Things I have learned it is impossible (or extremely hard) to do with one arm

Me about a month after my surgery...

Me just after surgery... (that tube on my neck was a nerve block to help the pain put in with a catheter that Scotty had to remove for me and my arm could not be moved at all so I had to wear this gigantic scrub top on top of my sling for the first week)


I guess when I scheduled my surgery I thought it would be like when I had my arm in a sling before and it hurt to move, but I could still use it. Well, I was totally wrong. Not only does it still hurt to move it (although not as much) I literally could not move it at all without using my right arm to hold it up. So for humor, I thought I would compile a list of things that I have found impossible or very difficult to do after having shoulder surgery.

- button pants (I wore elastic waistband shorts or skirts for almost 4 weeks!)
- get a stray hair off of your right arm
- shower
- do your hair
- pull up your pants in general (try doing this with one arm the next time you get dressed)
- eat
- drive
- move the seat up in the car when your husband moves it back super far
- put on a seat belt
- get drive-thru food since everything is on the left side of the car
- type
- read a book on the couch
- talk on the phone and do any other activity at the same time
- shave
- lay down flat (I am still sleeping sitting up on the couch)
- clean the house
- make food (one night when Scotty got home late from work I made some mac 'n cheese and had to hold the handle of the pan in my mouth while it was on the stove to stir in the milk and cheese!)
- hold my sweet new nephew :(
- reach for things
- let my sweet puppy sit on my lap
- grocery shop

I now have a new appreciation for people who really do go through life with one arm. My hat is off to them, because these past 5 weeks have been hard and I am still in the process of healing, but I will get better eventually. My physical therapy is going well, but I still have 5 months left on that. I have spent so much time on the couch downstairs the past 5 weeks, I am surprised the couch isn't attached to me!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, visits and meals! It means a lot to know I have so many people out there that care.