UPDATE ON MY LEFT SHOULDER

It was toward the end of July 2011 that I dislocated my left shoulder involving a trip by ambulance to Fremantle Hospital and some wonderful treatment by the doctors, nurses and x-ray staff.  The shoulder was relocated (is that the correct expression?) and I was sent home later that evening with my arm in a sling.

Unfortunately I was not told to see my GP or have physiotherapy and when I returned to the hospital a few weeks later I was surprised that the MD I saw didn't even check out my arm movements.  In fact he didn't even ask me to remove the sling.  He just suggested (then) that I visit my private physiotherapist.

Immediately after this I went to me GP who sent me for an ultrasound which revealed a quite bad tear in the supraspinatus tendon and I also had bursitis on the front of the shoulder.  I went to my wonderful physio who worked for half an hour on various parts of my arm and shoulder which gave me some relief.

My doctor sent me to have an injection in the bursa and this gave me quite a lot of relief.  My shoulder was very painful and quite badly 'frozen' so my dear MOH took over the role of mother which included not only cooking meals and other household duties but also helping me wash my hair in the shower and drying my back after said shower plus many other tasks.

I have done various exercises and also had more physio over past months and although the shoulder is still partly frozen I am relieved at the number of things I can now do, but it is the odd things that are still impossible to do that are so frustrating:

1.  I still cannot reach up far enough to be able to hang items on the clothesline and ours in not a line
     that can be lowered so MOH still hangs out the laundry and brings it in.

2.  I simply cannot get my left arm behind my back so who does up my bra and undoes it for me?  Yes,
     you guessed right....MOH.

I still find the shoulder hurts enough at times to wake me at night and when I do things that I would normally take for granted it very quickly reminds me that "Hey there!!  I'm still not right you know".

I think my one huge regret is I feel afraid when I hold our beautiful new great-granddaughter as I can't trust my left arm to hold her properly and although I've enjoyed some wonderful cuddles I have felt apprehensive and somewhat awkward whilst doing so.  At least her mum has trusted me to have those cuddles for which I am just so grateful.  I am looking forward to plenty more over coming months too.

I realise this post is all about me and must sound terribly self-centred but I sometimes need to put down in writing what is happening to me and how I am feeling about it.  I am told this frozen shoulder business can last up to 24 months so perhaps I may still have a way to go to regain full function of my left arm.  It will be so wonderful to be able to hang out the washing again and do and undo my own bra and feel more confident when handling the baby.  Simple everyday movements that I had taken for granted for so many years which hopefully will return before too long.