So I am now 12+ weeks post-op from a SLAP repair/capsulorrhaphy.  I started classes for grad school last week, so I have been pretty busy.  I fit my exercises in whenever I can.  I've been doing a lot of stuff in the gym at school which is good.  My shoulder feels great for the most part.  I get a little twinge in the front every now and then, but no big deal.  Probably from doing more than I am supposed to be.  Plus carrying a bookbag, gym bag, and lunch box around every day doesn't help either.  But I had no problems with the move, even though I did lift more than I was supposed to. 

Not much more to say at this point...Most days I don't even notice or think about my shoulder, which was my plan with having surgery.  I will update when I can during grad school, but not much else will be new since I feel great right now.  Just working on some strengthening stuff.

I am now 9+ weeks post-op SLAP repair and capsulorrhaphy.  I saw my OS yesterday for the last time.  He was very pleased with my shoulder ROM and strength.  He said my shoulder was tight enough with the capsulorrhapy that he did and that it would continue to stretch out over time.  He said that my strength was very good.  He just cautioned me to continue to take it easy, especially with lifting things--especially with my big move coming up.  We spent the rest of the visit talking about my future plans to be an orthopedic physician assistant.  He offered to let me hang out and spend some time shadowing up during my breaks, and said he would probably be able to get me into the OR with him.  So I will definitely take advantage of that!!  The one good thing about this surgery is that it gave me the opportunity to make some valuable contacts that could help me in the future. 

Today was my final formal PT appointment.  My boss, who is my PT, trusts me enough to let me do things on my own while in grad school.  He gave me some general guidelines, but said to just keep up with the core group of exercises that I have been doing.  He said there isn't too much more to add since I am not looking to get back to throwing a 90 mph fastball.  He told me I could start doing bicep curls and blackburns at 12 weeks and I could start doing some more stretching at 16 weeks.  I haven't been doing any stretching for a few weeks since I was gaining ROM too fast for having had a capsulorrhaphy done.  So we were trying to let my shoulder tighten up a little bit.  He told me I could start doing the lat pulldown machine and sleeper stretch now.  But most importantly he said to just be smart, since I could only screw it up right now.  He said I would rather start grad school with my shoulder feeling great, than feeling like crap.  My final ROM measurements were: flexion 140, ER at 90 degrees abduction 88, and IR at 90 degrees abduction 40.  All were a little tighter than last time 4 weeks ago, which for me is a good thing. 

So I guess I will write some closing thoughts since I am not sure when I will have time to write again being in grad school!!!  I am 100% happy with the results of my surgery and am 100% glad that I went through with it and had it done.  I now don't have to constantly think about my shoulder and wonder what it will feel like when I do certain things.  I don't have the deep aching anymore.  I don't have any clicking, popping, or clunking anymore!!!  I am not afraid to lift overhead.  So the surgery fixed everything that I complained of before having it done.  I couldn't have asked for a better recovery.  At 9+ weeks, I am way ahead of where I thought I would be right now.  I don't have hardly any pain anymore, nor have I throughout the recovery.  So if you are considering having this done, please don't let a lot of the stories on here scare you.  There is hope if you completely commit to the surgery, strictly follow every guideline given to you (no matter how much you don't want to!!!), give everything to the rehab process, and think POSITIVELY!!!!  Not everyone ends up with complications, most people that have this done have a "normal" recovery. 

Been a little while since I wrote an update.  I am now 8 1/2 weeks post-op SLAP repair (2 anchors) and capsulorrhaphy.  I really don't have any complaints at this point, though I haven't had many from the beginning!!  I see my OS on Tuesday (7/15) so we'll see what he says.  That will be the last time I see him because I will be starting grad school at the end of the month to become a physician assistant.  I have pretty much had close to full ROM since about 4 weeks out, that's when my PT stopped stretching me.  At 5 1/2 weeks I had 167 flexion, 115 abduction, 87 ER at 90 degrees abduction, 49 IR at 90 degrees abduction, and 52 ER at 0 degrees abduction.  Strength for IR was 4+/5 and ER was 4/5--and I hadn't even done any stengthening exercises yet.

 I started active ROM for scaption and ER at 0 degrees abduction at 5 weeks.  I was cleared by my OS to start strengthening at 6 weeks post-op.  I started theraband for IR, adduction and extension just before 6 weeks.  Then we started resistance work in the pool at 6 weeks.  At 7 weeks we started adding weights to some things, including some of the scapular exercises and sidelying ER.  I also added active ROM for flexion.  This week we added what's called the impulse machine.  It's hard to explain it, but my PT clinic has one because we rehab a lot of pro-baseball players who use it.  Also added weight to scaption raises, but only to 90 degrees, tricep extension, and theraband to "no-money". 

My life is pretty crazy right now...I am packing to move next Saturday (7/19).  I finished work at the end of June and went home to spend a week with my family.  I start orientation for school 7/21 and classes start 7/28.  And of course I am faithfully doing my rehab exercises on top of this.  My PT says that I am doing great!!  The goal is to gradually gain strength, and not screw up the repair.  ROM is great and thankfully I haven't had a pain along my biceps tendon, like a lot of SLAP repair patients do.  Well hopefully I will update after my OS appointment next week sometime.