The first week really flew by. Coral was able to work from home for the first two days after the surgery so I had constant help for the first 4 days. The routine did not change much during that time. We were icing the shoulder in 20 minute intervals throughout the day. My shoulder block wore off some time between 7 & 8 AM the next morning but I was already well ensconced in Vicodin-land. About 5 hours after I had taken the 2 Percosets in the hospital, I started taking the Vicodin and continued on straight through till the morning.
I was, probably, over-medicated but everyone had stressed to me to not let the pain start before I decided to take the meds and I planned on listening. To that end, I was taking one extra-strength Vicodin every 4-5 hours until the shoulder block wore off, then I started taking two. This was a 24/7 routine for the first 3-4 days. Coral was even setting the alarm for the middle of the night to give me pills.
We would put a snack, a glass of water and the Vicodin next to me before I went to bed. When the alarm went off, Coral would get up, make sure I took my meds, I ate a little something and we would ice the shoulder for 20 minutes before she went back to bed. She should be canonized for doing that, it couldn't have been fun for her.
As I noted earlier, laying down was not an option for a while. I didn't have room for a recliner so I slept in the arm chair with my feet on the ottoman for a few days. When I became tired of being in the chair I moved to the couch and slept with my feet on the ottoman while on the couch. I would cover myself with a blanket while I slept. I did that for 6 nights and I was comfortable enough sleeping that way for the week. I don't know what it was but sleeping sitting up for six nights really didn't bother me. Maybe it was the fact that I was taking 750 mg Vicodin tablets, 2 at a time?
I had a large dressing on my shoulder when I arrived home that looked like I had placed a diaper on my shoulder. I was told I could take the dressing off after 24 hours and I did. Coral helped me remove the dressing when she returned from class on Thursday night and I finally got to see the wounds. There were two incisions on the front of my shoulder and one on the back, none of which required more than 2 or 3 stitches. I placed band-aids over them and changed them daily until I had the stitches removed.
The following Tuesday, post-op day 6, I went back to see the surgeon. It was a brief visit. He took the stitches out, told me I could take my arm out of the sling once or twice a day to stretch my elbow and let my arm hang and keep my elbow from getting too stiff. After I asked, he said I could shower but returning to work was still not on my "To do..." list. Other than that, my job was to keep my immobilizer on 24/7, rest and go back to see him in three weeks.
I had been weining myself off the Vicodin a little at a time during that first week. After the first few days, the pain was manageable and started stretching out the time between doses, then I went down to one pill from two and then I was only taking them once in a while if I felt pain. I took my last pill on post-op day 6 when I woke up with some pain.
That night after I got home, I had a horrible headache. I fell asleep in the chair for a little bit while my sister left on the couch but the chair wasn't cutting it for me anymore. Once Jackie was ready to leave, I had to lay down. For the first time in a week, I laid down and went to sleep.
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