Cindy4287

Jazzlady,
That all sounds pretty normal to me. I was only able to raise my arms just barely up to my shoulder level...if that far. I remember sitting at the table trying to eat and having to bend over to reach the fork because I couldn't lift it any further. And I needed help getting clothes on and off because of that too. The numbness is also normal. It is a very weird feeling. I had it in my left arm only, but it was a nerve and I am fine now...no numbness at all. So, this all sounds normal to me. Just keep your doctor informed of all your concerns. Good luck and keep in touch with us on how you are feeling.

I was not confined to bed at all. I was able to get in and out of bed with no problems. I was also able to go out of the house, but I did not drive myself. The only thing I really couldn't do was any housework or lifting and carrying anything more than 5 pounds. After 2 weeks I was fine, and I really didn't have much pain at all. The first couple days were the hardest. My drains came out after a week. Honestly, this procedure is not as bad as you might think. I was really nervous about it too, but I am so glad I did it. Now I won't say that it is a breeze for everyone who has it done, some people out there have a lot of problems afterwards. I don't know if I was one of the lucky ones or what, but I had no problems at all. I did experience so numbness and tingling down the inside of my lower arm, but that is normal from the nerves being messed with. The main thing is to be sure you are comfortable with your doctor. Look at some before and after pictures of work he has done. Ask all of the questions you might have about this procedure ahead of time and when you think you are done...ask some more. A good doctor will do everything they possible can to make you feel at ease, and answer every single possible question you might have before you go into the operating room. Just remember that it will take some time for the swelling to go down and you really won't see the scar starting to fade until atleast a year from now. As for me, I can hardly even see the scar now and it's been 2 years now. Good luck to you and relax...I'm sure you will be fine.

Sounds like you are doing great LMull....congrats on a successful surgery, and no drains, WOW, recovery should be a breeze for you.

The only other thing that I can think of when it comes to being prepared, is to have things you might need within arms reach, you won't be able to reach up with your arms to get something off a shelf or lift anything more than 5 pounds, so that can of soup that is wayyy up there on that top shelf that you might want for lunch....get it down now.
Clothes that are easy to get in and out of, and someone to help you change would be helpful. I honestly did not have any problems taking care of bathroom needs or personal hygiene stuff...might have taken me a little longer than usual, but I did it on my own, although I did need help washing my hair. This surgery really was not that bad when it came to the pain or the healing. Be prepared for swelling issues and your arms looking horrible for awhile, but trust me, after the drains come out, and the swelling goes down and the scar starts to fade, you will very happy you did this. Good luck.

I had to strip my drains (some call it milking the drains). It helps to keep the fluid flowing freely thru the tube and helps to pull out any small clots of blood that might otherwise plug up the drains. It is much easier to do if you have someone to help you. You just hold the end of the drain that is attached at your arm (usually where it bends at) with your thumb and index finger while taking your other thumb and index finger and running it down the length of the drain tube. By doing this, it's like you are pulling the bad stuff out of your arm and forcing it down the tube into the drain. If you don't get this stuff out, it will clog your drain tube and you will start to get the fluid coming out of your arm where the tube comes out, instead of going thru the tube itself. It is much easier to strip it down if you put some lotion on your fingers first (they will just slide right down the tube). Hope this helps, and good luck.