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Reverse right shoulder replacement with extra issues

Posted by koala78 @koala78, Aug 22, 2022

I need reverse shoulder replacement of my dominant arm - right. I have had multiple hip replacments/revisions and need right knee replacement (not doing so in pain 24/7). I had girdlestone procedure on left hip in 2018 so I have NO left hip joint or replacment permanently. I need a walker to walk any steps. Anyone out there who needed this type of shoulder replacement who could not walk? I am terrified of recovery fearing I will have to go to rehab facility for entire recovery - 6-8 wks??? Despite horrific neck/head pain currently I am contempating not having surgery and learning to live with it - any ideas/thoughts/suggestions. Thank you in advance

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Aug 27, 2022

Good morning @koala78, I'm sorry your post escaped my notice until today.
Like you I have had multiple hip surgeries, which fortunately did not come to the point of living with a permanent spacer. I would say from your posts that you have adapted wonderfully. It's not fair that you are going to have to face this new challenge, but I believe your attitude will get you through it.

I haven't had shoulder surgery - yet - just dealing with my arthritis for now with therapy, exercise & injection in hopes of avoiding more cutting as long as I can.

I'm going to call in our friend Chris (@artscaping) who had RSR while dealing with neuropathy - a different challenge to be sure, but one she managed to work through. She may have some words of wisdom for you.

But I do have a suggestion. One of my friends, with a girdlestone in one hip, and mesh hardware holding the other together, cannot use a traditional walker due to bad shoulders and hands. She uses an upright walker, operated with her forearms, to get around. I am wondering if, with some practice, you could manage one after the first few weeks while relying on just your left forearm? I am guessing that with your complicated history, you have seen a good rehab therapist? Can you contact them for a few sessions to do a test run and see if it is feasible? Do you have any help at home? That might give you an option, and might even be a long term help.

Do you have a good therapist you can call on?
Sue

REPLY
2 replies
koala78 | @koala78 | Aug 27, 2022
In reply to @sueinmn "Good morning @koala78, I'm sorry your post escaped my notice until today. Like you I have..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Good morning @koala78, I'm sorry your post escaped my notice until today.
Like you I have had multiple hip surgeries, which fortunately did not come to the point of living with a permanent spacer. I would say from your posts that you have adapted wonderfully. It's not fair that you are going to have to face this new challenge, but I believe your attitude will get you through it.

I haven't had shoulder surgery - yet - just dealing with my arthritis for now with therapy, exercise & injection in hopes of avoiding more cutting as long as I can.

I'm going to call in our friend Chris (@artscaping) who had RSR while dealing with neuropathy - a different challenge to be sure, but one she managed to work through. She may have some words of wisdom for you.

But I do have a suggestion. One of my friends, with a girdlestone in one hip, and mesh hardware holding the other together, cannot use a traditional walker due to bad shoulders and hands. She uses an upright walker, operated with her forearms, to get around. I am wondering if, with some practice, you could manage one after the first few weeks while relying on just your left forearm? I am guessing that with your complicated history, you have seen a good rehab therapist? Can you contact them for a few sessions to do a test run and see if it is feasible? Do you have any help at home? That might give you an option, and might even be a long term help.

Do you have a good therapist you can call on?
Sue

Jump to this post

Thankyou for the suggestion of the upright walker - I am working with a pain clinic where I have a pharmacist, medical social worker (I am also a social worker) and a physical therapist. We've looked online at arm supports for traditional walkers but maybe this might be one option. Did your friend have to go to rehab during recovery? That is one option but I'm terrified of it as my fear is I will have to live in long term care and at age 58 I am definitely not ready for that - I know rehab might only mean 4 wks or so in rehab but it is still scaring me. Will meet shoulder surgeon next week.

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Aug 27, 2022
In reply to @koala78 "Thankyou for the suggestion of the upright walker - I am working with a pain clinic..." + (show)
@koala78

Thankyou for the suggestion of the upright walker - I am working with a pain clinic where I have a pharmacist, medical social worker (I am also a social worker) and a physical therapist. We've looked online at arm supports for traditional walkers but maybe this might be one option. Did your friend have to go to rehab during recovery? That is one option but I'm terrified of it as my fear is I will have to live in long term care and at age 58 I am definitely not ready for that - I know rehab might only mean 4 wks or so in rehab but it is still scaring me. Will meet shoulder surgeon next week.

Jump to this post

The upright walker is a different animal. This is just one example: https://www.compoundingcenter.com/blog/upright-walker?Tag=upright%20walker

My friend spent 2 weeks in a rehab facility, then went home to help from a daughter and in-home PT. After 8 weeks, she and her husband got in their truck and drove from Nebraska to South Texas, where she continued to rehab for the next 4 months. Fortunately we have a close-knit community there, so she was able to enlist help from friends and neighbors for things her husband could not do. For sure she had a 2X a week housekeeper for over 6 months to do all the laundry, cleaning & picking up.
I was lucky to have my husband in residence, and 2 daughters (both RN's) nearby to give him a break. I was unable to go up or down stairs for almost 2 months after my last hip surgery, and the laundry, pantry & freezer are all down there - oh and my sewing room/art studio - I was an unhappy patient.
Sue
Sue

REPLY
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Aug 31, 2022
In reply to @sueinmn "Good morning @koala78, I'm sorry your post escaped my notice until today. Like you I have..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Good morning @koala78, I'm sorry your post escaped my notice until today.
Like you I have had multiple hip surgeries, which fortunately did not come to the point of living with a permanent spacer. I would say from your posts that you have adapted wonderfully. It's not fair that you are going to have to face this new challenge, but I believe your attitude will get you through it.

I haven't had shoulder surgery - yet - just dealing with my arthritis for now with therapy, exercise & injection in hopes of avoiding more cutting as long as I can.

I'm going to call in our friend Chris (@artscaping) who had RSR while dealing with neuropathy - a different challenge to be sure, but one she managed to work through. She may have some words of wisdom for you.

But I do have a suggestion. One of my friends, with a girdlestone in one hip, and mesh hardware holding the other together, cannot use a traditional walker due to bad shoulders and hands. She uses an upright walker, operated with her forearms, to get around. I am wondering if, with some practice, you could manage one after the first few weeks while relying on just your left forearm? I am guessing that with your complicated history, you have seen a good rehab therapist? Can you contact them for a few sessions to do a test run and see if it is feasible? Do you have any help at home? That might give you an option, and might even be a long term help.

Do you have a good therapist you can call on?
Sue

Jump to this post

Good afternoon @koala78. How nice to be your friend as well as @sueinmn's friend. She is a toughie and has taught all of us how to make decisions that have her best interests at heart. I understand your fear. What I don't understand is choosing pain 24/7. I lived with a damaged dominant shoulder for three years and the culprit was not my fear, it was my insurance company. At the time, the company wanted to make sure I had tried PT, Opioids, and Acupuncture before they would even consider surgery.

Then, the first two surgeries failed. According to my surgeon, this shoulder had the "Grand Canyon of holes" and was not fixable with a standard rotator cuff repair. The second surgery was a cadaver graft and when it failed, the insurance company gave in and approved the RSR. Actually, the surgery went well and the recovery PT was quite supportive. I have absolutely no pain and have been able to run my own business, participate in community volunteer efforts and continue to participate in trekking around the world.

There is another mentor on Connect whose fear of surgery was a lifetime challenge. @jenniferhunter, would you be able to share your journey to overcoming fear of spine
surgery with @koala78?

May you be safe, protected, and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

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