getting back to turning

Two years before knee replacement, the doctor said I was too young and too fat for knee replacement, that with the weight, I would wear it out and need it replaced again, when I was 70 or 80, when the body would recover slower, more chance of rejection, infection etc. I lost 30 lbs and had it done. Over the next year, I put the 30 lbs back on. I would say I am 90% of normal (1000% of pre operation) and have been working on losing it again, 12 lbs of the 30 I regained. It is tough to be a fat boy anyway let alone to keep the weight off after major surgery that has you limited as to what you can do physically. My PT really pushed me (Made me cry), but slowed me down when I overdid it. Hang in there and do as good as you can, but listen to your Dr. and PT.

I had my follow-up visit Thursday and all is OK. Put me on some new exercises. First time stretching hurts. After that not bad but very tiring.
My early on ideas about getting back to the lathe I now know were complete foolishness. I would injure the shoulder trying that. I really want to heal properly even if it takes time. Doc say a minimum of six weeks.
I think my son taught me the lesson of patience with this kind of surgery the best. He is a doctor, but, as most sons are, an idiot at times. He had similar surgery and almost immediately went back to martial arts training and doing other things, like lifting patients. He tore up the nice work his orthopedic surgeons did. Had it repaired again. Still ignored his docs, tore it worse again. Finally learned with third surgery. Plus his employer took him off regular duty and sat him at a desk until he was healed properly.
I'm not screwing around, as many here advised. And for which I am grateful.
I truly do miss working in the shop, feeling a touch of depression from lack of both mental and physical activity. I have writing that needs to be done but can't seem to focus on that. Missing hunting season but I knew that was going to happen.
All my self-absorbed whining aside, I am really happy and grateful this type of surgery is possible.

Hang in there buddy its gona get better

Yep this ain't no fun, for sure. Doc told me no weight lifting at all for 4 months this time. Where he attached the muscle to the bone is a weak spot now. Need all that to grow together. 2 weeks from today is hunting season, I am going. Already have people set up to do the grunt work

Steve Southwood said:

Yep this ain't no fun, for sure. Doc told me no weight lifting at all for 4 months this time. Where he attached the muscle to the bone is a weak spot now. Need all that to grow together. 2 weeks from today is hunting season, I am going. Already have people set up to do the grunt work

Click to expand...

Yep, I had a borrowed hunk of muscle and joining tendon attached to the shoulder with an anchor too. Amazing what they can do.
I had four anchors. Two some kind of plastic and two metal. Dunno why.

From what I was told the plastic dissolves into your system. It is a temporary fix to hold muscle in place. The metal, well it stays. Not supposed to be enough to get you stripped searched at the airport. Should have seen his face when I ask about it. Some doc's just don't have a sense of humor.

Steve Southwood said:

Not supposed to be enough to get you stripped searched at the airport.

Click to expand...

I had a Nuclear stress test last year, I drive a bus between Seattle and Vancouver BC, and for 3 weeks after the stress test, I was setting off the radiation detectors going thru the border crossing. I had to get a letter from my doctor stating that I had the test.

Ain't modern medicine great?

Frank Fusco said:

Is lifting a coffee cup good exercise?

Click to expand...

I can't speak for your cups, but a few years back when I strained both of my shoulders lifting and pushing a little sports car out of the driveway back into the garage, my coffee cups all weighed about 40 lbs.... I had to use both hands for about a month.

Steve Southwood said:

From what I was told the plastic dissolves into your system. It is a temporary fix to hold muscle in place. The metal, well it stays. Not supposed to be enough to get you stripped searched at the airport. Should have seen his face when I ask about it. Some doc's just don't have a sense of humor.

Click to expand...

My wife's doctor told her she could get a note from the doctor for the TSA people so they would let her fly...not being a fan of the TSA, I'm not sure how well that would work...