Post Surgery update

[tezza]

Hi Tezza.

How’s your shoulder pain?

I found this:
https://redboxfitness.com/myofascial-release/
you think it could help? I don’t have a foam roller, but I’m going to try some with a tennis ball I think.

Hope your recovery is going as well as it can.

Hi Amy,
Thanks for checking in. The shoulder is slowly getting worse...my range of movement has decreased dramatically, the pain is increasing and now runs the full length of my arm. I'm not sleeping well with it, and having to take considerable pain killers just to get some rest and get through the day. Hot showers are a godsend.
I LOVE the myofascial release exercises, they are something that I often did pre-surgery, but haven't got back to them. To be honest, I don't think I could, as you need to take a lot of body weight through the shoulders and I just can't do that right now. I have been using the tennis ball though, around the shoulder, shoulder blade, neck, upper back and arm, and that gives short term relief, although it is incredibly painful to do! The trigger points are very painful. If you use the tennis ball, you can find particular spots (you'll know if you have a spot or not...it will bring tears to your eyes, lol). Press as firmly as you can against the ball on that spot, and hold for at least 30 secs, or longer, if you need...you will find that the pain will go away on that spot. I do it against a wall but you can also do it lying down, but with the body weight pressing against the ball, it can be pretty brutal! You are essentially starving the muscle of O2 and it relaxes and comes out of spasm. The tennis ball is great for those trigger points, but not as good for myofascial release, but still worth a shot. It is just a bit small to control while rolling the body part over it which is why a roller works best. You can also find masseuses who do myofascial release, so they are worth checking out as well. Mine is unfortunately off having a baby right now, very inconvenient, lol!

I am really struggling with this right now...the constant nagging gnawing pain just gets you down and messes with your head! On top of that, I feel that my sternum is not healing as it should, so I am concerned about that. I think that because I am compensating for the loss of using my left arm, and doing everything with my right, that that is impacting on the sternum. I feel that the healing there has plateaued. Had a chest x-ray yesterday and off to see the surgeon next week for my post surgery check, so hopefully he can give me some good news on that front.
I hope you are recovering better than I feel I am xx

 

[Amy]

Hi, Tezza.

Good to hear, I think, how people fare mid- to long-term with valve replacement, even if you are reporting difficulties; after about post-op week 4 or 5, most people seem to leave the forum, for whatever reason. So thank you; it’s really useful to me and probably others.

I started having weird pain the other day when I leaned over, in the sternum area - sharp in the tiny incision area that’s still open, but also deeper, in the muscles - so surface and deeper pain both, at the same time - weird; then the pain’d come suddenly when I was out walking (admittedly) briskly... now it’s anytime I’m not just being completely still. Don’t know if this is scar tissue affecting nerves, or the sternum wires causing pain, or what. Was I too quick in restarting doing things like opening windows, stirring, pushing open car doors?....

I hope we both feel better soon. I wish I had the answer. I have a cardiologist appointment tomorrow but I suspect he won’t know a thing about this..

Hey, don’t forget about corn bags (I like fishbellies but you can make your own).