Coping at Home After Surgery

Coming home from hospital with a new shoulder was like looking after a valuable piece of porcelain! I was so afraid of dislocating it. I had temporarily lost the use of a very dependable limb. It rested in a sling, while it was healing. The severe pain had gone. I felt quite frail. It was important to receive the right kind of care because I live alone. I had to have everything done for me. A portable hoist was brought to my home.


I was given exercises to do to strengthen my arm. The worst thing was not being able to dial telephone numbers. My care manager from social services helped me draw up a care plan. An army of carers visited me throughout the day to attend to my needs. It was very overwhelming to deal with so many carers at one time. I wasn’t too keen on the first 2 carers that I had to get me out of bed. They appeared to have had very little training. I wanted to change them but lacked the energy to do so. My main concern was to ensure they didn’t pull my arm too much when washing and dressing me. Not being able to feed myself was very distressing. Especially having a poor appetite at that time. Most carers fed me too fast. Every time I opened my mouth to ask them to ‘slow down’ more food was shoved in. This coupled with the fact that there are some carers that never use deodorants; it’s not surprising I often felt sick, or was sick.


The care plan didn’t include care during the night. I really needed this. I paid for someone to stay overnight for 3 weeks. I hated having to go to bed so early, 9.30.p.m. Carers don’t like working late. I used the hoist for 6 months. Then I got out of bed using my frame. I wore a handling belt round my waist for the carer to guide me to sit on my electric wheelchair. It was hard work at first, because I was weak. After managing without the hoist, I wanted go to bed later, I was very fortunate in finding 2 lovely Slovakian ladies who worked privately as carers. They were willing to come later to help me to bed. They did half the week each. As I became stronger, I needed less help. They did much to build my confidence. When I sometimes fell over, we all giggled, Yana imitated me when I said, “ Don’t help me.“ Then fell over! After 3 months, I went to bed on my own. Independence at last!

The following summer I went fishing whilst on holiday with ‘Vitalise'. I caught quite a few small fish and won a trophy. My new shoulder did me proud!



Unfortunately, my right shoulder became increasingly painful. Because the first shoulder replacement was so successful, albeit a long period of rehabilitation, I decided I would ask about having the second shoulder operated on too.

I was still having check-ups in outpatients. However, unfortunately, I wasn’t seeing my surgeon anymore. He had left the hospital and was now working in the University College Hospital London. I wasn’t very impressed with the new surgeon. He didn’t seem very sure what to do with me! (Why are these doctors so scared of people with cerebral palsy?)

Hearing of my concerns, my sister offered to search the Internet for my previous surgeon. It was surprisingly easy to find his details, including an email address. It was 2 days after Christmas. He answered her email within a few hours, which was so kind. He remembered me! He was very pleased that my operation had gone so well. He said he wasn’t sure how successful the procedure would be. He would be happy to see me again.

I thought that the operation on my right shoulder should be less of an ordeal because I was not so dependent on my right arm. It was also necessary to have this operation because the pain from my right shoulder was affecting my left arm. It did go very well, the experience was in many ways different to the first operation. I was very happy in the ward I was in. The equipment and care made my stay very pleasant. I took my electric wheelchair with me which gave me so much more independence.

My instinct in the beginning was to stretch my arm out to improve the circulation. This was different from the left arm which I felt needed support, first from a sling, and then from a cushion. Like the first stay in hospital I came home after a week. Once more, I felt I needed help at night.

Soon after I came home I asked my G.P. if I could have a physiotherapist to visit me at home to help me improve my mobility. I hated using the hoist; I blamed it for causing the pain in my lower back. Three weeks later the lovely Sarah arrived. She didn’t like hoists because they didn’t allow patients to help themselves. I practised standing with her. Three months later, I was managing without the hoist. Sarah allowed me to set my own goals. I wanted to be able to get into my sister’s car so that I could get out over Christmas. The seats were too high for my short legs. We had some practice sessions with Sarah, trying different pieces of equipment. The most helpful being the ‘banana board.’ This enabled me to slide from my wheelchair onto the car seat.

Before these operations I was in so much pain. I had been walking around my home using a frame. I had to stop because this was aggravating my shoulders. My home isn’t suitable for the N.H.S. electric wheelchairs. So I bought a Stannah chair that looked like an office chair on wheels. It could turn on a sixpence, and is very comfortable. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk around my home again; however, you never know!

Despite the level of care being variable in quality, I appreciate the times when carers respected my wishes to take some short steps to regain independence once more.

I am still recovering from the second operation. It’s not quite a year since I had it. It has been very encouraging to witness how my muscles have regained their strength despite my age, 67. There are a few things I don’t think I’ll be able to do again; but I still have some goals to try and reach. That’s what keeps me going.