SHOULDER REPLACEMENT -- number 2

[Box Call 68]

Can't imaging getting a replacement.had the surgery in 2003 on right shoulder from being throwed thru a door and ending up under a computer shelf slipping in stripper.all tendons reattached on right shoulder.good luck bud.

[smokin joe]

Bob: Thanks for the information. Do you take that once per day or twice, etc.? I have ordered some 1500 mg. turmeric with 10 mg of pepper on Amazon. In doing some on-line research it seems that it is a pretty good anti-inflammatory.

Sam: I have good deer activity near my tree stands this year, and the season opens in a week here in NC. I have seen a couple of big, healthy does hanging around -- maybe I'll have fresh backstops on the grill soon. The bucks are already getting kind of secretive and (if my ears aren't deceiving me) some light antler pushing has started, so maybe I can get a crack at one of them early, before they start really moving around in October and November.

[Ron LaClair]

Joe, I'm sorry to hear about your problem, I hope the stuff that Bob suggested will help.

As for me I'm doing good, I saw my doctor on Aug 1st for my 6 week check. He said I was doing good. I ask him when I could start pulling on a bow and riding my Harley, he said he wanted me to make sure everything knit to my new implant before I did anything. I'm due to see him again on Sept 12th for my 12 week so I hope he gives me the go ahead to start pulling some light weight.

Box call 68...."being throwed through a door"...I'd like to hear the rest of that story. 

[smokin joe]

Great to hear you are still doing so well Ron. It's only a matter of time now, so be patient.

And, that "throwed thru a door" story has got to be good.

[smokin joe]

Well, I have been taking turmeric for a few days now. I am thinking it might turn out to be a good thing. I can tell that the inflammation has subsided a bit. I think I might be in a tree stand hunting deer in a week or two. A big THANK YOU to Bob Morrison for suggesting the use of turmeric, and the addition of black pepper to facilitate its absorption. I shot a few arrows this morning and was much more comfortable than a week ago -- not great yet, but noticeably improved.

[smokin joe]

I saw the orthopedic surgeon again yesterday.

I have been experiencing an increase in shoulder pain over the last month or so. New x-rays were taken and I had a physical exam of the shoulder. The finding is that I have developed tendinitis in the rotator cuff tendons and in the tendon of the long head of the biceps.

My shoulder implant is in perfect position and condition, and there is no indication that anything is torn or damaged, but there is a lot of painful inflammation.

The doctor explained to me that the rotator cuff tendon group gets pretty badly traumatized by the replacement surgery, and that the immobilization of shoulder during recovery is hard on the tendons as well. He said that it really takes the tendons a year to 18 months to recover, and that they are easily irritated and inflamed before they are fully recovered. The tendon recovery is the last phase of the recovery process.

So, in my increased level of activity, bow shooting and otherwise, I have managed to get the tendons surrounding my shoulder very inflamed. The treatment for that is rest, ice, a prescription anti-inflammatory gel that is applied to my shoulder twice a day, and some gentle stretching.

I will shut down my shooting regimen for a couple of weeks and follow the rest of the doctor's directions. Then, for the next year or so I will shoot a lot less than I normally would like to shoot. I need to shoot enough to stay strong, but less than it would take to start getting things inflamed again.

I want to get some venison in October and then hunt the big boys in November, if possible. To do that I will need to follow doctor's orders and get rid of this inflammation.

This goes into the "live-and-learn" file. This is how I feel: 

[Bob Morrison]

Joe sounds like you have been shooting plenty and can make a good shot. Only need one or two shots in October and one or two November. Maybe you can talk your doc into a shot in your shoiulder if you promise to be real good and not shoot too much. Good luck.

[Biathlonman]

Keep at it Joe.  Tomorrow I'm 7 weeks out from a laburm repair. At this point I have almost no strength or range of motion, but the PT says thats normal and we will get after it hard this week.  I'll see how bad that hurts in the morning.  Shoulder surgery is no joke!

[Ron LaClair]

I'm sorry to hear of your problem Joe, as they say, time is the great healer.

I have an appointment this afternoon with my doctor for my 12 week check. I pulled a bow for the first time yesterday, about 30# it didn't hurt too bad but I'm weak as a cat from not shooting for so long.

We'll see what the doc says later today. 

[smokin joe]

Ron: It sure sounds like you are right on schedule. I'll be interested to hear what your doc has to say. Be sure to learn from my foolishness and don't get tendinitis.

[smokin joe]

Bob: Of course you are right. I only need a shot or two in October and one at a Big Boy Buck in November. And I have worked so much on my first-shot accuracy that I am pretty confident. My challenge is to get enough time off from work to be in the woods at the right time.

[smokin joe]

Brad: Shoulder surgery is not for weaklings or whiners. At seven weeks out, you probably could be hunting before the end of the season.

[Longbow58]

Hope you heal well Joe. My shoulder is coming along steady trying not to over do it. Just started shooting my lighter hunting weight bow 42# at my draw and it was tough but will get better. 14 weeks post surgery still doing pt 2 times a week and went back to work 8/13/18 and that has been going well. Just went to the Shade Mountain shoot last weekend and put 70+ shots out of my 38# bow. I'm confident that I will be ready to hunt in a few weeks. My surgeon said he is very happy with my progress that I'm ahead of schedule at my 12 week post op appointment. Thanks for all your advise these past few months. John

[Longbow58]

And yes Joe I agree' these shoulder surgery's are no joke. I had grade 3 A/C separation surgery in the mid 80's and this replacement surgery is slower and tougher........although I was in my 30's then!
Good luck to all.

[smokin joe]

John: How is your recovery process going? Give us all an update.

[Longbow58]

Joe,everything seems to going well.Still have some muscle tightness,but very little soreness only when I shoot to much.
Some range of motion is good and some I'm still working on hard, like touching the middle of my back and reaching across in front of my body.
But they are coming slow but sure.
My surgeon and pt guy are extremely happy with my recovery.
I will continue therapy twice a week until 9/28/18 then we will evaluate where I'm at. I do home therapy with bands, a pulley system and weights on some off days.
Had a real good shooting session last evening with total concentration on the first shot and that went well. I go
back to see my surgeon the second week of October for a follow up.
I'm very confident I'll be hunting this coming season mostly from the ground for this year.Got lots of vacation time in October/November.  Probably with my 42# bow for now. Have a great day, John

[smokin joe]

It sounds like you are right on track, John. Be sure you don't rush things along. I think I got this bout with tendinitis because I was feeling so good I got overconfident and did too much too soon. As the doctor predicted, the tendinitis is slowly going away and I think I can hit the deer woods the first week in October -- "Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise."

[Ron LaClair]

After seeing my surgeon for my 12 week post surgery check he said everything looked good. A buddy gave me a LH 1959 Grizzly 29#@ 28". I started shooting a few arrows with it and it felt good to see arrows fly again.

I didn't feel any soreness or pain the next day so I'm going to keep working with it....but slowly and not a lot of shooting.   

[Longbow58]

Good deal Ron glad to hear your doing well. I found if I limited my shooting  I recovered well. It’s hard to pull the reigns but it is best. Slow and steady. Good luck. John

[smokin joe]

John: You are correct. I developed this tendinitis because I was doing too much. 

The doctor told me it could take up to a year and a half for the tendons to get back to normal after a shoulder replacement. So, I am going to be very careful for the next year at least.