM

OK... Talked to the nurse today and I told her that the elbow surgery was secondary. And that I needed the shoulder replaced ASAP, ASAP, ASAP!

She told me that I could have had the Aug 21st date, but I told her I didn't want that... NO, NO, NO! She told me they could do my ELBOW at that time - not my shoulder. So there was a miscommunication. I told her to get me in for the shoulder at the earliest date and I would worry about heading south later. She gave me Sept 10th. I told her I was extremely upset that I missed that Aug date and that if something loosened up earlier to get me in!

She said that if I had the surgery in Sept that it would be early Dec before I could pull a 5th wheel to FL. I said, "FINE! Put me down!" She did mention that driving a car would be sooner than that. After talking to several shoulder replacement people, I have determined that 2 weeks after, I can drive.

The Rally starts 2 wks to the day of my surgery. I will be good to go. I am not in a good mood right now. My wife is trying to be consoling and she is staying on the other side of the trailer as I type this...

That Aug date would have been PERFECT! I can't believe that this was bungled!

Mrs. CountryGuy · 07-24-2008, 05:34 AM

Sounds like the Peyton Place of shoulder surgeries.

Keep the faith Dave, well, try. Very discouraging, we are all sending good vibes, maybe the nurse will get some of them???

dsprik · 07-24-2008, 05:47 AM

Thanks, Carol! Appreciate the support. Got to get my attitude straightened back out about this. I know we will get a break.

dsprik · 07-24-2008, 08:49 AM

Drs nurse just called back. Aug 28th. This is doable. I am now a "Happy Camper"...

Sept 10 was doable also - just would not have made a lot of people happy (Doctor, wife, multiple family members, etc) as I would have been at the Rally anyways. Yes, I know I'm stubborn. I like to call it "determined and focused".

**Rondo** · 07-24-2008, 08:57 AM

Dave-- They call it "Bullheaded" our here in Nebraska! Great to hear you got your wish on the operating dates! Keep me informed since I figure I'll have to go through it eventually!

Mrs. CountryGuy · 07-24-2008, 09:05 AM

hey, NOW we are talking!

COOL BEANS, as our own Ozz would say!

VanMan · 07-24-2008, 11:42 AM

I don't think your surgery date affects Cheryl's driving the 5th wheel, does it?

dsprik · 07-24-2008, 12:00 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by VanMan

I don't think your surgery date affects Cheryl's driving the 5th wheel, does it?

Unfortunately she already has a job. She has to drive the Park Ave behind me... She has pulled the Montana previously and she went through the driver training put on last fall by Keystone at the Rally. She would do it as a last resort. We're not there yet.

ols1932 · 07-24-2008, 01:32 PM

Dave,
Don't expect too much too soon. I also thought we'd be back on the road within a couple months after my back surgery in February. But, lo and behold, I'm still stuck here in Desert Hot Springs, CA. The doctor will not release me to begin traveling again until I can lift at least 35 lbs freely without effort. I'm pretty sure your shoulder surgery will be just as serious as my back surgery and from what I remember about my rotator cuff surgery, the rehab was the worst. Although I was able to return to normal(??) things fairly readily.

Orv

8.1al · 07-24-2008, 01:53 PM

Great news Dave!!!!! You may be cutting it kind of close with the rally, just have to wait and see. With that "determined and focused" attitude I'm sure you can make it.

dsprik · 08-02-2008, 06:03 AM

Doctor's visit yesterday. On Aug 28 they will do a normal shoulder replacement on my left shoulder. The reverse replacement would be if my rotator cuff was not functional. Unfortunately there is some additional damage. My rotator cuff is torn, as well as my deltoid muscle.

They will do the replacement first - 1½ hrs, then they will repair the other 2 muscles - 1 hr. In between, they may have to wait on some lab work to test for possible infection source (bacteria). I could be on the table up to 4 hrs. I will spend 1-3 days in the hospital.

Rehab is supposed to take 6 weeks. The Rally will be 4 weeks after surgery. We will have to play by ear. Based on past surgeries I have had on my shoulders 4 weeks may be OK. We will follow Dr's orders, though. Don't want to have to go back in...

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