Shoulder Replacement

We are getting closer to His scheduled shoulder replacement surgery -- scheduled for Friday, June 17.  The needed medical sign-offs are beginning to be completed -- today we got the cardiologist to confirm that there is no evidence of a heart attack, and so we are good to go from that end of things.  Tomorrow, He has an appointment with the primary care doctor, and hopefully hopefully that one (the doctor who will be replaced as soon as we get through all of this business) will now be satisfied and just sign the necessary release. 

T has approval for time off from work, so she and I will both be able to be around for the day of the surgery and for the week following.  If all goes well, it is possible that He'll only spend one night in the hospital.  The recovery and rehab from this surgery is lengthy -- 3-4 weeks of total immobilization and then months and months of physical therapy to help Him regain as much use of the arm as possible. 

The surgeon is very clear that the reasons for doing this reverse total replacement of the shoulder joint is ALL about relieving His pain.  He is very careful to delimit the expectations we might be harboring around the actual use of the arm.  So that will take some time to get clear.  He never was into rock climbing, and He's not a golfer.  The big question for us (which we have not actually asked the surgeon), is "how long will it be before He can swing a flogger?"  Probably six months or more, but maybe someday...

However that all goes, for right now we are focused on getting prepared for the actual day of the shoulder replacement.  Wish us luck.

swan