Hi everyone,

I just thought I’d write an update. I still have my drain in, and homecare called and said they will come out tomorrow to see me. The drainage is definately slowing so I think it will be less than 24 cc in 24 hrs as of today. The dressing is still on there and quite a thick one so I can’t really see the incision or anything, though I do think there is some bruising under it that i am seeing.

I’m doing alright pain wise. I’d say on the pain scale, just sitting here doing nothing that I am at about a 3/10 . When I try to move a certain way (like getting out of bed), it zings me and I get kind of like an electric zap, and the pain shoots up. I think the tube is irritating a nerve or something. So I am still needing help just to get out of bed, otherwise I am doing alright. 🙂

I’m taking tylenol # 3 x 1 tab about every 5 hrs or so, depending on how much I am moving around.  I will be glad to get the drain out, as it is what is bothering me the most at this point. I am doing my exercises several times a day. Physio gave me several to do until the drain comes out, and once it’s out, I have to do new ones as well. All are geared to keep the area stretched and mobile so I don’t get a frozen shoulder, and that it facilitates drainage…

the exercises I do several times a day now are

1. shrug both of my shoulders up, then relax  – do 10x

2. roll both of my shoulders around in circles – do 10x

3 Neck exercises – turn my head from side to side  – do 10x

4. Bend my head to the side bringing my ear to my shoulder – repeat with the other side  – I am not doing these because of the problem I have with my C 6-7 and this might aggravate it, so I spoke with physio and she agreed this one is not a good idea for me to do.

Hand and wrist extensions

5. Make a fist and then stretch out my fingers straight  – do 10 x

6. Make circles with my wrist – ( I make a fist, and move my fist around in small circles to make wrist circles) – do 10x

Elbow and shoulder Exercises

7. Bend and straighten my elbow – so I sit in a chair and have my hand straight down at my side and then I pull up my arm and bend it until my fist is on my shoulder.. like I was lifting weights, but no weights… just moving my arm back down and up again. d0 10 x

8. Bend at the waist so I’m facing the floor, with my arm on my operated side hanging parallel to my legs and swing arms in a circle.  If you were bent at the waist, and your arms hanging down almost touching the floor, swing arms in a small circle, like you were stirring a vat of soup. 🙂  do 10x

so this is the routine I do several x a day. They have ordered it every 4 hrs while awake on the sheet of paper, but physio said 3x a day.. so I do it at least 3x  and more if I think of it. Once the drain is out, I will add some more and I’ll post what I’m doing once I start those.

Thanks everyone for the emails, blog posts, phone calls and for the cards, and gifts and visits. 🙂

…Pam…