I have to keep stretching (every 3-4 hours) but I guess I really did need the procedure done. I was so apprehensive about having it done, but it gave me back almost 100% range of motion! I hadn't been aware of exactly how much range I had lost. I'm on pretty good pain meds though (5mg oxycodone every 4-6 hrs during the day - I can function at work with that dose, 10mg oxycodone about an hour before my daily PT session and 4mg dilaudid before going to bed).
Last week, the nerve block they gave me kept me numb for 2 days. They didn't tell me that it could cause me to have problems swallowing or taking a deep breath when I first woke up in recovery though. Couldn't clear my throat or cough either. That bit was kind of scary, but I had overcome those issues within about 3 hours of being released from the surgicenter. The actual procedure only took about 15 minutes.
There has been a concern re: my BP. it's been kind of all over the place (but my pain level has not been below a 2-3 out of 10 for the past 2 months and I'm on pain meds as needed). They are monitoring it and I have an appointment with a new family doc. They didn't listen to me when I told them my other docs insist on taking it with a large adult cuff. My PT people said it doesn't really make a difference, but I'm thinking they might be wrong on this one because they're getting readings equivalent with when I went into the ER with the original dislocation and break with no pain control.
I think I'd be a happier camper if I felt it was safe to take the prescribed anti-inflammatory (Naproxyn). The last time I took a prescription anti-inflammatory was several years ago (Voltaran) for my knees and it worked like an absolute charm. However, it truly did make my BP reading go from 120/76 to 180/98. Three days after going off them, I was back to arthritis strength Tylenol, but my BP was normal again.
The plan right now is to do daily PT at least for another week, then back down to 2-3x weekly.
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