Sunday, February 2, 2014

Some Words on my Surgery and on RD awareness day.

I do apologize for my long silence....Those of you who'd been following the blog here would have realized that it was due to my shoulder replacement surgery almost two weeks ago, that has kept me away from the keyboard.

Pain was quite extreme from this surgery....just as I'd anticipated due to the warnings other people gave me. This did not come as a surprise.  This coming Thursday I am getting my staples taken out and my first look at the UN-bandaged incision....He put a water resistant bandage on with instructions to keep it on and to go ahead and shower.I'm glad not to have to deal with cleaning the wound and re-bandaging it or putting cellophane on my arm to shower.I still need help showering as well as dressing and undressing.  My daughter has stepped up to the plate and has been wonderful about helping me....The times when  Iwoke her up numerous times in one night, crying in pain...she was frustrated at her limitations or her inability to make  it better.  But she really DID make it better.Sometimes all you need is for someone to hold your hand and  cry with you. Thank you, Sweetheart for your help and please forgive me for ever doubting that you would  do all that you could to help me in my distress.

A friend of mine had an elbow  replaced and now it is infected and they've had to scoop out all the infected  cement and bone and she  is now looking at a very real possibility that she will lose the use of that arm.This is the scenario that has haunted my surgeon.....I hope I never face this  but it can happen at any time....even years down the road.

This is a family of diseases from hell. RA,  PsA.  Sj. and for me: glaucoma.And the fact that people just do not have any kind of understanding at all about how  horrific this pain and suffering  is...just makes it all that worse.
Today is RD Awareness Day for Rheumatoid Diseases. Please Google it. Please look up  the RAWARRIOR.com for a wealth of information put out by one very brave lady..Kelly Young. It is largely because of her efforts that there is now an RD Foundation which seeks to benefit those who suffer....and to inform those who do not have a clue.

2 comments:

Annette said...

Hope it looks good when you see it. My friend had an elbow infection. She lived with it for ages until we all said "Go to the doctor".
She had to have the replacement replaced but made a good recovery. The antibiotics for so long gave her stomach trouble which passed.

She got over that then needed a spine fusion. Too bad she did not get better treatment through her rheumatoid Disease but she got diagnosed long ago.

Cynthia Lott Vogel said...

hi Annette,
I'm glad your friend did not lose the use of her arm. I am allergic to almost every family of antibiotcs....for this reason,my doctors worry that an infection will be the death of me.
Thanks for visiting my blog and for commenting. I hope your friend is okay now.