Ouch

My surgery yesterday went well.  Dr K found pretty much what he expected and was able to reattach the lower trapezius and the rhomboids to the scapula.  He said my trapezius was detached and "flapping" and my rhomboids were partially detached but in multiple areas.  He thinks the worst of my pain was probably coming from the fact that the rhomboids were still attached in some areas and were pulling.


The last 24 hours have not been good.  I am in a lot of pain, the drugs really don't feel like they are helping enough!  Today my Mum called the surgery centre just to check my level of pain was normal.  They said this procedure is very painful, Dr K did "quite a bit of work" inside me, and the 48 hours following the surgery are very tough....... so there is nothing else to do but tough it out.  I really do feel like someone has cut up my muscles and bone and pulled them all back together again.


The whole process yesterday was very smooth and I was very lucky to have fantastic nurses and doctors dealing with everything.  Everyone was so nice.  I had a very short period of time when I felt very nervous after the nurse put the IV in my hand (it was sore) and it all became very real.  However pretty soon after that they gave me an IV pre-op drug that worked very quickly and made me laugh hysterically!  They kept asking me questions to make sure I was ok but I couldn't make the words come out my mouth because of the drugs so I just kept laughing.  When I eventually managed to say my name they then asked me what procedure I was having and I had to say "scapular muscle reattachment" which was impossible and made me laugh even more!!


Then they took me through to the OR, chatted while the anaesthetist gave me gas and the next thing I remember is waking up in recovery with the hiccups which kind of went "hic.... ouch... hic.... ouch.....hic.....ouch..."  The procedure itself took about an hour then I was in recovery for about two and a half hours and then back to the hotel.  I have a lidocaine pump-thing that goes into my wound to numb it (it really doesn't feel numb but apparently it would be even sorer without it), various painkillers, an anti-nausea patch, and a cold therapy pack that pumps icy water through a pack that fits on to my shoulder.


In recovery the nurse told me this is one of the most painful procedures they do and she has seen grown men cry because of it. It has made me cry with pain but it should ease after 48 hours... and I am just over half way there at the moment.


So it's a really tough couple of days and then it is going to be a tough month with my arm immobilized and then hard work doing the physiotherapy but it will all be worth it.  And when I asked Dr K if he thought I'd ever do a handstand again he said he has a couple of patients who are now doing weights so there is a possibility I will be able to handstand again one day.  Great news!!