Mom the Tomato
I can’t get over how quickly things can change. One day you’re driving all over the country….footloose and fancy free…..helping people make over rooms in their house. The next day you’re an invalid with two useless arms.
I told you about the bursitis in my right shoulder? Well it began to flare up in my left shoulder on Tuesday evening and I knew I was in for a rough week. Both shoulders out. Wincing with every little movement of my arms. I am completely useless.
The good news is that my goal for this week was to read through the novel Hope wrote for her writing class. I can sit still and read…no problem there.
The bad news is that I feel pretty much like Larry the Cucumber with no arms to speak of.
Wait, I can’t pass as tall and thin. Make that Bob the Tomato.
Clearly I’ve had too much free time on my hands.
Having no arms has unexpected challenges. Like drinking. And getting in and out of a chair. And let’s not discuss how I pull my panties back up after a trip to the potty (I thought if I said potty it would make this whole conversation less humiliating. Nope.).
For those of you that wrote to ask me what I am doing for my pain, here it is. I’m taking anti-inflammatory medication and rubbing my shoulders with various essential oils. My friend Susan has me putting a cotton cloth soaked in castor oil on my shoulder with a hot water bottle over that. Once that has cooled I put an ice pack on and leave that while I read. I am doing my best at the stretches my physical therapist friend told me about, but they are pretty excruciating and I really haven’t been giving that 100%. I’m kind of a wimp about it. If you have any other suggestions I’m open.
This morning my right shoulder is feeling a teensy bit better. I think by Sunday it will all seem like a bad dream and I will have full use of my arms again. Until then I still have plenty of reading to catch up on. And Pinterest to look at.
Hopefully I won’t have to use the potty again before then.
How are you typing? Just wondering. LOL! I sure hope you feel better soon. But you do look adorable as a tomato. Hee! Hee!
You are the cutest little tomato I have ever seen! So sorry you are hurting though.
Kim, typing is very hard. I’m not able to do it much. I’ll be SO glad when this is behind me!
MamaHen, thanks so much!
Lisa~
Not sure if this interferes with the essential oils, but Vicks Vapor Rub works wonders rubbed on my shoulder/neck when it gets sore. Then again, maybe that is camphor…? Anyway, I rub it on and put a hot rag (hot water bottle would work better) on top of that and sit and read.
On the anti-inflammatories — be careful with that as they can lead to acid reflux type symptoms. I had never had problems with reflux or indigestion before but one week when I was especially sore and taking ibuprofen every 6 hours I had massive reflux symptoms after that. Eat a non-acid diet just in case in the meantime and feel better!!
You can alternate taking generic tylenol and motrin every two hours thereby separating each by the recommended 4 hours. Or, you can take a couple of generic aspirin if you aren’t allergic to it. Is castor oil absorbed through skin?
Oh dear, Lisa!
You are cute as a tomato or cucumber but I am sure you would rather have use of your arms – pain free!
I just prayed for you!
Deanna
Sorry, no suggestions, but so sorry you have this pain 🙁
Which oils? I’ve had FABULOUS success with YL Ortho-Ease 🙂
Last summer I had rotator cuff surgery, an acromioplasty and bursectomy. An MRI had revealed “significant damage” in my right shoulder.
A specialist is certain it’s bursitis? I lived with my pain for 18 months and today am as good as, uh, “new.”
Post-surgery, I can wholeheartedly relate to the whole “potty” scenario… Praying for ya!
Lisa, I also have bursitis in my shoulders, so I feel your pain my friend. I use a topical gel called Bio-Freeze that a friend from church gets for me, & that, combined with a heating pad (not necessarily at the same time) when needed, plus 800 mg. of Ibuprofen (since that is the maximum prescription strength) seem to work fairly well for me; but it still takes time (usually) for all the pain to subside & return to normal. I will be praying for your speedy recovery; & you don’t have to type anything back, since I know pretty much all movement involving the arms is pretty painful. 🙂
Hope you are feeling better soon and get the use of your arms back, at least you can still read!
Oh Lisa… feel better! That stinks! (But at least you get to relax)…
I bet you are a cute tomato anyway!
Feel better my friend!
xo Susan
Oh, my tomatoey friend! I am so sorry you are hurting. Praying for quick recovery. In the meantime, try and relax…and have a Resee’s ice cream bar. They cure all life’s ills…or at least make them a little easier to handle.
Now this was a Veggie Tale I could really sink my teeth into. Hee hee.
Please feel better soon my friend. We all know the world as we know it revolves around mom.
Tomato or tomat-O. Love it! You are a riot!
Praying you feel better soon!!!
I’ve had a cleaning business for 33 years. Many times during those years I’ve had rotator (?) cuff aches and pains. Anti inflammatory pills helped, and “moist heat” and ice. One exercise I did helped though. I rolled up a bath towel and put it at my waist with my elbow holding it there. I would push with my elbow and it helped strengthen my shoulder. Can’t remember the other excercises! Hope if helps you.
Okay. You seriously need to stop it. I need to go to bed. And get some sleep. Instead, I’m sitting here reading all the hilarity that is your blog that heretofore I knew nothing of. Even when things are hard, you spin it into funny. Like the panty thing. This is far too much fun.
Just one more post. Then I seriously need to get some sleep. Either that, or I need some serious sleep. Maybe I’ll have funny dreams having read your blog as my bedtime story.