5 weeks post-surgery on my shoulder. With aggressive physical therapy, I am able to touch my left armpit with my right hand. Yes, this sounds unsavory but it is a huge accomplishment.
I was only in a sling for a day and then the doctor wanted me to start using the arm. As I sat on the couch for 4 days in a drug-induced post-surgical state, I started propping my arm up to the side. When I made it to the table for dinner, Son would put a strawberry on the table just beyond my plate so it would require me to move my arm. The symbolical carrot in front of the horse.
The first week of physical therapy was daily in the office and at home. It was so painful at home that I would spontaneously begin sobbing uncontrollably. But I would make progress every day and the therapist was amazed at how many degrees my arm would move more than the day before.
The second through the fourth week of PT, I continued at home and in the office working very hard in both environments. More exercises, more repetitions, more time held in a stretched position. The doctor and therapist are very happy with my progress. I tell everyone that I’m highly motivated. No one ever asks what motivates me. The goals I state are:
- take clothes out of the washer and dryer without pain
- unload the dishwasher
- wash my hair
- braid my hair
- wash my left armpit with my right hand (no fear, I have been able to use a handled scrub brush for the past 8 months)
- take off my shirt over my head by myself
Then there are things like yoga, swimming and weight training that I look forward to as well. I have worked very hard to make progress and look forward to “normal.”
