I've struggled most with...PO Day 103

Dressing! Undressing! Changing clothes! Putting on pajamas! Removing articles of clothing for X-rays and cat scans in the doctor's office or hospital. Attempting to try on something in a store dressing room...impossible! Putting on a sweater if I was cold, taking off a sweater if I was hot!

Ever since I fell and broke the proximal humerus of my right arm in July 2013 I have struggled with ordinary tasks that required using my right arm. My handwriting was nearly indecipherable, even I could not always read what I had just written. I learned to drive with just my left arm/hand. Creative   cooking included select, not so heavy, pots and pans. The mixer and food processor had to substitute for hand stirring or chopping. Five gallon plastic buckets replaced laundry baskets that require two arms to carry them. There were just dozens of little chores that demanded creative solutions. I could do it!  Little changed in the six weeks post operatively when I was back in a sling 24/7.

And the insoluble problems of dressing and undressing did not change either.

My usual routine has been to jump up in morning and be dressed and downstairs in ten minutes. Doing it one handed turns dressing into a frustrating, irritating, challenging, sweating, twisting and turning, time consuming tirade. Anything less than two sizes too big is too small. If it didn't stretch I  wouldn't even think about wearing it. Around the house, clothes consisted of large men's button up shirts and pull on shorts. An invitation from Dear Husband to go out for lunch, while tempting, was not enough to warrant changing into something presentable. Wendy's does not have a strict dress code, thank goodness.

I had to start the end of the day ritual before I was too tired and cross to battle undressing. Even then, there were times I was very tempted to take a pair of scissors to a shirt whose sleeve would not release its grip on my arm or a pair of pants that were twisted and would not slide down and would  not pull up tugging with only one hand, first on the left, then the right, now in the front, then on the back to no avail. A couple particularly frustrating nights I slept in my clothes rather than try to undress.

I thought I was so clever one day when I had to have a cat scan at the hospital. I carefully and painstakingly slowly dressed in items with no metal parts, not even any plastic pieces. But when I presented for the exam, the technician told me it all had to come off and their gown had to go on. In their little changing room with the time pressure I was under, I just couldn't do it. I was mortified to have to ask for help. The tech was gracious and helpful but it was way outside of her job description.

Things did not turn around suddenly the day I no longer had to wear the sling. It's only been in the last couple weeks that I have unconsciously found myself wearing ordinary clothes. I actually tried on a shirt today to see if I liked it or wanted to donate it. A few weeks ago I would never have invested so much effort in the decision. The shirt would just have gone in the donation bag. I am still not supposed to put my op'd arm behind my back and I have to remind myself constantly. But at 99 days post op things are getting back to normal finally.

Perhaps we can go someplace other than Wendy's for lunch.


http://youtu.be/EOyQfd7OqIY










Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems, August - recovery and physical therapy, September...