About a month ago, my shoulder was bothering me so badly that I went to the doctor. Of course, being an MD (Me Doctor), I tried the lets ignore it and maybe it will go away plan. That didn't work. So, I saw Dr. G. He started me on therapy. But despite my best efforts, the pain was increasing and the mobility was decreasing. So, I tried shots. They did not help either. So, I decided to bite the bullet and have surgery on Tuesday the 27th. It was supposed to be a fairly easy arthroscopic removal of a bone spur and clean up job. However, hardly anything about me is routine.
When Dr G went in to take care of the bone spur, he found that I had torn the rota tor cuff. So the surgery itself was quite a bit more extensive than it was going to be. I had a nerve block, so I was good and not in a bit of pain when I went home. A couple of ladies from church came to bring food. They were shocked to see me sitting up on the couch watching tv and doing so well. For the record, that was the last time I was happy on the couch for almost a week!
I was not feeling as well on Wednesday. I was thinking it was normal, after all, I had major surgery and the nerve block had worn off. So I behaved myself and tried to sleep.
Thursday, I had an appointment to see the physical therapist and get the bandages changed. I took a shower and got dressed...and felt like I had been run over by a truck. I started feeling woozy. I pulled it together and Tdawg drove me. I started therapy and really was not in that much pain...but I thought I was going to pass-out. It was quite embarrassing, I did end up getting sick at therapy. I started wondering if something else was going on.
I went home and back to bed. I woke up about midnight barely able to breathe, swallow or talk. My tongue was white and my throat painful and swollen. I didn't felt like my only option was to go to the ER. To say the least, they were not much help. Despite the lack of patients, they did not seem very interested in me. They took blood and x-rays and there was a whole lot of nothing. The ER doc said that I had thrush, caused by the antibiotic (cephalexin) they gave me during and after surgery. He had never seen thrush in an adult before. (great!) After four hours, all I got was a prescription=five tablets a day for ten days. Not exactly fast-acting.
I spent the next several days in bed trying to breathe. My taste buds are gone. Everything tastes like mud and metal shavings. Not exactly appetizing!
It is Tuesday now. I can do a little more without feeling totally wiped out. My taste is coming back slowly; my voice still husky; still wheeze-y. I left the house for the second time in a week and went back to therapy. Thankfully, therapy was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Tomorrow I am going to try a half day of work.
People in the past have thought it odd that I hate to take any drugs, even aspirin, unless absolutely necessary. And this would be the reason why! I know that I would make a lousy drug addict! Better living through chemicals is definitely not for me!
