Jessica Bruder, I love you. Thank you for the beautiful flowers.
Reverse shoulder replacement was August 21, 2018.
Better tonight. Managing pain better. I think this will be a very good thing. I am very sore, but all the joint pain I was having with the stage 4 bone-on-bone arthritis is GONE.
Still on pain pump, but not taking Percocet since 4am. May need it when pump runs out. Overall, it is much less traumatic than I expected.
Pain pump empty now and I am back on Percocet, but maybe not for long. I can not believe how much pain I had been living with.
WOW, I seem to be turning into a nice person again. Grouchiness is leaving me. Ha ha! It is amazing. (Aug 30… never mind, it came back.)
So, I had the reverse, on the right, as compared to the one on the left. I can't wait for recovery when I can try this thing out. About four months before I can kayak. A year before I can begin the Arizona trail hike. 2019 is gonna be my prime year of fitness... l am going to reach my ideal weight (probably not been there in 50 years). You know, ALL the people, doctors, nurses, staff helping me, are all younger than my kids, SOME even younger than my first granddaughter. But I will not let that get me down. I refuse to get OLD.
Transferred to Rehabilitation Facility. Looked nice, but after a few days I became unhappy with it… not sure if it is the way it is run, or the fact I am not used to being inside so long.
http://www.centeratcordera.com/
My nurse is working with a sore throat, cold, and just now, did not talk motioning that her throat is throbbing. WTF? REALLY???
I had a melt down this morning and just started crying like a baby. Nothing on my mind, just suddenly felt overwhelmed by it all. What the heck???? Happened again the next day. This morning (8/30) I have been awake all night because I got upset they did not follow doctors orders regarding my pain meds.
Ha ha, waited for pain pill for two hours, got my sling on by myself,went down the hall, found the pill cart, and waited for the pill guy to return and told him I needed pain pill. Turns out hospital had me on 10mg of oxycodone and 650 mg of Tylenol every four hours, plus the pain ball I.V. but here I am on 1 or 2 oxycodone every six hours. I asked for one. Seems like they should tell you when they change your meds but no one did. At this rate, I won’t last long here. If they can't help me progress, stay comfortable, and heal, I don't need them.
I will also need to get someone to come get my laundry after a couple of weeks. Didn't think about that before.
So, turns out the pill guy doesn't know anything either. I am getting the same medicine here as in the hospital. He came back and insisted it was confusing... 5/325. Which is 5mg of oxytocin and 325 mg of Tylenol… Same as at hospital. And if my pain level is 1-5, I can have one pill. If it is 6-10, I can have two (10/650).
I am starving for wilderness.
Just finished Physical and Occupational therapy. Very good people here. Good workout. Then dietician came by and I told them none of frozen desserts were arriving frozen. She gave me tips on getting the best nutrition I can while I am here. Many of the hot meals are now hot, not even luke warm.
Now the housekeeper is here. Its like grand central station.
1st occupational therapy session at 10:30 a.m. John says his specialty is swelling. Good.
Got a good neck and shoulder massage... felt good.
I am here: Center at Cordera, 9208 Grand Cordera Parkway, Room 325, Colorado Springs, CO 80924.
They increased my meds from six hours to four hours. The only chance they have of holding me still. Then someone screwed that up putting it in the computer and it went back to ONE every six hours. That is just not working for me.
First time I have ever had a private room... and I believe it speeds healing.
The recliner is pretty comfortable... so I spend the day in it. From before breakfast til after supper. I do not have to keep the sling on in the chair. Then they reversed that…????
August 27
I feel really good, unless I move. Today P.T. told me to get more help with getting sling on and off... and jacket. I am allowed to go to bathroom alone, but one-armed.
They want me to resist moving my shoulder at all. And I can do stairs with therapist, but not alone. I am trying to follow all the rules.
Finance office was just here. I am covered 100% and up to 100 days stay. Thank you, David Swankie.
Might feel like a vacation if the pain and food were better.
Communications here is lacking. Yesterday they where suppose to increase pain meds from every six hours to every four hours. Someone did not follow-up with that order so I am still at six... and I can't make it to five hours. They were also suppose to add Tramadol to get inflammation down... but it didn't happen either. I may go on strike and stay in bed until they get meds straightened out.
A friend wrote me:
Whatever they are telling you, Tramadol is an opioid, not an anti-inflammatory, so it does not get inflammation down....
Charlene Swankie Yes, I looked it up. I refused it today and told them I would not have agreed in the first place if I had known it was a narcotic. I also told them I didn't want any more Percocet and that I was going home.
I am now thinking they don't care about my needs only about ripping my insurance companies off.
We will see how this plays out. But I am packed, will have breakfast, then a shower, then go see Social Worker or Administrator??? About getting out of here. I have already sent my surgeon email asking him to release me.
August 29
Yesterday, with my pain under control, I was able to get on my laptop and get some work done. Pretty cool. NICE.
Well, hell ... someone put the order for meds in the computer wrong, and even though I have received 2 pills every four hours, at 10, 2 and 6 today, the night nurse is refusing to give me 2 at 11 pm (5 hrs) and here I was proud of going five hours. Today I felt the best I had felt, and hoped to get the two pills and get a good nights sleep, but instead, I was so upset I was awake all night long. Didn’t sleep a wink. I had to call the Dr's office, and still they did not change it.
Today, 8/30 I emailed Dr. Weinstein to tell him I am leaving. There is no point in staying if they are refusing to help manage my pain. I hate this. I thought we had this all sorted out. (8/30) And I thought I could give them a good review, but not now. All I want is to return to my home(van) and my recliner… and manage me-self.
My kayak is calling me.
August 30, 6:40am. No sooner did I hit the publish button, then the nurse came in and told me she got it all straightened out and that I could have 2 every four hours. I told her I would have to think about it… and decided if I want to resume or not, or continue to make plans to be discharged. I am going to proceed with my plan of breakfast, a shower (without help), and talking to Admin or Social Workers. I am also going to follow-up on home health care assistance, and other resources.
I wish I had your spunk! I have a question. Do you have long term care insurance. I have to decide if I can afford to keep mine or afford not to.
ReplyDeleteYou are strong, that's what gets you through. Hope you made the right choice for your recovery. Tramadol is worthless as it didn't touch my pain, so I refused to take it ever again Glad you refused when you found out what it actually does.
ReplyDeletePlease don’t just walk out. That is called “against medical advise” or AMA and it could affect how insurance handles you regarding future visits for your shoulder. It is very important to limit movement until pt and ot authorize. You can get upset about the meds but just grin and bear the rest. My mom had both knees and shoulders replaced and I recently had both knees. I do get it. Best of luck and health to you. If I was nearby I would help you!
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