This is the contraption I came home in on Monday after the surgery. The black is the arm brace, the blue is the cooling pad, the yellow is Iodine (I presume) and the white is the dressing. For added bonus my chest, neck and arm were shaved.

I received a shot in the neck after I was blanked out fortunately the Anaesthesiologist prepared for me it by making my arm twitch to find the correct nerve. Whatever they put in my neck was great, I didn't feel a thing in the shoulder until about 8pm that night when it finally wore off.

I was in rugged pain on Monday night. I couldn't sleep. The pain was constant, agonizing and relentless. I was an angel's breath away from heading off to the emergency room for relief it was so bad. I toughed it out and finally drifted off into sleep at about 4am.

The ensuing nights have been better thankfully. It is four days after the surgery and I am taking the arm out of the brace more and more. I look like a normal person again but there are limitations to what my arm can do.

It is interesting discovering how strength is not just muscle. For instance I cannot lift my right arm above my head and grasp a pipe at about my height infront of me. My shoulder is too weak to lift the weight of my arm. It doesn't hurt. I am just not strong enough. It is an interesting reminder that muscle is but one part of strength and how much the tendons, bones, capsules, etc all combine.

I am very optimistic about the surgery. I dont have the same pain as I used to, and with some bloody mindedness my arm will be back to what it used to be before I damaged it. Considering that I did the majority of the destruction in the shoulder when I was 16 playing Aussie Rules, I suspect I will find that my shoulder will be better than it ever has been in my adult life.
More reading: Tags, Shoulder Surgery
Cam Riley: South Sea Republic. Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic.