Have you had surgery before? No…

They ask all sorts of questions. Do you have embedded metal devices; have you used controlled substances. Do you now or have you ever had a problem with alcohol? Do you have concerns about the financial aspects of this procedure? Have you had general anesthesia in the past? Have you been in a hospital in the past three months?

Do you have any questions?

No questions — I should have had one.  It was awesome that Diane was with me in the prep area and she knew a few of the questions we should ask: “how is this anesthesia  different than when he had a colonoscopy?”.  It always seemed like the colonoscopy was “completely under”, but I hadn’t understood that general anesthesia meant that the anesthesiologist is supervising your ability to breath. They use the respirator to assure you’ll keep breathing during your operation. Really? Ok, now it sounds even more serious!  Are you afraid? (how come no one asked that question?)

When it comes right down to it … it’s pretty amazing that I have lived more than fifty years and never have an operation. I feel pretty lucky.

To be sure … various people had asked me: “why are you having surgery?”

What sort of work do you do that you wear out your shoulder? Yeah, it hardly feels like I’ve been a construction worker when my main complaint has been avoiding certain yoga poses that hurt, or having to suffer after tossing a Frisbee (well, really it was from starting a chain saw or other yard work and using a shovel!!). Does it sound frivolous?

A few weeks before… I’ve had an X-ray, and the Orthopedic doctor draws a line, “we’ll remove about a centimeter of the end of your clavicle”. If the vocabulary evades you like it does me, the word is distal (it means, the end of the clavicle) — maybe that will help me to understand the computer printout for the procedure’s description (and, what shows up on the bill).  Here’s the image she provided.

Distal re-sectioning – 1cm (at the line drawn by orthopedic doctor).

While in the prep room, the nurse mentions my wedding band is still on my finger. On reconsidering, we tried to take it off; but, it wouldn’t come easily. So, they put tape over it… and, it seemed like that was fine.

The operating room was cold.  There are a couple of very large funky looking light fixtures which can be aimed in any direction — and, I bet they are brighter than most lighthouses down on the coast of Maine (but, I’ll never know — I didn’t get a chance to see them when they’re turned on). Well before I saw my surgeon come in, and in fact … even before I saw the anesthesiologist again… I was out like a light.

It was a quick procedure (well, I didn’t know that… it was zero time as far as I knew).

As I woke up… my throat was sore.

Then I realize my finger is sore — oh, hmmmm the wedding band is gone (and, there’s small scrazes and scrapes on both sides of my knuckle).

Here is another image to get some perspective about which bones make up the shoulder joints; man, I’m glad I don’t have to keep all this stuff straight for the work I do. I’m glad there are people who make a career of understanding it! Suffice to say, a lot of information is available on the internet; quite a bit of it just adds fear and misinformation to confuse the decisions that need to be made by a patient.

Without getting carried away — here’s a link – to one of many YouTube videos: <link> Seriously — don’t use that link unless watching x-ray and MRI images doesn’t make you queasy (it may be even worse for the graphic images which can be created from cadaver cutaways). I don’t want to even know the circumstances which lead to some of those images. But, see the link at the very end for a more marketing or sales tool type of video which shows an animation of fixing a distal fracture of the clavicle. It would have been a much more invasive procedure than what my doctor had performed.

Now, after having a surgery, I am pleased to admit that it came with some pleasant surprises.

Well,  it was not a surprise that I’m hungry (hadn’t eaten since 7:00PM the evening before); nor is it really that I’m awake as soon as I was after surgery. What is a surprise, is that it doesn’t hurt.

The couple of pieces of toast, and a glass of apple juice totally hit-the-spot. It was good to eat something, anything … and, happily doesn’t cause any nausea or discomfort.

It was a funny surprise how much yellow junk had been slathered on my arm, and all around the upper chest and shoulder area. Well, completely to be expected, but not something I would have thought about. And, the IV tube which had been put in my right arm wasn’t the only IV they would need during the procedure — so, a second bruising in my left arm where another IV had been added is also just “to be expected”, but I just hadn’t known what they do while you’re unconscious.

I barely remember getting home, except that I do know we made a quick visit to the pharmacy on the way.

The ice pack — was maybe a bit awkward, but made for a lot of the relief which I’d feel over the next few days.

A couple of days later … I was willing to “see what my shoulder looks like”

nice, clean bandage — pen marking on the distal clavicle

It is indeed a bandage which can hold up even in the shower. And, last a couple of weeks until my next appointment with the Orthopedic Surgeon for follow-up and replacing the bandage.

Here’s the promised link: <link> (The animation, of fixing a fracture in the end of a clavicle — this video is only offered for it’s entertainment value).

It was a great experience — primarily from having a chance to see our “American Healthcare system” working; albeit knowing it all probably cost more than any other country would have required for a similar procedure — but, knowing I got the benefit of many top quality professionals.

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Tags: clavicle, medical, shoulder, surgery, Vermont, yoga

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