Ow! My shoulder!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So I did my customary vanity search yesterday, and I was down to only four threads active in the last six weeks. I haven’t been around much lately. Here’s why:

Two weeks ago, work was nuts. I was in the middle of a capital murder trial. I had woken up at 4 AM to get some stuff done. Around 6 AM, I started doing my usual domestic chores. First thing, give the dog fresh water outside. We have a St. Bernard, who needs an extra-big bowl of water, which we don’t have room for inside. So, the job is: run outside, dump the old water on the lawn, take the bowl inside, rinse and refill, and place back outside.

I was barefoot, wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants. The rear of our house faces north. It was about 26 degrees outside, and it had snowed the previous weekend. I think you all see where I’m going with this, given the title.

I pick up the giant steel water bowl and step toward the lawn to dump it. My bare foot touches a patch of unmelted ice on the back patio and doesn’t even attempt to grip before sailing gaily into the air. The rest of me goes WHUMP, directly onto my right shoulder on the concrete. Meanwhile, the water dish spills its contents all over me.

Scene: me, barefoot, soaked in water, lying on ice and concrete in 26 degree weather, shoulder hurting so bad I just lie there saying “ow ow ow” for about 15 minutes. I roll once to get off the ice and closer to the door. I finally realize I need to get inside or I’m gonna freeze. Somehow, very painfully, I drag myself to my feet and get inside. Where I find my wife (who’d been in the shower, else I would have yelled for her) and also my worthless alpine rescue dog, who hadn’t even checked on me.

To sum up, because I’m typing all this left-handed: I broke my right shoulder. If you picture the upper arm bone as being a hockey stick, I snapped the bend off, which the doc says 2 of the 4 muscles that form the rotator cuff are attached to. Can’t find a similar pic on GIS, that’s the best I can describe it. I’m in a sling, but not a cast, and the docs don’t want to do surgery, because the shoulder is basically a big nest of muscles and ligaments so there’s not much of anywhere for the broken bit to go askew. Just rest, painkillers (which I don’t really need anymore, just been on ibuprofen since Friday), and don’t use the arm.

Between this, and The Bells Palsy That Wasn’t (which I might open a thread about later), 2015 is not off to the best start. I gotta say, this recovery has really opened my eyes to how I’ve taken my right arm for granted. And, my lifelong no-broken-bones streak has ended, phooey.

And that’s why I haven’t posted for two weeks.

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Awesome OP/Title combo. Hope you get better soon!

3

Broke my shoulder in 4 places 2 years ago. Hopefully you went to an orthopedic shoulder specialist. No cast either, I don’t think it is recommended. But I did have 3 different surgeries. Also in about 4-5 weeks, after the bones have healed you will definitely need to do physical therapy to regain movement. Don’t skimp on the PT. If you work at it, you should be able to get most of your movement back.

4

+1

Funny, I thought prosecutors arms in Texas only get broken that badly when they accidentally find the Cocaine evidence on a Bush DUI. :wink:

Feel better.

5

Well, it’s not like you were in the Alps or anything, a dog has his limits. :smiley:

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My older (really old) brother broke his right shoulder in September. As of now he’s opted for more PT before having any surgery. Some people say the surgery and subsequent recovery time is as bad as the original break, with not that much difference in eventual usage, but if you’re younger than dirt and seeing an orthopedist every extra inch you can raise your arm might save your golf game. I haven’t had the heart to ask him about his.
I hope you the fullest recovery possible, and now you have your first owee that’ll tell you when it’s going to rain.

And about The Bells Palsy That Wasn’t—I’d like to hear about what unrang that bell.

7

This is what happens when apply maximum torque to a shoulder.

8

Had relatively minor surgery on my left shoulder due a labrum tear.

The recovery was the most painful thing I ever experienced.

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I typed in a several-paragraph story about The Bell’s Palsy That Wasn’t, but it got lost, and I’m not inclined to retype the whole thing left-handed, so long story short: beginning around December 31, the left side of my face was stricken by what two docs initially said was Bell’s, but later seemed like the exact opposite. My facial muscles were taut, not slack, giving me an uncontrollable Elvis-like sneer. A head CT didn’t show anything. It’s fading now, well after the meds they gave me for it are gone. Dunno what the deal was. Is there a “reverse Bell’s palsy”?

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Wow. There are so many things you just can’t prevent and would never know to try.
But at my age, a little tautness wouldn’t hoit.

And, hope the shoulder’s not being too bad.

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Ow, ow, ow, indeed!

That sounds very painful, sorry about your luck! Wonderful job on the description, I could see it all!

Please do as you’re instructed and don’t use your slinged arm, even though it’s difficult to get by with one wing. And exceedingly annoying!

Also, as another member of the, “I’ve never broken a bone!”, fraternity, I feel for the loss of your membership!:smiley:

Feel better soon, and Good Luck!

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Been there, done that.

Hang tough.

When you start, do your PT as if your life depends on it.

13

Seconded.

kaylasmom hasn’t been able to hook her own bra in the back since September, what with a broken shoulder, three weeks in a sling, and following four months of PT.

“Frozen shoulder” is a bitch.

14

That’s very humerus. :rolleyes:

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Maybe you’ve always had a taut face and had Bell’s on the other side.