I wrote a post on July 8 about my upcoming heart surgery. At that time I thought it would probably be on July 22. Alas, as I posted on July 18, I injured my leg while lifting a heavy object at home. My surgeon didn’t want me dealing with two traumas at once. At first he put the surgery off to July 29, then, when I had little if any healing happening, but it off indefinitely, with us to touch base every two or three weeks. We did that early this week, and agreed I’m still not healed enough to set a surgery date.
But actually, I have another trauma from another freak home accident. I reinjured my left shoulder on (I think) July 18. I reached my arms up to make a big stretch, and something big popped in my upper arm or shoulder. I both felt and heard the pop. This was the same shoulder that I injured when walking Nuisance, my son-in-law’s big dog. It never quite healed, even going through physical therapy. But, anyway, this pop happened. That day, while having blood drawn to recheck some enzymes that were high after my first accident, the guy that drew my blood put a tourniquet right over the place where the pop was. Iin a few days, my whole upper arm was one big subdural hematoma the kept growing for days.
For that second injury, and for the first, I went to an orthopedic doctor. He took some more x-rays, gave me a steroid shot in the groin, told me to take it easy, and not start the exercises the people at the orthopedic ER gave me. And come back in 2 to 3 weeks. His thoughts are that I have a badly torn rotator cuff, whereas the urgent care doc thought it was a torn deltoid muscle. Whatever it is, a second subdural hematoma had appeared (still growing), and I have almost no use of my left arm. Provided I can get it on a keyboard I can type, but have almost no range of motion, no strength. When my arm is still there’s no pain, but try to move it more than a couple of inches….
We are now in that period. I go to see him on 8/22. Meanwhile my regular doctor ordered an MRI of my left shoulder, currently scheduled for 8/26. Hopefully that will give some answers. I suspect an MRI of my right hip/leg/groin is also in my future.
As is my heart valve replacement surgery. Sometime. I suspect the earliest it can be is Sept 30. I say that because I am experiencing a little healing in my leg. The pain is not so intense. And I can now get my leg in positions where there’s no pain while at rest. I can cross my legs, with either one on top, and not have pain in my groin or thigh. The day is coming, I believe, when the healing will be enough for me to lie flat on a bed or stand fully upright without the pain coming. I’m not quite there yet, but that day is coming.
If there’s any good news through all of this, I’ve lost 12 pounds in just 24 days. I attribute it to being unable to easily access snacks in the house, or buy some at the grocery store. That puts me within 13 pounds of my target weight. Also, that puts my total loss from my peak weight (in 2006) of 102 pounds.
Wow, that is a lot to go through. Blessings on your journey to healing. Congrats on the weight loss-tough way to lose weight!
Thanks Lauri. Weight loss has stalled at 12 pounds. But that’s good, because it was coming off too fast.
Rest and recover…my mri on hips is 8/22. Follow up 9/4. You gotta slow down buddy. We’re not teenagers anymore! Putting you in my prayer circle. No hugs for you yet.
Gracie: I generally think of myself as going slow in physical activities. Gotta rest a lot. Those two freak home accidents have thrown me for a loop, though. Back-to-back, whoda thunk it?
David, I’m so sorry to hear about all these reversals — ugh! I’ll be praying. On the plus side — way to go on the weight loss! Hang in there.
Susan: The weight loss was actually scary. I would do nothing but sit in the chair all day and all night, trying to give my body a chance to heal. Every morning it would show me a pound lower. I know the old body was working hard behind the scenes to heal, and I’m glad for the loss, but 12 pounds in 3 weeks without trying? Scary.
I am so sorry to hear about your physical problems. It sounds like a real nightmare. I thinking about you in Church today and resolved I would give a call and see how you are doing. I saw your blog when we got home from Church. We will be out of country 8-28 thru 9-19. Please let us know if we can help in any way.
That’s hard way to lose weight!
Daniel: Enjoy your trip. The photos I’ve seen on FB look great.