Update (30/04/19)

feat NazLeave a comment

Right index finger Laceration extensor repair
(post surgery 6 week, 3 days)

After physiotherapy yesterday (29/04/19) I can finally start flexing at the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint (PIP) which was where my laceration cut across. The scar has healed really well, its barely visible at the minute and the scar tissue its quite minimal which is only a good thing in terms of mobility. Sometimes I get slight tightness in the Distal Interphalangeal Joint (DIP) if its been immobile or if I haven’t massaged it in a while. Hopefully the more now I am able to use it the less tight it will be and more functionality I will get back in my finger. I’ve been told not to over do it though and keep my splint on as a precaution when I am out and about or sleeping.

Right shoulder posterior labrum repair and shoulder stabilisation
(post surgery 4 weeks)

I was told hours before my surgery the less I do from the shoulder the better and quicker the healing would be. Although I was given very basic movements for the neck, shoulder, wrist and fingers I haven’t done them as much as I should however I feel that there hasn’t been any loss of range of motion (ROM) at any of these joints apart from obviously the shoulder where I was giving passive abduction to 90 degrees (lateral) and flexion to 90 degrees (anteriorly). I was told I’d be in a sling for at least 6 weeks (2 weeks to go, woo!) and that I should try to not do any movements at the shoulder especially if I felt pain. I then attended physio where I was given some isometric movements but because it was so soon after surgery its pretty much all I can do. I have another appointment on the 08/05/19 where I will hopefully starting to introduce more movements.

There hasn’t been much pain aside from most times when I wake up (guess its because I have been sleeping funny) but there is still inflammation to my arm which should hopefully subside the more I move my arm. The scars have healed really well again, the one of my back seems to be barely visible but the one to my front is quite more prominent.

2/wk Post-surgery update

feat NazLeave a comment

So it’s been a week since my blog post, I’d like to use having no internet as an excuse but I guess I did have mobile data that I could’ve used if I really wanted to. Anyway, I have moved into my new house it is yet to feel like my ‘home’ and apart from a few early stresses/dilemmas everything seems to be going well.

I had my stitches out on Thursday 11/04/19 (a day earlier then recommended but my skin heals fairly quickly and it was all good). I was surprised how small the scar is/will be! I keep going through episodes of ‘achy’ pain – I cut out the Ibuprofen 2/3 days after surgery and have used no painkillers since. I am a bit worried about my shoulder though – I have an anxiety that the surgery hasn’t worked. When I take off my sling to shower or get changed my shoulder feels quite weak which is expected but I have also experienced a feeling that my shoulder was about to come out anteriorly which I will bring up with the Physiotherapist tomorrow (17/04/19). I hope its nothing but I guess we’ll find out. Apart from that, the swelling seems to have gone down but not completely. I’m struggling with getting comfy sleeping and also refraining from using my right arm is a challenge in its own. After the scares I refrained from doing the exercises I was given by the Physio but I am confident that I can perform those if needed.

Special mention to Greg Inglis who has officially announced his retirement from the NRL. I am a huge rugby league fan and I watch rugby league from all over the world and G.I is one of the biggest stars out there, you only have to search on Youtube his name to see 100’s of highlight reels of the freakish things he used to do on the footy field. He will go down in history as one of the best and I wish him all the best in his future. Thanks for the memories (and pre-game pump) Greg.

Moving House

feat NazLeave a comment

So today after 18 and a half years I am moving house. Its only 20 minutes away from where I currently live but I still have mixed emotions.

This is the house I grew up in, I only have vague memories of where I lived before here. Even though it is a shit hole, I met some genuine people and also some people who were quite the opposite.. It was close to the town centre, the majority of people who lived around us knew of us by our dogs – especially where we frequently walked them ”Down the backs” we call it; its a bunch of country land, farmers fields and a nature reserve. It has a canal and numerous lakes as well as the River Calder running straight through it. Recently a relief road had been developed and sent a lot of traffic down that way which ruined the landscape and also brought a lot of negative attention (people fly tipping, people damaging cars passing by) as well as having loads of housing estates planning permission. Although its gone slightly downhill it’s not the specific reason we are moving, we still enjoy the walks when we go down, even when we have to be more vigilant.

I’m excited because its a fresh start in a area we know some, but not a lot about plus it has a lot of country land close for dog walking. We’re further away from shops/takeaways which is a positive for me (in the long run) but there is more pubs locally which could replace those habits! There’s a train station a few minutes walk away for easy transport into town or Leeds. Although it couldn’t be at a more inconvenient time (having recently had my shoulder done, my finger still splinted up – I’m quite useless really! I’ll try to do my bit and hopefully be settled sooner rather than later, I feel I adapt to situations/environments quickly I my dogs too because they don’t have a clue whats going on and all they’re sensing is stress – probably making them anxious.

Here’s to the future, may it help us all grow without forgetting our past.

Post Surgery and Update

feat NazLeave a comment

So I had the stabilisation/labrum repair surgery on Tuesday, I was in theatre approximately 1 hour and was lucky enough to be given some photos of inside my joint itself (see below). I was under general anaesthetic as well as having a ‘block’ put in my nerves; this prevented me moving/feeling from the right side of my neck to my fingertips – it was very weird.. When I was getting changed to go home, the nurse who was helping me get dressed told me to hold my arm, which I just inexplicably let go of thus my arm just flopped like that scene on Harry Potter when his arm was broken.. I hope it didn’t do any damage.

Arthroscopic images taken at different time intervals as stated under individual shots.

My whole arm/hand/fingers were swollen due to the lack of movement and I was kind of worried about my finger since I have also a injury to that and it was more swollen then when I had initially injured (its still more swollen now then it was) luckily the block wore off the following morning and the swelling had gone down but still slightly inflamed on my finger. The pain for the next couple of days Id give either a 3/4 out 10. It wasn’t a sharp pain but it was a dull-ache and uncomfortable especially when you’re trying to sleep. I have refrained from taking any medication apart from Ibuprofen to help with inflammation (I have been prescribed Codeine but have chose not to take). Today I had woke up from my best sleep where I slept for at least 10 hours and woke up kind of refreshed which obviously put me in a better mood.

The days before I was struggling for inspiration to what to do with myself, being kind of disabled limited to me to what I can do and it makes even simple tasks abit more of a challenge. I keep wanting to write stuff for my blog and maybe interest readers however I struggle to know what to write about. I felt like because I didn’t immediately update after the surgery that it would be pointless. However after time reflecting I realised that I made this blog for myself to document my journey from literally scratch to hopefully full fitness/functionality which I am determined to do although I have slacked off the physio/rehab programme set just for a few days to make sure my joint itself is stronger (the movements are more of preventing stiffness in the wrist/fingers/neck than anything – very light shoulder movement).

I did though start reading ‘The Subtle art of not giving a Fuck’ by Mark Manson which I pretty much have read but will inevitably read again to absorb more information. I and probably you can relate to different situations in our life that Mark describes in the book, it does make you look at thingy a lot differently. It gave me a bit of motivation to write this post (cheers pal) and also about how I want to brand myself – do I use this alias or just grow a pair of bollocks and post under my real name? Probably need more time and confidence to think about what I want to do.. Especially when my mood right now is pretty shit, I’m bored and binge eating on more unhealthy foods which isn’t exactly helping anything – I keep saying the right stuff but don’t act in the right way. Do I really want it? I know I do but its just to easy at the moment to eat shit and minimal exercise. Maybe moving house, the new environment and not being close to shops/fast food stores will help me a little – which I am moving Monday which is just a bit more stress to throw into the mix.

I hope to start reading more over the next few weeks, I am in a sling for at least 6 weeks so I am going to be quite bored, hopefully I start writing more on here and maybe gain a few interactions. I am looking forward to the challenge and I know I can rise to it and exceed but this is definitely something that will make me – I knew this wasn’t going to be easy but I know it is going to be worth it.

Tuesday 26/03/19

feat NazLeave a comment

One week until surgery on the labrum injury (right shoulder).

So since my last blog you know that I had a laceration to my right index finger. On Friday 22/03/19 I had my half pot and bandages removed, my wound cleaned and a splint made for the foreseeable future.

As you can see it is right on the joint which is quite awkward because obviously I lose range of motion and makes things such as writing, picking up stuff very awkward (especially being right handed myself). The healing seems to becoming along well, no pain and the swelling is going down slowly. I should be getting the stitches removed on Friday 29/03/19 which is where Ill be slowly able to starting flexing at the joint.

I will be posting a new post in the coming days going into more depth of my shoulder injury (how it happened, what is actually the problem).

Tuesday 20/03/19

feat NazLeave a comment

2 Week until Surgery

So todays exactly two weeks until I go for my first arthroscopic surgery to repair my labrum in my right shoulder. This has been a problem for me physically and mentally since I was 15. This was the main reason I stopped playing Rugby and also I feel, affected my strength in the gym which made me lack motivation to push myself because I knew I would be limited by my shoulders.

I am looking forward to the surgery, not nervous about the procedure itself but the aftermath and recovery which undoubtedly will be a long process. I was intending to take measurements of my body (inc weight) and take full body photos to post here for reference along with a very basic prehab programme to do but on Friday 15/03/19 I had a deep laceration to my right index finger which needed a surgery the following day to assess the damage, repairing if necessary and cleaning the wound to prevent infection. The procedure showed that I had slightly cut into my extensor tendon therefor was stitched up and put in a cast from fingers to elbow to prevent movement. The cast will be removed on the upcoming Friday and the stitches the following week. So being right handed it has made daily tasks a challenge, preventing me from working and doing stuff I enjoy such as the play station, walking the dogs and driving. But I guess its just preparing me for the upcoming months after my first surgery on my right shoulder. I just hope I have some movement/functionality in the next fortnight when I will be moving house.