Down but not out

[Mattb]

So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to repair a torn labrum and trim
back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they got in, they found the
labrum was in better shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up
just trimming off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew
up either one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery
is looking like it will be about a month.

It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this and next week, but I've had
to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly I'm just laying around and
watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get hooked, but I can
see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so I'll be
emerging from lurk mode.

Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm sure looking forward to riding and skiing more.
Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on
narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).

--

Matt

"Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"

 

[Jd]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>... <snip snippage>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm sure looking forward to riding and skiing more.
> Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up
> on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).

It's good to hear everything went well, Matt. We'll keep you posted on Fruitian conditions in case
you want to sneak over for a ride.

JD

 

[Tcmedara]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to
repair
> a torn labrum and trim back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they
> got in, they found the labrum was in
better
> shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up just trimming
> off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew up either
> one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery is
> looking like
it
> will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this
and
> next week, but I've had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly
> I'm just laying around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try
> not to get hooked, but
I
> can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so
> I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm
sure
> looking forward to riding and skiing more. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old
> pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).
>
> --
>
> Matt
>
> "Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"
>
>
I'm scheduled for nearly the same operation (labrum tear, bone spur, impingement, generally all f'd
up in there) in mid-February. I'm very curious about the progress of your recovery. I'm dreading the
thought of being in too much pain to ride the bike for weeks or months after the surgery. Obviously
my mileage will vary from your own experience, but I've really got no idea what to expect after the
operatation.. The doc just tells me a lot depends on the extent of the surgery and how well I do in
PT. I'm particularly curious to hear about the process of getting back on the bike. An empirical
case of an actual mountain bike rider will at least give me a frame of reference.

Keep posting and tell us how you're progressing. Hope the pain isn't to bad and your recovery is
swift. Good luck, enjoy the time off and the legal narcotics :-}

Tom

 

[Paladin]

MattB wrote:

> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to repair a torn labrum and trim
> back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they got in, they found the
> labrum was in better shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up
> just trimming off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew
> up either one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My
> recovery is looking like it will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this and next week, but I've
> had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly I'm just laying
> around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get
> hooked, but I can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a
> little today so I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm sure looking forward to riding and skiing more.
> Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up
> on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).
>
Heal up quick, buddy. At least you chose a decently down sort of month to get fixed up.

And I know how being a slug gets old. I've been sick the last few days, sleeping

in my recliner, and the inactivity has my joints aching.

cdb/paladino

 

[P E T E F A G E]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:48:06 -0700, "MattB" <[email protected]> wrote:

. Mostly I'm just laying around and watching movies and
>getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get
hooked, but I
>can see how it would be habit forming.

Percocet works much better if you wash it down with a few beers.

Time to get ugly hardcore and ride a trainer while hopped up on Percocet and beer.

 

[Tj]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to
repair
> a torn labrum and trim back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they
> got in, they found the labrum was in
better
> shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up just trimming
> off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew up either
> one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery is
> looking like
it
> will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this
and
> next week, but I've had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly
> I'm just laying around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try
> not to get hooked, but
I
> can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so
> I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm
sure
> looking forward to riding and skiing more. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old
> pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).
>
> --
>
> Matt
>
> "Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"
>
>
You will be back throwing the fast ball in no time. Just keep thinking "happy thoughts"

TJ

 

[Sorni]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to
repair
> a torn labrum and trim back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they
> got in, they found the labrum was in
better
> shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up just trimming
> off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew up either
> one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery is
> looking like
it
> will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this
and
> next week, but I've had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly
> I'm just laying around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try
> not to get hooked, but
I
> can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so
> I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm
sure
> looking forward to riding and skiing more. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old
> pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).

Sleeping is fun, eh Matt?

As a veteran of two shoulder operations (arthro in ~'95; incised in '02), I know what the recovery
is like. Worst pain eases within that first week, and then it just gets gradually better.

Use your pulleys (for mobility); get off the narcs sooner rather than later (but still get a refill
;-) and start exercising (running or stationary bike) right away. Sounds like you'll be practically
"normal" in a month or so...good luck!

Bill "three telltale scars (and one long thin one)" S.

 

[Carla A-G]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to
repair
> a torn labrum and trim back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they
> got in, they found the labrum was in
better
> shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up just trimming
> off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew up either
> one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery is
> looking like
it
> will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this
and
> next week, but I've had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly
> I'm just laying around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try
> not to get hooked, but
I
> can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so
> I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm
sure
> looking forward to riding and skiing more. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old
> pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).

Get well soon, Matt. You'll be back on the bike in no time.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

 

[Craig Brossman]

P e t e F a g e r l i n wrote:

> On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:48:06 -0700, "MattB" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> . Mostly I'm just laying around and watching movies and
>
>>getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get
>
> hooked, but I
>
>>can see how it would be habit forming.
>
>
> Percocet works much better if you wash it down with a few beers.
>
> Time to get ugly hardcore and ride a trainer while hopped up on Percocet and beer.

I spent most of last fall eating Percs and drinking, until they finally operated on the herniated
disc in my neck. And despite that, I still slept poorly after the first 4 hours in the sack.

Heal up Matt!

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado (remove ".nospam" to reply)

 

[Monique Y. Herm]

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 at 19:48 GMT, MattB penned:
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to repair a torn labrum and trim
> back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they got in, they found the
> labrum was in better shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up
> just trimming off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew
> up either one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My
> recovery is looking like it will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this and next week, but I've
> had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly I'm just laying
> around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get
> hooked, but I can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a
> little today so I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm sure looking forward to riding and skiing more.
> Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up
> on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).
>

sorry for the late response ... hope you feel better asap! You should be happy that the meds are
working for you. I had a really nasty wisdom tooth surgery several years ago. Vicodin made me sick,
so I asked for something that would allow me to get back to work. They gave me tylenol with codeine
and suggested that I take massive doses of ibuprofin along with it, for inflammation. I quickly
figured out that codeine was doing *nothing* for me, as pain only came when the *ibuprofin* wore
off ... so I just started using mega-doses of ibuprofin. Current hypothesis is that I may be
allergic to opiates.

Get healed soon!

--
monique PLEASE don't CC me. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top. Whatever it takes, just don't
CC me! I'm already subscribed!!

 

[Mattb]

"P e t e F a g e r l i n" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 12:48:06 -0700, "MattB" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> . Mostly I'm just laying around and watching movies and
> >getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try not to get
> hooked, but I
> >can see how it would be habit forming.
>
> Percocet works much better if you wash it down with a few beers.
>

Oh yeah. Or just one martini.

> Time to get ugly hardcore and ride a trainer while hopped up on Percocet and beer.

Could happen. I might even run (gasp) once the shock isn't a problem.

Matt

 

[Slacker]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The plan was to
repair
> a torn labrum and trim back some bone that was causing me to have impingement syndrome. Once they
> got in, they found the labrum was in
better
> shape than they were expecting, but the rotator cuff was worse. They ended up just trimming
> off frayed bits of both the labrum and rotator cuff, but didn't actually have to sew up either
> one. They still trimmed back the impinging bone and cleaned up some bursitis. My recovery is
> looking like
it
> will be about a month.
>
> It's pretty sore and my activity is very limited. I'm off work for this
and
> next week, but I've had to do a little emergency support on a couple of occasions already. Mostly
> I'm just laying around and watching movies and getting all foggy on oxycodone (Percocet). I'll try
> not to get hooked, but
I
> can see how it would be habit forming. I'm just able to type with both hands a little today so
> I'll be emerging from lurk mode.
>
> Just thought I'd let anyone who might be interested know. Hopefully my new shoulder will be better
> than ever (or at least better than lately). I'm
sure
> looking forward to riding and skiing more. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it gets old
> pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).
>
> --
>
> Matt

Sounds like you'll have a good recovery, and hopefully a very quick one!

BTW, how'd you jack-up you're shoulder? Did I miss the story??
--
Slacker - just received some treatment today for my shoulder

 

[Mattb]

"Slacker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... <snip>
>
> BTW, how'd you jack-up you're shoulder? Did I miss the story??

Old ski and bike injuries acting up since I've been lugging a kid around. Rad, eh?

Matt

 

[Sorni]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Slacker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]... <snip>
> >
> > BTW, how'd you jack-up you're shoulder? Did I miss the story??
>
> Old ski and bike injuries acting up since I've been lugging a kid around. Rad, eh?

Have you removed the "surgical packing" yet? They shaved me, but not well enough to prevent a LOT of
painful hair-stickage when I pulled that thing off (no wife to help -- wah!)...

Bill "bet it took me 45 minutes to get that sucker off" S.

 

[Roger Buchanan]

MattB wrote:
>
> So on Monday I had my arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Being a slug is ok for a little while, but it
> gets old pretty quickly. Even if I'm all hopped up on narcotics (and I sure am right now, dude).

Recovering from any kind of surgery is no fun. I about wore the corners off of my copies of BIKE
while I was on the mend... Didn't have any fancy painkillers either.

Here's hoping that your recovery is a speedy and complication free event!

--
NOTE: to Reply to this, remove the phrase "NOSPAM" from my "Reply To:" address, or it will
be returned.

- Rog