March 11 is my big day at BJH
 

I'm having a leftcervical and 1st rib resection, anteior and middle scalenectomy and brachial plexus lysis, as well as a bilateral pec minor tenotomy. I'm was somewhat apprehensive about the surgery but everything has fallen into place with the insurance and my job so I'm ready for it and hoping it will give me a better quality of life. I would like to keep you updated about my progress. My wife will be there with me every step of the way and I hope her presence makes things more tolerable. My biggest concerns are post-op pain and I'm dreading wakig up with a foley cathether.

I think we have about everything arranged. Insurance approved, bought tickets, hotel reseravtions, arranged for care of our cats while we are gone. Wondering what to do for food while we are in the hotel after my discharge since we won't have a car. Any suggestions? We are hoping to stay in the BJ Lodge.

Would it be a good idea to buy some button-down shirts? I don't own any but would think this would be helpful. Also planning on arranging for my own sleeping quarters for several weeks post-op. Any suggestions for sleeping?

Any additional advice would be greatly recommended. Hope to keep you updated.

Many have mentioned using a good recliner the first while after surgery.
getting up & out of a flat bed is difficult.

button , Velcro, tie or zipper shirts are good I think, since pullover shirts will be tricky for awhile..

[QUOTE=intrepidreamer;1048454]I'm having a leftcervical and 1st rib resection, anteior and middle scalenectomy and brachial plexus lysis, as well as a bilateral pec minor tenotomy. I'm was somewhat apprehensive about the surgery but everything has fallen into place with the insurance and my job so I'm ready for it and hoping it will give me a better quality of life. I would like to keep you updated about my progress. My wife will be there with me every step of the way and I hope her presence makes things more tolerable. My biggest concerns are post-op pain and I'm dreading wakig up with a foley cathether.

I think we have about everything arranged. Insurance approved, bought tickets, hotel reseravtions, arranged for care of our cats while we are gone. Wondering what to do for food while we are in the hotel after my discharge since we won't have a car. Any suggestions? We are hoping to stay in the BJ Lodge.[/QUOTE}

Good Luck on your surgery!
I had my TOS surgery Nov. 4th and BJH with Dr. Thompson. Still recovering from surgery and doing PT 2 times a week. Still have some pain and swelling. Was told it could take up to a year to be healed. I had the same thing done as you are having. I found that having lots of pillows help! For the first couple weeks home I spent most of my time in our recliner. Had a real hard time getting comfortable and breathing.
My husband and I stayed at the Parkway hotel behind Barnes and there was an applebees on the lower level and a panera bread company across the road that my husband went to a couple times. We also had a small refrigerator in our room that my husband got some sandwiches from a local store.

Plus, don't be alarmed when you wake up and cannot feel your arm. I had someone tell me in advance and I was aware that I was not going to be able to move it or feel it. The pain ball will be distrubting anesthetic for a few days in the area needed.

I would make sure you have shirts that button up and easy to go on. Something that stretches would be good. Plus enough room in the shoulder area for your drain you will have in and will be released with for a few days.

Hope all goes well for you!

Thanks for the advice. So does that mean when you wake up from surgery there's not much pain? Is the pain worse after you leave then hospital when you no longer have a ball and pump?

[QUOTE=kimmie66;1048536]

They will rx some pain meds for you for after discharge, but I think the first week or 2 after is usually the worst.

Be very careful to avoid fast reaching moves or rough car rides early on..

Yeah, we have 2 cats and 2 very active boys as well. Hopefully they will be able to tone it down a bit. I do hope I can return to driving fairly soon.

They keep you pretty medicated for your stay in the hospital. When I was released they had me on Oxycotin, Percocet, a muscle relaxer and ibuprofen. But I have to agree that the first few weeks were the worst. You will want to make sure you take the meds when you are due for them. My husband had everything noted with times due. He even got up during the night to make sure my meds were given to me. As far as driving, they told me when I felt well enough and wasn't taking a lot of pain meds then I could drive. I limit my driving still just because mine was in my right arm and I am right handed. I still have quite a bit of pain in my chest and underarm area and I am still on Percocet, muscle relaxer and ibuprofen. Which I am due to see Dr. Thompson for my 3 month follow up and hoping to be able to go back to work.

Everything written is correct. I had on a button down shirt due to the incision around my neck area, and the second incision for the first rib removal. I didn't have a cathether, but I had the drain plug. Yes, yes, yes, the pain is horrible the first two weeks or so. Unfortunately I don't have a recliner, so I had to sleep on a sofa/BED. It was very uncomfortable sleeping in a regular bed. I had the pain pump, but I told them to remove it. It was making me sick. I'm able to deal with pain, so I ask for Tylenol. So this is what I'm taking now with muscle relaxer. I haven't driven for two months. It's hard to drive while on this muscle relaxer, and it's hard to turn because of the removal of my scalene. FYI, when I do go out, I use a sling. I haven't done my PT yet, my doctor is having me to swing my arms back and forth for 30 minutes every day. PT comes next. I will see him for my second 3 months follow-up in March.

I hope this helps.

How is it with the arm swinging? I had my surgery nine years ago (and it was unsuccessful). Just imagining swinging my arms makes me queasy. Do you find it helpful? I would not be able to tolerate that sort of repetitive arm movement under the best of circumstances and definitely not following surgery.

Good luck to you.

I had the same experience as the other posters in terms of pain control while in the hospital. Between the pain ball and the morphine pump, my pain was well-controlled. (And I agree that the pain ball does cause a strange numb feeling, but it goes away. I only have some slight numbness around my incision site now.) I also did fine with the pain meds I was discharged on (same ones referenced above), but after about 3 weeks, I started getting to the point where I wanted to move forward with my recovery a little more, and the meds were so sedating. So I started pushing myself to not take them as much. I don't know if that was smart or not, but I ended up doing OK. Those first few weeks, I took them pretty much as prescribed because I was trying to stay on top of the pain.

I started PT right away after surgery (range of motion and stretching only - no strength training of any kind). I think that helped a lot. My early sessions were mainly just massage and very slow movements. I started driving again after about 4 weeks and went back to work part-time at 4 1/2 weeks. I probably could have used about another week, but overall I don't think I compromised my recovery. I was in PT for about 9 months.

Hi Kelly, thanks for asking. The arm wavering back and forth was difficult in the beginnin
g, but I've been able to deal with it. My doctor told me the waving of both arms helps my brain to send signals back to the nerves where they remove my scalene and first rib. He stated it's like I'm retraining my nerves, and it's opening my chest wall. I have to say it's helping with the pain, and swelling. I still don't have any strength, but he stated that will come when I go to PT. This was my third surgery for TOS, so I don't get too excited. I take it one day at a time. :0) My other two TOS surgeries on my right side was unsuccessful, so he's hoping this surgery on left side and the swinging of the arms, will send signals to my right side. U should give it a try, it might give u some relief. I still have some swelling, pain, and as I stated above, no strength in both arms. But my surgery was in Dec, so I'm blessed I've made it this for. By the way, I still have numbness around the incision in the neck area.
But the swinging of the arms has helped some, but I still have many months to go.

I hope this helps, and I will keep u all updated. By the way, I'm off work, so I'm not going to get excited until I can work without pain, numbness, swelling, and all my strength is back.

GOD BLESS

I'm glad it's helping you. I'm happy on the days I can walk 20 mins. I usually walk with my hands in my pockets. When they hang at my sides, my pain really spikes.

Take care,
Kelly

Man you guys are making me nervous for sure. Only a little over a month to go. I am hoping since I haven't lost much strength and don't have any muscle wasting or nerve damage that my prognosis for the surgery is good.

I was really nervous before my surgery, too. It was a tough time. And the first few weeks of recovery were difficult just because I was weak and trying to balance pain management with getting back to my regular life. But ultimately, things turned out really well for me. You picked a great doctor and have a lot of things on your side just like I did. It's not an easy process, but you are making the best decisions you can. I hope the next month goes fast for you!