I made it! Woohoo! It's so, so nice having my shoulder back in its proper location.
I made it! Woohoo! It's so, so nice having my shoulder back in its proper location.
Glad you're still here! Here's to a speedy recovery!
Somebody's a whole lot more Metal now. y0.
Tom Suddard wrote: I made it! Woohoo! It's so, so nice having my shoulder back in its proper location.
Excellent!!!! Glad to here it!!!
Good to hear! Now just make sure you follow the doctors directions. Probably will need some physical therapy to make sure you regain range of motion,
He's young. It will be just fine and trouble free...until he hits about 50. Then all those youthful indiscretions start to make themselves known.
Stretch. Stretching is good. Well, after the pros tell you to stretch.
time to interview Randy Probst about low impact fitness routines that keep you strong, flexible and help you on the road to recovery 
Had my first follow-up appointment today. Everything looked good! Woohoo!
If only it could be coated in adamantium...
Tom Suddard wrote:
Did you go with Standard or Metric?
In reply to Woody:
Actually, Tom asked the doc about the apparently too-long screws, and was told they needed to be long enough to bite into the hard bone on the other side, so smaller ones wouldn't have cut it. I rephrased for him: "Basically, Tom, you're metric and they used SAE hardware."
Margie
Since everything else in the medical field is metric.
They are not SAE.
So can we now assume that Tom does not have any screws loose? 
They should have sent you home with a souvenir screwdriver that has the surgeon's name on the handle.
Woody wrote: Did you go with Standard or Metric?
Considering appreciation of Brit cars in the household I'd have chosen Whitworth
Hope the surgeon used threadlock, my sister had a screw back out, in her ankle.Are you left handed or ambidextrous?
bluej wrote: In reply to Marjorie Suddard: Hope they used the correct loc-tite!
There are actually locking plates. The head of the screw is threaded, and the plate is either of a softer alloy, so the head will cut into the plate, or the holes in the plate are threaded, with the head screwing into the plate and the bone at the same time, makes for a more rigid construct. It is also stronger if you can catch the cortex(shell) of the bone on both sides. Imagine if you were putting a screw through a piece of metal tubing. Would it be more solid if it went through one side of the tube, or both sides. Think about how it would waller around if the screw only goes through one side. There are also plates that give compression along their length, as you tighten the screw, the plate pushes the pieces together because the hole is slightly eccentric and the side profile of the hole is sort of like a ramp. The screw in that picture is not going to rub on anything. Better one or two threads long than one or two short, think about it. I would be very surprised if that is not a locking plate, they truly are the cat's ass.
Bone does not like stainless steel. If you put a stainless steel screw in bone, it will tend to get loose. Bone likes titanium much better, tends to stick. They plasma coat the backs of stainless implants with titanium sometimes and it helps them stay more stable.
There, now you have another useless fact in your head.
Oh yeah, young Mr Suddard. If you smoke or dip snuff, stop until that bone heals. Tobacco has a profound adverse effect on bone healing. Also, after your surgeon says it is okay, put sunscreen on that scar every single day. Use high number sunscreen, like you would use on a red headed infant at a Key West Fourth of July barbeque. You will have a much nicer looking scar.
This place always impresses me and I can see why folks end up posting personal stuff here. There is someone knowledgable who can answer any question (and 10 smart asses to make wise cracks).
What's up, everybody? I'm doing pretty well. A few highlights:
Yesterday was my first full day without painkillers. I'm feeling good and have quit them completely now. Which I think is impressive, because they gave me 30 of those suckers....
I slept completely flat last night, and even rolled over on my left side at one point.
It doesn't really hurt any more.
I've been doing arm circles (the little vertical ones, not the elementary school P.E. ones) to regain range of motion.
My neighbor/riding buddy came by with a homemade trophy:
He makes $$$$ knives for eccentric collectors, so apparently knocking out an awesome bone trophy was just a fun side project for him. I've already proudly put it in my display case.
That is berkeleying awesome!
Hahaha that rules!
Tom did you happen to grab me a prosthetic hip joint while you were in the Hospital? I still need one.
In reply to Swank Force One:
actual or model of one? I've got a double Ortho/Onco appointment that I leave for in less than an hour.
Here's an example of what he usually makes, btw:
http://www.arizonacustomknives.com/large-carbon-fiber-hunter-by-doug-buchanan-155909.aspx
That us great news Tom. And that is an awesome trophy!!!
Tom Suddard wrote: My neighbor/riding buddy came by with a homemade trophy:
I found this humerus.
Because... well... it's a pun. Aww...Forget it.
Glad to see you came out of it OK. I'm gonna drop something in the mail for you tomorrow, it's no bonestone, but it might help take your mind off this for a while.
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