Re-Shoulder Surgery

Bob,

I didn't believe it Friday when the doctors told me I had three blocked arteries and needed open heart surgery either. But I did. Just four weeks ago, I was trying to climb Mount Everest and was in the middle of the Khumbu Icefall when my chest tightened up and pain ran down both arms. The doctors at Everest ER diagnosed me with High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and ordered a helicopter to evacuate me down to Kathmandu. Five or six EKGs, numerous blood tests and an echocardiogram later (all normal) I still wasn't feeling well so I requested a nuclear stress last Thursday. An abnormal result caused my cardiologist to order a heart catheritization on Friday where the doctors found three blocked arteries (75%, 90% and 95%). By Monday I was on the operating table. How did this happen so fast? How did I go from training 2-5 hours per day, six days a week for eight months to be siting in a hospital room trying to decide whether or not to take another pain pill. (I'm still wrestling
with that decision as I type this). Life is fragile and just when you start to think you are indestructible, you find out very quickly that you are not. Best wishes with your recovery.

Kent Stewart
Birmingham, AL

PS. I wimped out and took the damn thing.

________________________________________

Bob,

Just had a total shoulder replacement performed by Dr. EDWARD Craig, top shoulder guy in the world. Please Google to validate.

I'm 6 weeks post op and still have a lot of pain but in spite of the need, got off the Dilaudid during week 2. Pain is actually needed to guide post op therapy and prevent over aggression in terms of activity and recovery.

Dr. Craig projects 90% recovery but suggests I terminate my life long affair with raquetteball that exacerbated my shoulder's eventual demise not unlike my left hip that was replaced just 2 years prior.

At 63 and a former Mega multi Billboard and other awards winner during my term as head of programming for Westwood One in the 80's and early 90's, and having worked with every major artist of that era, it was a challenge to stay healthy.....even stay alive with the constant exposure to and availability of every drug and vice known to man. But I took my raquette with me everywhere I went and know that's why I live to write this email today!

So my trusty joints are going down like dominoes but it's a small price to pay for my ability to continue to inhale and exhale.

Though Dr. Craig was always my first and only choice, I did check with my friends at Kerlin-Jobe in LA and when asked who would be best, without prompting, said Edward Craig right here in my adopted hometown of Minneapolis.

I enjoyed reading your piece and hope you achieve your goal of turning your 70% into 90% and that your downhill dreams become a reality. Just know that mind power beats the power of oxycodone any day of the week.

Now living just a short 5 minute drive from Paisley Park here in Chanhassen, the memory of Prince permeates the atmoshpere and should serve as a constant reminder of how seemingly simple choices can have such far reaching consequences like ripples in a quiet pond when the smallest pebble is thrown.

I'm glad you are able to continue your blogs. As an expatriot of the business, you, more so than any trades I read, help me stay connected to a business that I loved for over 4 decades.

Gary Landis

________________________________________

What an ordeal. but you did it, and you are going to get better. I'm 71, and surfed almost all my life, but now only go out when it is small with perfect conditions, not often, even though I live about 100 yards from my ocean. I write this only to tell you there is so much else to do besides surf or ski, that is very gratifying. for exercise, get a bike, or a kick board and do laps at a pool. and take a lot of walks. Your glass is half full not half empty. Don't risk skiing, and driving in the snow, look at old pictures of yourself skiing as I do surfing and perk your memory. My memories of the good times of surfing are equal to the challenges of surfing now. I'll be 72 next month and still got a lot living to do, I hope. best, alan segal, san diego

________________________________________

As I told you, I have tears in both my right and left shoulders. No further surgery has ever been recommended, although I've gotten second and third and fourth opinions galore. Here's something I stumbled onto after years of pain sleeping, etc. Get any M.D. to prescribe it. It's a topical ointment made up at a compound drug store: Ketoprofen 15%/Piroxicam 2%. You can get it at the SMC Pharmacy, 1908 Santa Monica Blvd., that's 19th St. & Santa Monica Blvd., right in our hood. I'm tellin' you, the stuff is amazing for suppressing pain. No side effects, perfectly safe. It may not be that effective right after surgery, but years down the road, I've found it's a life saver at night. Here's to successful and fast recovery!

Cheers,
Ted Myers

________________________________________

Wishing you the best recovery. Someone I know in her late 70's had rotator cup surgery this year, and recovered quicker and better than even her Dr. expected. She tore it loose lifting an electric wheelchair off her husband when he turned over in the yard. Said, "I couldn't just leave him laying out there in the sun!" Said, "It was the worst pain I ever endured, and I've had 8 children. I know pain." Also had drug interactions with pain meds so those were out.
Relief is on the way, and you should be over the worst.

Mary Rand

________________________________________

Had a level 5 three tendon year with a fully dislocated AC joint from a slip/fall on set. Paramedics took me to closest hospital where they did a few X-rays and said "just some PT and you'll be fine but you will be limited on range, mobility, and have this caved in shoulder" more or less permanent disfigurement.
Luckily I wasn't convince and went to Cleveland Clinic and got my second opinion with surgeon who operates on the Browns, Caavliers, Indians...then went ahead with surgery.
I'm 12 months out now and getting stronger by the day ready to return to our stunt team and start up playing ice hockey again.
The second opinion made a difference! Hated the 8 months in a sling but the cadaver/donor tendon they fused back onto me worked and glad I went ahead with it.

Peace Bob,

Stormin Norman

________________________________________

Feel better, I've got a torn rotator from one shot rowing crew at Yale 3 years ago.....the ortho,says a shot and some pt will help, I passed as I've got to have my two big toes fused or joint replaced, I'll know more on Monday when I meet the surgeon........so I know what pain is, had four back surgeries post my plane crash, ER, more a bad landing as I hobbled away from it after landing upside down.....wind shear......my advice, TAKE the pain pills.....they gave me my life back.........as I face 22 months of recovery as they don't do both roes at once, but in theory I'll ski again.....and kick butt..........feel better.

Robert Vale

________________________________________

I had a similar issue at UCLA with seeing the intern before the experienced doctor. Broke my wrist 2 months ago, went to the e.r. and got x-rays. The student doctor reviewed them, said I'd have to have surgery...then the main on-call doctor said, "not necessarily" and to see an (UCLA) orthopedic doctor in a few days. Same result, the little baby-faced guy came in first, reviewed the x-rays, gave me a demonstration on why my wrist need to be operated on...then the main doc (the wonderful Dr. Kodi Azari) came in and said we could wait to see how it healed for a few weeks before determining if surgery was needed...3 weeks later, he was happy with the x-rays and said no surgery necessary. I'm not sure if it's the newbies' inexperience or just the way med school training is these days (surgery/pills/get 'em in/get 'em out surgery factory philosophy) vs. wait and see approach.

Sarah Copas

________________________________________

I'm glad you're so wary of oxy's. My 28-year-old son was addicted. He's alive but his brain is messed up -- not sure if he'll ever be normal. He has an IQ over 150 but has a hard time maintaining relationships because whatever part of the brain registers empathy was damaged by drug use. The pain as his mom of his reality is sometimes unbearable.

________________________________________

Next time trust the Mayo Clinic. Wizards at pain management and almost everything else.

As they said to me "There is only one endgame to severe chronic pain management by chemical means - death. The body's nervous system is the world's finest fire alarm system. It shuts down only when you pull the plug."

Get well.

Robin Sears


--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1

If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25

To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25




-- powered by phpList, www.phplist.com --