As many of you know, I had a rotator cuff repair done last Wednesday. I was very fortunate because all of my work was able to be done arthroscopically. That doesn’t mean less recovery time, necessarily, but it does mean a less painful recovery, and I am all for that. It also means this little baby is going to be with me for the next six weeks:
I take it off briefly when I shower (very awkwardly–my wife has to help), and again for about 30 minutes four times a day when I do stretching exercises. I was encouraged by this initially, because it didn’t seem that bad. Also, because my Doctor had seen fit to hook me up with Percocet. With Percocet, I thought:
Taking this off would be no big deal. Because I’m a boss, and I only need one hand anyway.
Except I’m not a boss, and the first time I did it I whined like a b****.
Because after all, it is just three little holes in my arm.
And all I’m doing us placing my hand on a stack of pillows and stretching:
Set of 12 stretches, then 25 empty hand curls. Then another set of 12 stretches and pivot to this angle:
Second verse, same as the first. No problem, right? With Percocet I can do anything.
Today I woke up and I could hardly open my eyes. I couldn’t collect my thoughts. I was a zombie.
Who’d wanna be a drug addict? I thought. So I decided I was done with Percocet. It’s just stretching, right?
All those pics I took were sans Percocet, and every stretch hurt like a mother. Because I’d forgotten something. I thought I had to have my little white tablet friends to help me. I thought with them it would be easy. It was easier, to an extent, but it also messed up my head.
Today, I had to try something different, so I decided to make each stretch a thank you.
Thank you to God, for making it just arthroscopy.
Thank you to Dr Peare, for being good at his job.
Thanks to my in laws, for taking care of my boys so I could work on coming all the way back.
Thanks to Jen, for being a Godly and strong wife.
Each stretch, and each stab of pain meant I was alive and blessed. I had two arms, and a place to exercise them.
I have so much. 6 weeks on disability is no fun, but on the other side of it is a job, and more blessings. Wrestling time with the boys. Being able to hold my wife unencumbered.
With God, and a little patience, I can do anything.
A Work in Progress 