OUCH! YOU’RE HAVING ROTATOR CUFF SURGERY - BLOG #8

Surgery day.

Of course, one of the challenges on surgery day is that there is no eating or drinking after midnight. For those of us who are fans of breakfast in the morning, this is tough. I love my banana, chocolate chip, pecan muffins, warm with a glass of cold milk, but I digress. Maybe you love lunch, coffee, iced tea, or even a glass of chocolate milk. All of these are off limits until after surgery. Planning to sleep as late as possible or having things to do in your bedroom or bathroom before surgery will keep you busy and hopefully keep you from being hungry. You might just want to stay out of the kitchen.

Make sure you have everything you need before heading to the surgery center. A designated driver is required and must remain on the property at all times. (Did you hear the surgery center people in your mind just then?) Make sure your driver has snacks, something to drink, and maybe somebody bringing them food for lunch while they wait for you to come out of surgery. You will also need your identification, a way to pay for any required expenses, and they might tell you to bring a specific medication that you’re on with you. And go dressed in whatever you plan on coming home in, including that extra-large comfy shirt that will go over your body and your sling.

Once you’re home, your caregiver or someone else will need to pick up your prescriptions from the pharmacy, maybe help you with a snack, and help you get into bed with an ice pack so that you can complete that wonderful nap you were enjoying when they rudely woke you up after surgery. Yes, I know they’re not rude about it and they have to wake you up, but jeez, it was the best sleep you’d had in a long time. You know I’m right on this one!

When you wake from your nap, be sure to take a moment to go to the bathroom, look at yourself in the mirror, and tell yourself everything is okay. You’ve survived it. Now go and ask for some help with getting something to eat and using another ice pack to help with the swelling.

Before surgery started, your doctor may have used a nerve block to help reduce the amount of pain you’ll feel in the first twelve to twenty-four hours. Nerve blocks are weird things that give you no feeling in one part of your arm, and yet you have feeling in another part. Having my fingers totally numb was the weirdest experience I think I've had. My left hand went to touch my right hand. My brain said, “Hey, right hand, I’m going to touch you.” The other side of my brain said, “Hey, left hand, I’m still waiting. When are you going to touch me?” It was the oddest sensation, and it really did confuse my slightly foggy, medicated brain.

Another important thing to do is to hydrate. Be sure you’re getting plenty of fluids to help your body recover. Your doctor might have also recommended something to help your bowel system work properly when you’re taking pain medications. Be sure to take it as directed, because you don’t want any other problems to deal with.

Just remember…Ice. Ice. Ice.