u/Mundane-Show4536

Greetings. I had full shoulder replacement 13 days ago. I was told I could not schedule PT until after my first follow up visit (in a week) but was able to convince them to place the order yesterday. My first PT session is not until the 8th of September, 5 weeks and 5 days after my surgery.

I am doing pendulum swings, but it is my understanding that PT should start well before the 6 weeks mark. I don't want to wing this, but should I start looking into possibly learning PT before my appointment? It seems that my hospital does what is best for their scheduling, not my recovery. I am feeling pretty good at 13 days.

Greetings.

So I had full shoulder replacement 13 days ago and am progressing well. My friend keeps asking me when I want to go to the club (he wants to go 3 weeks and 2 days after the surgery) and I keep telling him no.

I explained to him that all the tendons/ligiments/muscles were severed and re-attached and need time to heal, but God bless him he keeps asking. I finally texted "use your brain." He texted back that he was insulted and I should be grateful that he wants to hang out with me. I texted back that yes I was grateful, but that going clubbing would be way to risky at 3 weeks....probably still risky at the 12 week mark.

He texted back "get well" but I am sure still feels insulted. I am 64 and he is 59. I do enjoy the date night with the wife but don't think it is wise for someone in my condition.

Should I just ignore the exchange, or should I make more concilliatory overtures to him?

Greetings. After 4 days of Hell (multimodal pain management did NOT work for me,..I have a story of some very uncaring health pros that is beyond the scope of this post) I started feeling a lot better. I started pendulum exercises the day after surgery and moving my arm up and down with no weight. Also squeezed the ball they gave me.

By day 9 I was feeling very little pain (stopped all opioids 2 days before) but was still in my sling 24/7 and only doing pendulum exercises. On day 10 I got more aggressive with PT exercises, spent a few hours out of my sling and did some light housework (like dishes). I used my non operative hand to raise my operated hand up to shoulder height.

I experienced enough lingering pain (a pretty good amount) that I took a Vicodin last night. Today I am doing the same PT exercises and light housework. My wife flew out of town with my son on day 6 so I am doing everything myself, like bathing and cooking every day.

I definitely am experiencing some pain, but my question is, am I doing to much, or is moderate pain a healthy part of the healing process at this point? I have no problem pushing myself at this point, as long as it is good (not bad) form recovery. All the PT videos I see have patients doing the more aggressive exercises, but they only say they are for "weeks 0 through 6." They are not specific. Are we to get more aggressive week 2, or wait a bit later?

I just bought a pair of Horsepower Top Hand Blue rough outs. I went with an 11.5ee although on occasion an 11 ee fits me. The 11.5ees were just a hair to big but if I wear a thicker sock the right boot fits well but the left is still a tiny bit too big.

I am pretty sure that 11ee's would be too small.

I've read that you can shrink down rough outs if you spray them with a 25% rubbing alcohol/75% water solution, and then wear them.

Does anyone on this forum have any experience with this procedure?

Thanks!

Wife will kill me if I buy more boots, LOL. But I have been wanting something in a crazy color Blue, purple etc.) to add to my collection.

Horsepower has some for $149. That is so cheap I am having a hard time believing they are decent quality. But my research on this forum suggests they are (some corners have been cut, but still way better than Tecovas and as good as my Rujos).

Should I sang these? The main problem is getting them in the house past my wife, LOL.

I know this topic has been discussed extensively....but I have some results that differ from common opinion.

If you research what most users/posters say, and CPAP experts online, the general consensus is that mask/tube replacement schedules are way shorter than they need to be. The explanation for this is American insurance, which pays for and thus inflates profits, drives replacement rates.

My real world results disagree. I started CPAP exactly 5 months ago. At first I got great results. But over time I got higher and higher leak and AHI rates. An adjustment of headgear helped....but the trends were irrefutable.

I have a Luna G3 set up by my sleep doctor. I use a Respironics Dreamwear under the nose (no pillows) mask set up. After about 5 weeks my leak rate/AHI were up so I replaced the nose pillow. My LR/AHI declined but after after 8 weeks they went up again. I replaced my headgear/mask completely at the 2.5 month mark and saw improvement.

After 6 weeks of the new set up leak rates started going up again. I swiped out the nose pillow, no improvement. So at the 5 month mark I replaced everything, hose, mask...and last night my LH and AHI were way down.

So it seems I need new nose pillows every month or so, the rest of the mask every 2.5 months, and a new hose every 5 months.

This rate is less than half of the time than what most (no insurance) experts recommend.

Are my findings way out of line from anyone elses? I've also been through 4 water units (the break easily) and of course replace filters regularly.

So I did a search on the sub reddit and did not find much in terms of battery advice. I own a 2019 GT2 and my battery went dead after 7 years. Stupid me, am meticulous about maintenance but forgot to think about my battery.

I must be getting senile, LOL.

So car was dead yesterday. It is in the trunk and trunk won't open, but I can jump start it via opening the hood. I was going to buy a jump box for 80 bucks and then take it to Autozone where I could pick up the Duralast Platinum Elite AGM Battery 94R / H7 Group Size DIN - Type A1 H7-AGMEL for $289 and they would install it for free.

However, ideally I want an H8, although the H7 will work. I ran across a battery service that will come to my hose and install a Die Hard H8 Platimum AGM battery for $382 (thats tax included).

So both options are about the same price. It seems that the Die Hard H8 is a better choice, yes?

Dies hards are usually ranked pretty high. However I also found that the #1 battery is Odysee. However I can't seem to find a viable connection on these.

TLDR: Should I get the Die Hard H8 AGM Platinum for $382 installed at my home?

I plan on hitting the gym as soon as I pull my catheter out, which will be 5 days after the procedure.

Should I wear a diaper to the gym?

My Doctors' nurse said I can take a bath but everything I read says not to take a bath with the catheter in. I would like to take a bath and also clean my catheter bag out while doing so.

Please advise.

My son is 18 and just came home from his first year away at college. He is/was an amazing kid: He was a star athlete (football, wrestling team captain for 2 years, state finalist). The school even had a parade for him. He was a very good (not straight A good, but B plus pre-AP good) and was away at a University on a full ride leadership scholarship. He had/has a ton of friends and every gal at his high school wanted to date him. Everyone looked up to him.

He got his first sales job this summer and set regional sales records. His first semester away he had a 3.0 average in tough finance (math heavy) courses.

However, according to my wife he has been seriously depressed for the last 3 months. We knew he was drinking quite a bit (alcoholism runs in the family, I am a sober alcoholic). According to my wife he can't sleep and can't concentrate. He may have failed his courses this semester.

He is going to therapy and on Prozac, but according to my wife he still can't sleep or concentrate. My wife is extremely nurturing and I have always been the strict father setting boundaries and expectations. I have never laid a hand on him physically (I was severely physically abused as a child and stopped the pattern) but I always set high standards for him. I was also his coach for many years (and did his Strength and Conditioning program...I have trained many elite athletes). One thing, we have never argued about anything except him doing his dishes and laundry (which he still does not do). He has always been kind and respectful.

I am thinking that I need to shift from being the father with high expectations to someone who is just loving, nurturing, and listening. I've had a ton of my own issues, but I never talked about them with my son. Should I share with him my own struggles?

I should probably just start by listening and not being judgmental with him. But beyond that I am at a loss as to what to do.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.