My Christmas Season will suffer

[Leigh Costello]

Hello and welcome to Bad Luck Junction. Headed to the hospital on Friday. Torn whatever in my left shoulder. Yep, I am left-handed. This is my - dare I say it - 19th surgery in my lifetime. My doc suggested I take a bit more time to re-think working. Hubby is a champ, he just stands by me.

Anyway, with the economy I am surprised at how busy we are. Send in the clones. We will get thru this I'm sure, but gee whiz why didn't my luck hold for a few more weeks. Oh well. Just crying in my coffee I guess.

[Gary Herrmann]

Haven't had 19 surgeries. Dang, thats a lot Leigh - sorry to hear that. I have had 5 tho. Do the rehab. Take your time, come back slow. You'll get there. It will be unpleasant at times, but you know more than most that you can get through it.

Did I mention do the rehab? You can do it. We'll be here.

[Jim Becker]

Ach...sorry to hear about this problem, Leigh, and I hope that it heals up quickly. Perhaps you do need to re-evaluate "how" you work if this kind of thing is something common for you. Avoid what triggers it, in other words, if you can....

[Leigh Costello]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Gary. Ironically, it was rehab from other surgery that caused the problem. I only had 2 more weeks and I would have been released for a full year from previous surgery. Back to the drawing board on the old rehab plan. A deck chair on a beach somewhere is looking pretty good right now.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My sympathies, understanding and thoughts and prayers Leigh! Get well quickly.

[Leigh Costello]

Jim, my hubby said the same thing. I was born with many problems and was never expected to make it this far. I just pushed the envelope too far I guess.

[Gary Herrmann]

A deck chair on a beach somewhere is looking pretty good right now.

Well, I can't provide a beach, but you're pretty close. We can dump a bunch of sand on the pool deck and sit outside.

You'll be in my thoughts.

[Leigh Costello]

Ah, the sweet sensation of no pain. Until I move wrong that is. Rehab is under way, hubby is cooking-yeehaa! and he is good at it-and the orders are being filled. Slowly, but being filled. Our customers are even being very understanding, even for October.

My doc's final words on Monday were "Leigh, no axes this weekend, next weekend, no chainsaws this weekend, next weekend. I will see you in 2 weeks to remove sutures. I will tell you then what I find. Sell you ax and chainsaw or let Jim have them. I will see you in 2 weeks. No reaching, no cooking, no cleaning, no nothing, just this exercise." I had torn my rotator cuff and shredded my labrum, which means no major fast pitch contracts for me.

In the meantime, I am learning how to use my right hand a lot more. But I can't get too many substrates in the laser by myself. Jim helps me with that too when he isn't cooking or cleaning or whatever. I am learning how to stir and such which helps with the cooking. Not bad for a lefty, anyway.

I am typing though which means I am creating something at least.

I will be back (insert accent)!:D

[Bob Rufener]

I always "try" to remember what the surgeon said after my first back surgery. "No bending, lifting, or twisting!" When I pressed him for a "sensible" answer, his reply was the same. After more pressing, he simply said, "Use your head-not your back" I sometimes do stupid things but make more attempts at using my head rather than my back. There usually are simpler ways of doing things rather than thinking like a 25 year "Atlas" clone.

Best wishes for a complete recovery.

[Chris Parks]

A torn rotater cuff in the shoulder is not funny, do you understand that it commonly takes a year or so to fully recover? Mine has taken more like 4 years and is still not 100%. Even when all the pain has gone it is still advisable to not do any work that will aggravate it. I did and am paying for it.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I know the rotator cuff is not pleasant. LOML has had 3 of them--no fun at all! Take care. It's even worse the 2nd time around on the same shoulder.:eek:

[Leigh Costello]

Yes, I realize the third rotator cuff repair is as serious as the first. This time it tore as a result of attempting to unplug my computer. The shredded labrum was due to the repeated dislocations of my shoulder during everyday living. I could go into the gory details of my medical history, but that would be boring. I could list all of my ailments and the main reason for my defects, but that would be boring too. So instead I struggle thru my days, living, laughing and loving. I dance when I feel like it and spread my arms when I can to embrace all that God has given me. When I raise my song to the heavens, some scream and run for cover, others join in my song in self defense. And when surgery number 20 is eminent, I will face it, conquer it, and recover from it. God gave me a sense of humor and a fantastic set of people I call friends to get me thru. Thank you all for helping me thru. :)

[Belinda Barfield]

Sorry I'm late to the show Leigh. I've been tied up and haven't had much time to wade in the Creek.

I'm glad to hear you're past the surgery and in the recovery phase. I will keep you in my thoughts. You are an inspiration. I so enjoy your posts and always get a chuckle, it not an outright belly laugh. Keep us posted.

P.S. Now might be a good time to write that book I'm always after you to write. :)

[Greg Cole]

Hi Leigh,
As a spry 20 something, I disocated my right shoulder quite handily. Said rotator cuff was like a piece of tissue paper.... and tore too. It's never been "quite right" since then. At 27 I was told I had arthritis in that joint from the issues of the dislocation and shredding. Not much can be done for it other than don't do the things that inflame it. Anything I do from about head level and up is not good later that day or that night... not too mention the next day.:( This was all 12 years ago now, so maybe I am a little nicer to my shoulder at 34.:rolleyes:
As others have said, follow the docs orders. Had I not had such a thick skull in my youth, I'd have been nicer to my shoulder after tearing it apart. Most likely the problems I'll carry for my time here are much my own doing.:eek: My doc wonders how the heck I do anything in regards to ww'ing and all the house remodel "stuff"... high threshold for discomfort is my standard reply. Seriously now, I have found a routine regimen of stretching helps me out remarkably.
And the belly laugh thing Belinda mentions makes me think of your post about the Blues... "just wait & wait and wait".... (sorry can't help it being a Wing Nut & all).

Cheers.
Greg

[Leigh Costello]

Well, the sutures came out today. And I had to have another cortizone shot in the right arm since I am using it so much more. My next goal is to touch my head with my left hand without theatrics, blue colored word-clouds and gyrations in 2 more weeks.

The removed tissue came back and the prognosis isn't so good - degenerative blah, blah, blah cartilage disease. Painful, but not deadly. New drugs, new procedures all pending but no cure. So, less muscle use, more brain power - stop laughing - isometrics and leverage. So now I have an excuse to curl the remote when hubby wants it. I'm exercising, honey, you can have it later, ooh another Lucy re-run. :D

And wouldn't you know it, business is really picking up for the holidays! I think I will call in the let-me-know-if-you-need-anything offers from my unsuspecting family. :p

Now get to work everyone! Christmas is only 50ish days away!

[Jim Becker]

'Glad you are on the mend, Leigh!

[Leigh Costello]

Wow! Didn't take long to get to this point again.

Sadly, hubby has to cook again and all of the other fun stuff.

Re-hab went well for a many months. Then, one little mis-step by the Klutz (me) and a grab for support and here we are again.

Pulled and/or torn something - again. Going to orthopedic doc on Thursday, if I don't have a miraculous intervention. Right rotator cuff definitely torn, left most likely torn. Asked if my p.t. regimen could cause this, but G.P. said highly unlikely.

Now for the PSA - Ladies, don't drink when you are pregnant. Your child might have my luck. Mom did, may she rest in peace, and I am lucky enough to walk and talk, although walking is somewhat a challenge at times ;).

So, once again, I am headed to some sort of p.t. for sure and a whole host of "don'ts, changes, and what the hecks!"

ps I did give up axes and chainsaws and even my Mantis tiller. On the bright side, B.P. meds cut in half, walking 3+ miles in less than 1 hour 3 or 4 times a week. So it's not all bad. :)

[James Stokes]

Leigh, I am sorry to here you hurt yourself again,
I live with cronic pain and medical problems, It does not make life a lot of fun. Wish you well.

[Ted Calver]

Leigh...This is not good news...when a person gives up their Mantis, that's really serious. So sorry to hear you are having this deja vu all over again. Hope you mend quickly.