Well I'm back in the saddle. Have an appointment next week for partial work release. What the docs don't know won't hurt them right???? Thank you all for the messages support and prayers. Thought I'd give you all a blow by blow mostly because I was amazed how much things have changed from the patient stand point. There have been tons of changes from the provider stand point, but even though I am involved on a daily basis in those changes I had no clue what the sum was. Hopefull what follows can be helpful for anyone having shoulder surgery.......
I was a nervous wreck before the surgery (Which is not my nature.) We actually had 2 snow days the weekend in the public schools and cancelled classes at the University for the first time in 65 years. We had 50 MPH winds and 3 feet of snow. I was scheduled for tues. The blizzard ended. Mon. But my mind was going in circles. how are we going to get there (roads were solid ice) how am I going to get home, what if I slip walking to the house almost unnatural fear. My wife solved it. We went skiing the morning of my surgery when we got to the road my number 3 son was there with a back hoe and truck load of gravel.
Check in pre-op was the same as always the big difference was the 15 year-old anesthesiologist came in early and did a sonogram guided nerve block. This was incredible I was pain free except for small patch by my shoulder blade for a few days. the nerve blocks are standard now. Heres what I learned. Life can take a sudden turn for the worse when the block wears off. This varies from person to person as to when and how. Mine wore of gradually. The next door had his turn off like a switch at 2:00 AM. The small patch by shoulder is critical. If it hurts your shoulder hurts despite the block. Stay on top of pain control The size of the patch may grow. This is your first clue as the block wears off.
The procedure went as expected BY ME. I warned the guys there would be a lot of bleeding as its pretty common with PsA. being surgeons of course they had to blow me off (some) We placed a $20.00 wager. I collected. It was good thing because I had arranged for Pizza to be delivered to the Recovery Room nurses station. at lunch time (also my expect arrival) I'm sure they enjoyed the Pizza, but I never saw the recovery room. I went to ICU instead. So much for Bribery.
In our hospital all post surgical medication is handled by the on staff unit Pharmacists/pain management team. Its critical you meet with these people and/or with the hospitalists before your surgery. In one of the better moves They understood that surgical pain was NOT the primary issue but rather the fact I was off all my PsA meds prior to the surgery I was likely in a flare or on the Cusp of a big one. If one starts flaring with a big surgery, things can be really bad. I started torodol with in minuts of leaving the OR and they kept it up for my max 6 doses. We started an NSAID immediately and scheduled two predi bursts. What a huge difference.......
Pain meds were handled very well primary meds were pills from the start and IV meds for break through pain. That way you can play with the pills and get the right one.....
I was put in the Orthopedic rehab unit. So much for the sympathetic caring surgical unit nurses. You will be cared for by children, who likely are still wearing their soccer shin guards to save time after work. I knew I was in trouble when the unit charge nurse came down to thank me for the choclolates I had delivered for each shift. She also informed me that If I like any of them by the time I was discharged, they would feel they failed.
When they tell you CALL: before you move they mean it. I decided I could do my chair Yoga better from the chair. That all went pretty well. finished my exercises. That's when I accidentally trashed my room. Apparently when I was raising my bed so I could get into it easier it caught the edge of the tray table which fell over. It caught the IV pole which also fell over. While I was grabbing a towel to stop the bleeding from the IV that pulled out and clamp of the IV that was now pouring on the floor. I accidentally bumped the side table and knocked over the rather full urinal.(I was supposed to call for that too to get measured) Did you know they have alarms the can strap on you that go off when you get out of bed. They can also start IVs in your thumb so you can't grab on to thing that lowers your bed rails....
I'm sure they appreciated the flowers. The housekeeping department told me that it was the first time they ever had Pizza delivered........... Fortunately the IV pump was still under warranty. The room needed painting anyway.
Also they have an ambulation team in charge of your day. These people are recruited at Biker rallies. I however won an argument with them - the highlight of my stay. Lots of students around. They have meetings. Its is amazing how many people can squeeze into one hospital room. A challenge of I don't care HOW MANY student nurse you bring to help I am NOT going to take a shower is not likely to go unmet. I showed the entire group my open Psoriasis and explained why I felt the infection risk of the shower room was too great. However I was perfectly willing to be the test subject for a sponge bath unit.......
Anyway I passed out mardi gras beads wore my NOLA hat. One of the gals got to do her first blood draw. She did a great job. She got it on her second try. But they still wouldn't move the IV.
There was also a new development, that may or not be applicable to everyone. Take Home meds can no longer be dispensed by the hospital pharmacy (especially if they involve narcotics) The do have an onsight 24 hour retail pharmacy in most hospitals. They do require payment of at least your copay, and keep things clean it can't be added to your bill or there can be trouble with all of you hospital meds. You might want to plan a head for this. The last thing you want to do is stop at your regular pharmacy on the way home and wait while the fill the scripts. I was told this was a "benefit" of the AHCA.
One other thing to keep in mind if Like I you bring a tab and plan on streaming Pandora or similar through bluetooth head sets. (I usually use a whitenoise/relaxation app) there are part of the hospital where its not allowed. bring a wired set in case. also although most facilities do have WiFi for a number of reasons it logs you out regularly. A call to the hospital IT can log you into a different feed that doesn't auto log you out.
