Breaking bones is never fun if you aren't a kid and everyone signs your cast and you are a bit of a hero for a few weeks. I think a lot of the reason why breaking a bone as a kid isn't such a big deal is because everyone accommodates you, you don't really have any real responsibilities, and you also heal a lot better than an adult is going to.
I'm not a kid and none of the childlike attributes apply to me. I have a relatively high level of responsibility, nobody is catering to me, and i'm starting to feel as though I simply can't heal properly.
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When I say that I broke my shoulder, it wasn't a complete break, I can't even imagine what they do if that happens to you. But I did end up with 3 fractures kind of similar to the picture above. My X-Ray doesn't really mean a great deal to anyone who isn't a doctor, but here it is anyway.
I never really thought about it until I broke it, but there is a lot going on in one's shoulder, it's more than just one bone.
When I first broke it my shoulder was tight but I don't know if it was the adrenaline but I just kept on carrying on with my night as if nothing had happened. I was picking stuff up including my own body and made my own way to the hospital. I didn't really even feel any pain at the time. It wasn't until the next day that I realized that this was real, and I was in a great deal of pain.
This continued for about 4 weeks and the mobility issues were really bad as well. The doctors informed me that it could be many months before I am back to 100% and while that was something I took seriously, I really take it seriously at this point because I am now 10 weeks from the date that I initially broke the shoulder, and I am still feeling some real lasting effects that I hope every day are going to fade away.
Thankfully, I can do most of the things that I need to do in my life but there are a few things that I am probably going to need to go to physical therapy soon in order to rectify. The main thing being that I cannot, with a great deal of discomfort anyway, lift my one arm fully above my head.
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I have never been super-fitness-guy in my life but for whatever reason, I had some definition in my shoulders that I was actually quite proud of. In the 6 weeks or so where my shoulder was isolated, the shoulder muscles in my left arm completely atrophied meaning that I can't even see them in the mirror anymore. I'm not lazy though and I have been going upstairs to the gym in my building and trying to do some shoulder exercises only to realize that I do not have the ability to fully extend my arm above my head, let alone with a weight in it.
This is very frustrating but I try to keep in mind that a month ago I couldn't even reach a glass or plate on a shelf with that arm and hopefully this is just normal and will return with time. I know it isn't a good idea to press the issue because that could just be aggravating the injury.
This is all fine and expected and the doctors have told me that I should still wait and not be "messing with it" for at least another month. I just don't like having 2 different shaped shoulders but I guess I am going to have to deal with that.
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One thing that is more annoying about this situation of mine is something that we all have to do. Sleep. I cannot sleep on the left side of my body without it causing pain...still. I don't know about you, but I have a favorite position when sleeping and my favorite just happens to be on my left side.
Like a lot of people, my body sometimes makes choices for me while I am asleep that I am not actively aware of and since sleeping on my left side has been my "favorite" for all of my life I sometimes wake up on that side and now it really hurts. This can continue into the rest of my day as well. I never start out in that position, but sometimes my body makes its own choices while I am asleep. The pain isn't strong enough to wake me up like a cramp would be, but I already don't care very much for morning and having the first thing I experience when I wake up is nagging pain, well, that's not very nice.
I haven't been to the hospital in a while and really would prefer to not go back just to have them tell me the same things they have been telling me the last few times I was there. Such is the majesty of language differences. The doctors know their stuff, this much I am certain of, but they cannot convey all of this information in English so I don't even bother to go. The same is true of physical therapists. These people are skilled, sure, but they don't speak English very well and therefore I don't feel very inclined to use them.
So right now I don't feel healed, even though I don't have to wear a brace and I can do most normal things as long as it doesn't involve getting heavy things down from the top shelf.
This is all kind of depressing to me because these are problems that I normally associate with people a great deal older than I am. My only hope now is that things are just going to magically sort themselves out over time. I'm afraid I don't have enough experience with being injured to really know when that time will be though. I don't like feeling useless in any capacity, and not being able to raise my left hand all the way up is pretty darn frustrating.
I've never had any of my bones broken, but can still feel your pain and frustration.
Have you thought about going abroad for a consultation? Somewhere where you can get English speaking doctors?
I think the doctors here are fine, and we have international / foreign physical therapists. I believe that will be my next port of call.
It's been over a year now and I still get the occasional pain in my shoulder or I try to lift a weight I used to be able to easily and I notice my arm is a bit weaker than it used to be. I think getting into PT will be good for you.
yeah, that is what everyone with experience keeps saying. I need to heed these words .
I had a sprain back due to my twisted rotator cuff. it took me half a year and like 6 sessions of physiotherapy before I can restore some basic movement like wipe my butt. I can't imagine breaking a bone at our age, and I certainly do not wish to find out.
Meanwhile, I'm on the road to recovery, this is my second week since I can do a full pull up again, but the majority of my arm strength is gone. I wanted to push for 2nd rep, but someone I can feel my muscles are twitching and chicken out before I can pull myself up on the 2nd rep.
my strength and muscle in my left arm and basically all of that side of my upper body is gone. I used to be able to do 30-50 pushups... the other day I tried to do 10 and it was a struggle. It slips away pretty fast.
Healing takes time.. Hopefully you'll get to the point of recovery and healing ...it's a no joke situation, hoping that you won't feel any discomfort and chronic pain this time..
when it doesn't leave I start to fear that I haven't had it treated properly and it's just going to stay that way. I reckon ill go back to the hospital and get it checked again in a couple of weeks if it hasn't improved.
@gooddream hoping it'll get improve next week
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