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Hallo Welt!

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Once again, many years has passed since my last blog update. In the past three years, many exciting things have happened! That means I get to just put a bunch of disjointed thoughts here about what has happened. 2022 - Rehab from second shoulder surgery continued into 2022 (but we went to Arizona on a road trip that winter for family Christmas time, which was awesome—filled with piñatas, Scottsdale, food, and fun—and we visited SpaceX’s launch site in Texas and spent NYE in New Orleans on the way back) - My boyfriend went to Ukraine as a volunteer in 2022 about a week after the Russian invasion, and he still does humanitarian work there - I started a new task at my job (lots of travel, less on-hands lab work, lots of learning)—the highlights included a few trips to some boat builder, working with other engineers and scientists in the industry, and being involved in some logistically challenging testing - I ran my first 50 miler in 2022 (it was five loops of mostly trails, with about 1-
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Not My First Rodeo

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On November 19th, I got my second shoulder surgery. This time, it was on my right shoulder (the other one). When I was in the final stage of rehab for my left shoulder, I was dealing with more noise and pain on my right shoulder. I noticed it more with overhead and pushing movements, so Dr. Nagda recommended a MRI. The MRI showed that I could possibly have some labrum issues, a full-thickness tear of the supraspinatus, a hooked acromion, and a surface tear on another rotator cuff. The torn suprasinatus looked like it had retracted back to the AC joint. This was bad, so Dr. Nagda got me into surgery before Thanksgiving. Recovery Weeks 1-2 Today marks two weeks post-surgery! Surgery was great. I went to a surgical center instead of a hospital. The staff was great. Getting my IV in was a bit of a task (small hand veins), but the (anesthesiologist) doctor came out herself and did it in seconds. I remember being wheeled back to surgery, and I woke up like 3.5 hours later. Dave came to pick
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Shoulder Surgery Recovery: Weeks 6-9

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Medium Risk Protocol: I thought I would be sling free at the end of week six, but my follow-up appointment wasn’t until about week 7 post-op. I think being a bit older (as compared to my teens/twenties where I was always too eager to return to activity after injury), a week wasn’t much longer in the grand scheme of things. Week six was probably the first week I started feeling much better with mobility. I did my physical therapy exercises religiously, and I could feel that getting in and out of the sling was becoming easier. Still, Bam made sure I asked for help as needed. I was doing harder cycling workouts and using the leg press machine. My sling was getting pretty gross. Week seven was a great week. I got approval to remove my sling at the end of the week! It felt so strange. Instead of feeling “free,” I felt like I was always missing something important. That same day, I permitted to do six sling-free walking laps at physical therapy. I was allowed to start elliptical and walk/jog
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Shoulder Surgery Recovery: Wrapping Up Week 5

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Physio Update: Yesterday, I had my third physical therapy session . I’m happy with my progress so far—increasing my range of motion slowly with the pulley and table slides! Dr. Dan added some dowel exercises (I use an old shower curtain rod at home). The exercise looks like a bench press, but my non-op arm is doing all the lifting and the op-shoulder is along for the ride. At home, I like to do a set of 20 pulley pull-ups, 20 pulley punches, 10 floor dowel bench presses, 20 table slides, and 20 scapula squeezes followed by a set of 30 body weight squats and 10 lunges (front + back, each side). I try to do three full sets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with one set here and there throughout the day. Here is an image of my shoulder flexion progress from day one of physical therapy to now (14 days of progress): Exercise Update: I think the lunges, squats, and banded side steps help with blood flow and getting my heart rate up/allowing me better range of motion. I think I overdid the bik
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Shoulder Surgery Recovery: Weeks 3-5

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Week 3 was interesting. Although I felt ready in week 2 to start moving about, walking and biking, I think I pushed it a bit too hard (I had a great 7 mile walk with a few sub-13:00 miles in there/fast walk for me and some interval bike rides), and week 3-4 was exhausting. I felt like I hit a wall. Everything was hard. Staying awake for 8 hours was tiring. I napped a lot. I was teleworking, but my mind still felt clouded while reading, and writing e-mails with one hand felt incredibly frustrating. I couldn’t get in a routine. I felt like everything was bothering me—from having my house re-arranged by my boyfriend, to not having appetite, to not being able to cook my own food. I normally woke up at 5am before surgery, but I was waking up at 7am or later and still feeling tired. I had some aches that I took Tylenol for, and I iced a little. What felt like deep bone pain was still lingering. Sleeping wasn’t as easy, since I was now off the oxycodone (which knocks me out). Week 3 was blah
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Shoulder Surgery Recovery: Days 10-14

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Today is exactly two weeks post-op! I am able to telework, but I haven’t tried driving yet. I am completely off the oxycodone, but I take Tylenol and ice regularly. My weight today was back to 105.8lbs (pre-op range)! I poop regularly again (anyone who has been backed up knows the relief and joy of this simple function). I have been cleared to walk and bike, but I’m not supposed to lift or do any exercise that could put my repair at risk. My white steri-strips are now off, and I have four tiny scars. I’m so happy I can bike and walk. I usually either walk 3-7 miles at a 3.0-4.0 mph pace or walk a mile to the gym, bike for 30-45 min, and walk home. I miss lifting, but Bam threatened that he wouldn’t take care of me if I messed up my repair. I won’t lift until I’m cleared to do so!  Mentally, I’m telling all the food intake to help repair my shoulder. In my previous experience with injuries, it always helps to fuel myself for recovery. If I don’t, then I risk a longer recovery time or re
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Shoulder Surgery Recovery: Days 6-9

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Day 6: First Walk/Bike After my post-op, I walked a mile to the gym to bike for a really easy 44 mins (10 mins at level 1, 30 mins at level 5, 4 mins at level 1–all light). It was very pretty outside, so walking a mile to/fro the gym was actually very pleasant. I was happy to finally move more. Day 7: Miralax Took an oxycodone this morning, answered emails, did some light telework. Buying a 100ft Ethernet cable was a bit overkill, but I don’t have to worry about where I want to work in the condo. Bam got another desk, so we can both work from home. I iced a few times. I couldn’t get a bowel movement this morning, and I was still feeling really blocked up/bloated/painful, so I walked to the gym, biked 40 mins, walked to Target, bought some Powderlax (Up and Up brand of Miralax/polyethylene glycol), and walked home. I was hoping the return to activity would make me more regular, but, alas, no. The Powderlax did wonders at home! 💩💩💩 Day 8: Walk Took another oxycodone last night while I
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