If you're going to be a bear be a grizzly. I had the whole damn thing done, joint replaced and from what the Dr said he "throws in the rotator cuff and tendon trimming for free" Every surgery is different I'm sure but my surgery experience was really really good. Surgeon came in late the afternoon of the surgery and asked if I wanted to go home that night? It was February and the hospital was full of flu patients and the nurse said he was wanting to keep me from that. I had the morphine pump and was so groggy I could barely answer him I was so out of it. I couldn't understand why I was so relaxed because I had not used the pump once, but while I was sleeping my wife was steady hitting me w/ the morphine because nurse said if you wait until the pain starts its too late to do any good.
I went home next morning and never got my pain pill prescription filled, just alternated Aleve and Extra Strength Tylenol. The recliner is a must, I used it for at least a couple months because every time I tried to lay flat I started hurting.
As good as my surgeon and surgery were, the therapist sucked. It wasn't painful but I wasn't progressing. I didn't like the guy at all. I didn't want to miss work so I scheduled 7:00 a.m. sessions, I was half done w/ my routine most mornings before he even showed up. I'd get there and start what I was supposed to do at 7:00. He'd show up about 7:20 and say some smart remark about me going to get him in trouble starting w/out him, told him he needed to get there on time then to avoid that scenario. He'd go stand in the middle of the room typing into his computer and flirting w/ the female therapists instead of working w/ me. Insurance paid for 20 sessions of therapy, after seeing him for 14 I quit and went elsewhere. They evaluated me and said I was about where I should be after 7 visits instead of the 14 I had done so in other words half where I should be. I couldn't raise my arm from my side more than about 6 inches, so new therapists told me he would take me on and do whatever it took to fix it even if he had to do some free sessions. I had used him before for a knee issue and liked him but didn't use from the start because the big box sports clinic that did my surgery had their own therapy center.
New guy worked the hell out of me and would measure progress before and after each session and it was amazing how much and quickly I progressed under him. I couldn't raise my arm from my side more than about 6 inches to start but in the pool I could raise it as high as I wanted when in deep water. I went to the pool twice a day in addition to my therapy sessions to work it which did a lot of good for me. They told me I would be in pretty good shape after about 3 months, that was total BS! It was about 9 months for me when I finally got most strength back but I really think it was because of the terrible therapist I started with. That was about 10 years ago and no problems at all now. But, now sad to say my other shoulder is about where my new one was about a year or two before having surgery so will probably have to get it done eventually. Sorry so long but wanted to give you the total scenario, hope yours goes as good as mine did.
This is my post op xray, going through airport security is challenging sometimes:
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seriously, it does get better but you might as well get comfortable in your recliner and just hang on for a few weeks. Don’t skip the PT but don’t over do it either. Send me a PM if you want to talk sometime. I’ll be glad to share anything that I have run into and the things that I have learned along the way that might be helpful to you. You will be so proud when you can put your socks and shoes on again and can only imagine the day that you can once again tie the laces.
