03.24.09 Post Surgery

A week ago tomorrow since my rotor cuff surgery, on my left shoulder. Jerry accompanied me to the surgical center for my surgery. Once they called me into surgery Jerry took off. Stef would pick me up after the surgery around 45 minutes for surgery and 60 minutes in recovery. I was wheeled into the operating room around 10:20 am (they had a clock on the wall). My discussion with the anaesthesiologist prior to administering Anastasia was that I did not want to wake up after surgery feeling nausea and vomiting (I remembered that from my previous surgery) from the Anastasia. He explained to me he could give me a neck block which should help prevent the nausea and vomiting. However, he would need to keep me awake while he gave me the neck block because he would need me to give him the indication where the proper placement on the nerve was. He gave me a mild sedation in my IV and proceeded. I remember being in the operating room and him poking me with the needle and some twitching, but after that... I really don't anything until I woke up in recovery without feeling nausea, no vomiting, no pain and alert enough to talk with Dr. Stauber. Dr. Stauber told me the surgery was worse then he anticipated from the MRI. The MRI was done last year and the tear had worsened, he was glad we proceeded with the surgery even though it took twice as long as expected. Stef brought me home and stayed with me the rest of the day until Jerry returned from his doctors appointment. The first few days weren't too bad since I was constantly on pain medication every 4 hours weather I needed it or not. I was starting getting constipated, so I took my last pain pill at 1:00am on Friday. Since then have only taken Tylenol PM or Ibuprofen 800 mg, as needed. The arm sling and ice machine have been on 24/7 until Sunday. Since then I have been using the sling and ice machine, but have to take breaks from both. I removed all the bandages and dressing on Saturday, as directed. However, have blisters all around the surgical area. Contacted the doctor's office about the blisters, they say they are probably from swelling or maybe I had a reaction to the latex tape. Using aloa vera plant to help heal the blisters. Every day I am feeling a little better and am feeling the healing progress. I have my follow-up visit with Dr. Stauber on March 31st.