Stuff From Ray's Head

Praise God for healing grace!

Just about 5 weeks ago (on Jan 12), I had surgery on my shoulder for a bone spur, arthritis, and a torn rotator cuff. The surgery went well and my recovery has been amazing!

• I have not had any pain medication since I left the hospital. There has been a small amount of pain but it has been less than what I experienced prior to surgery.
• I went back to the surgeon after 4 weeks and he said that I was far advanced beyond what most experience. The range of motion now is almost back to “normal” (for a 66 yr old man). I carried a 5 gallon can of gas with that arm  (almost 45 lbs) a few days ago and felt no pain.
• Yesterday was my first day in therapy. It went well and I had to tell the tech to give me a heavier weight every time. Today, I went back and my range of motion has increased 10 degrees since last week!

Thank God that He still heals, sometimes with doctors and at other times without them. Either way, all healing comes from God!

Update Jan 16, 2011

I consider it “prayers answered.” It has now been four days since surgery. Still no pain medicine and no more pain than what I experienced prior to surgery! And, I was able to remove the bandages this morning and take a full shower!

I have good use of my right arm (the surgery was on the right shoulder). I can use it to type, eat & do most light-duty stuff as long as it does not require me to move my hand above my eyes or turn my arm to the side or back. I also have to be careful about the weight that I attempt to carry or the strength that I try to express with my hand. My doctor said that I can just allow my body to tell me when I am going too far – and it does. And since I am not taking pain meds, I can TRUST my body to tell me the truth about pain.

For all of this, I am thankful. Thankful to all my friends who prayed (& continue to do so), to my doctor who clearly did an excellent job with the surgery – but most of all to my Father, God who ENABLED it all!

I do not expect to write any further updates on this. Unless I tell you otherwise, I am healed – and I am well on my way to recovery!

UPDATED Jan 13, 2011, 2:40PM:

Well, I’m back! I am at home typing with one finger of my LEFT hand.

My right shoulder was cleaned – lot of arthritis – but I had a small tear in the “cushion” between the bones. They repaired it but the recovery will likely take longer than expected.

I certainly appreciate all the prayers. I have no pain & it has been over a day since the last pain med!

It would be hard for anyone who has been touch typing for the past 50 years (I have) to go back to finger-picking characters on the keyboard. It is extra difficult since I have a FRENCH keyboard – for real.

A couple years ago, when my laptop keyboard was worn out, I ordered a replacement from Dell’s “bargains” & when it arrived, it had French characters and accents. “No problem” I said to myself, “I touch type and don’t look at them anyway.” Except NOW I have to!

Prayer Request: 7am, tomorrow (1-12-11)

I will undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery to remove a bone spur & possible rotator cuff tear. It is done outpatient but it could possibly take as much as 6 weeks to recover.

I probably won’t be able to use the keyboard for a while. So don’t give up on this or any of my other sites. I will be back!