The wife has taken me off the weed.

[gphenry]

Just for now as I am having rotator cuff surgery in two weeks. She is installing pre surgery rules, no tobacco, alcohol, I guess I have to eat better. I will still walk around with a pipe in hand, but I will leave my lighter and pouch at home. She loves me, best to be a good patient for her.

 

[tobyducote]

Yes..be a good patient....she may give you a sponge bath if your a good boy

 

[brass]

You may need to re-negotiate. Rotator cuss surgery can be lengthy and your pipe may be able to provide needed solace.
Why don't you volunteer to give up broccoli instead?
Good luck with the surgery.

 

[gphenry]

Well, broccoli is the king of the vegetables. Thanks guys. It will be a long recovery, but a recovery compared to not having it fixed.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Good luck with the surgery. When I broke my hip a ten years ago, I gave up cigarettes cold turkey for the duration. Which wasn't easy, but by not being able to walk, it made it a tad easier. The nature of the break was a total shearing off of the ball joint (they called it the Bo Jackson break), so they wanted to make sure the repair took without the cells of the bone dying, causing further problems. The surgery took and bone density is where it's supposed to be. I guess with no control group of people that continued smoking, it's impossible to know whether giving up cigarettes for three months helped or not, but continuing to smoke wasn't worth the risk. Many claim that smoking a pipe isn't addictive, so maybe laying off the pipe for a while is easier than cigarettes. It's probably not pleasant, nonetheless.
Good luck with the surgery. I pray for a speedy recovery.

 

[johnnyreb]

Always a good idea to moderate those things that thin the blood or raise blood pressure before having surgery. Good luck with the surgery & your recovery.

 

[gphenry]

Michael, that is much more I am sure than what I am experiencing. And yes, pipe smoking for me is a hobby, not a habit, so my road is easier. I am definitely reducing my risks though, better safe and ready for smart therapy to recover fully in my eyes too.

 

[johnnyreb]

OP,
There were a couple of members who had shoulder surgery last fall/early winter. Trail Boss is no longer a member but had rotator cuff surgery & Puffy had shoulder replacement surgery. You can probably Google the threads posted by each, if interested about their experiences:
https://cse.google.com/cse/publicurl?cx=015928064115512826419:w6p75_tdjd0

 

[gphenry]

Thanks Johnny.

 

[dochudson]

Do the recommended PT religiously.

 

[mso489]

You'll need every bit of circulatory activity right down to the capillaries. Even if moderate pipe smoking constricted this just a little, it's good to have a full court press to get your rotary cuff fully healed quickly. Wives sometimes like to monitor their hubbies, but in this situation, I think it's all to your self interest. When things are well on the road to recovery, then a bowl of tobacco now and then, for solace, might be a good idea. Let your wife know this is a future hope, so she doesn't feel like you are spurning her good and careful care. Then go back to your pipes in moderation when the time is right and your physical therapist sees clear improvement.

 

[gregprince]

Yes, do what you can to maximize your success in recovery. It will be well worth it.

 

[bernie2]

One of my employees had rotator cuff surgery last year. As part of his rehab they installed a special chair in his house. The device looked a bit like a medieval torture device. He basically strapped himself into the chair and it would automatically take him through arm movements that would gradually increase over time. Although the device was painful it really seemed to help regain his full movement in just a few months.
Good luck with your surgery! I hope it goes well.

 

[tarak]

mso489 nailed it. The most important factor in your healing will be ensuring you have adequate circulatory function- circulation, at the capillary level, is how our body heals. It delivers white and red blood cells, inflammatory factors, etc. Its also how various (needed) drugs are delivered to the local tissues.
Nicotine has a vasocontrictive effect which decreases local circulation- its why you see clubbing of the fingers in long term cigarette smokers....the microcirculation is destroyed. Same reason diabetics loose limbs- loss of microcirculation.
Abstaining from alchohol before and after surgery is smart due to bleeding concerns. Nicotine is all about healing- especially post surgery.
Quitting smoking for a bit before surgery is also wise as any smoke- including second hand - has a tough effect on the lungs. Don't want that while you are anesthetised and waking up.
ALSO- drink as much fluid before surgery as you're able. If they tell you nothing by mouth after 6am- get up at 5 and drink a liter. Shoulder surgery is often performed sitting in an upright position (even though you're asleep). Causes a major dip in blood pressure that attributes to nausea post-op. Drink what you can when you can. A lot of folks that are supposed to be NPO after 6am will just go to bed at 10am and drink nothing. That leaves you way too dry!
AND MOST IMPORTANT- if they offer you an interscalene nerve block...DO IT! It sounds a little freaky (they stick a big needle in your neck) but the difference in pain is NIGHT AND DAY beftween folks that do and don't get them.
Enough of my tirade- I worked as a nurse in peri-anesthesia for a few years. Recovered a lot of shoulders.

 

[av8scuba]

@gphenry - best of luck on the surgery. While not our favorite thing leading up to surgery (no smoking/alcohol), I believe it is best for you. I had some major dental work done (emergency style) so I couldn't lay off the pipe before-hand. But I had to lay off of it for several weeks after until it healed. It seemed like a long time to me, but I think it was for the best.
Best of luck. ::

 

[tuold]

tarak wrote:

...Enough of my tirade- I worked as a nurse in peri-anesthesia for a few years. Recovered a lot of shoulders.

Interesting. I'm a pharmacy technician, so I'm not qualified to give clinical advice. But I do work for our hospital's anesthesiology department in supplying them with medications for procedures like this. Some of our shoulder surgery patients go home with a ropivacaine filled pump that continuously feeds the anesthetic into the surgical site over three days. It sort of looks like a large softball that is worn in a sling.
Other patients get a long acting liposomal ropivacaine injected into the site during surgery. I couldn't say which is more effective, or why some cases get one or the other or none, but anesthesia is definitely something I'd talk to my doctor about beforehand.
Good luck and God bless!

 

[freakiefrog]

Use this time or stock up on your favorite blends and make set a goal pipe. That way when you're done with your PT its your reward. My wife wanted a motivation to lose her baby weight after our second kid. So I found a paid of $600.00 boots and a $500.00 outfit she had been wanting. Bought them and bought them in the size she wanted to be in. She made it and its a win win for me. Cause it looks amazing on her, and it get to see it on my bedroom floor. :D

 

[gphenry]

Thank you all for your comments and support. I think this a good subject for us all to keep in mind if the time comes that you are in need for surgery. My time now is spent doing as much as I can at work so that will not be a concern, trying to stay as comfortable as I can (not easy, the shoulder is attached to a lot of stuff) and getting ready to rehab and get better. I will be studying to get my Ham radio license while I am down to join my son in the air waves. And of course keeping track of things here. This site is blocked in my office, so being home will give more time to poke around. I will catch up with the radio show too.

 

[brudnod]

The anesthesiologist is more concerned with the smoking than the surgeon. And for good reason; the less you smoke anything the better your surgical risk. Suck it up and keep clean for the next few weeks. What have you to loose other than your life?!?