Last Thursday, I have undergone an "ORIF" surgery to reduce the displaced fracture of my left clavicle. The surgery went very well and took about 1.5 hours to complete. For the first time I was brought into the operating room and positioned on the table while being totally conscious. Shortly after that, the nurse anesthetist placed a mask over my face and asked me to take a a few deep oxygen breaths. Obviously, it was not oxygen. So, I started counting my breaths to remember how long would it take me to go to sleep. Well, my "scientific" research reviled, it took five breaths for me to be out cold. And no, the OR tables are not very comfortable.
I woke up in less than an hour after the surgery in the PACU with a manageable pain level despite electing not to get a nerve block for pain management - it was a good decision. This has also allowed me to better assess my recovery process. So for now, I am restricted to gentle shoulder "pendulum" exercises and elbow/wrist flexion and extension motions. If all continues to heal well past November 9th, I will begin formal rehabilitation.
The "bionic" shoulder which brought my body back into symetry. This made me also realize that the total number of the hardware pieces in my body equals the number of Ironman races in my racing portfolio.
Dressing change time. The surgical site is healing well three days post surgery
This is my rehab for the next week - the "pendulum" circles feel really good.
I woke up in less than an hour after the surgery in the PACU with a manageable pain level despite electing not to get a nerve block for pain management - it was a good decision. This has also allowed me to better assess my recovery process. So for now, I am restricted to gentle shoulder "pendulum" exercises and elbow/wrist flexion and extension motions. If all continues to heal well past November 9th, I will begin formal rehabilitation.
