Rotator Cuff Surgery

My mother in law had it on both shoulders, one at a time, a couple of years ago. Make sure she gets some physical therapy afterwards and DOES the exercises if she wants to get full use of her shoulder again. It does take quite some time to heal up. She'll be in a sling for awhile, so she will be doing most things one handed. I remember my MIL couldnt wear a bra because she couldnt get it on. So you might think about making those kinds of things easier for her... maybe some soft sports bras that she can wiggle into. Put your own are in a sling for a day and see what challenges you face, that will give you the best idea. Also make sure she has a good heating pad and an ice pack, she'll need to use both.
What a sweet daughter :)

I had this done a few years ago. There is lots of things that she will need. If she could live with you that would be best. Showering, dressing, drying/styling hair, etc. I really had a problem with cooking. You can't hold a pan with your sling arm and stir or chop with the other, just not possible. Maybe make her some pre made meals or microwave meals.

I was in a sling for 6 weeks and physical therapy 4-5 times a week for 5 months.

my husband had rotater cuff surgery about 2 years ago. his was pretty severe. he was off of work for almost 7 months (he is an electrician) but the things that helped him were the following.

make sure she has button up the front blouses. nothing over the head for a while. sweat pants or soft cotton elastic waste pants she can get up and down with one hand. or your dad will have to help her in the bathroom each time. this will make her crazy.
a comfortable sling. she will need this and make sure her arm is in it correctly.
an electric ice pack. my husband got one of these at the hospital. pretty cool thing its like a little igloo cooler but has an ice pack that attaches wherever you need it and then it ices up and then goes down and then ices up again. (water flowing thru a tube like thing)
meals she can eat with one hand. so sandwiches and food that is already in pieces. nothing she needs to cut.
a recliner to sleep in for a few days or weeks. it will be a lot more comfortable for her to sleep reclined in a chair where she will not roll over on it.
toilet paper sitting either on the edge of the tub or the edge of the sink. not half way across the bathroom where she will have to lean to get to it and possible fall off of toilet. (this is a real problem believe it or not lol)
phone, remote, books and water all close at hand.
if there is anyone in her church that you know that can set up the meals plan for her do that. It is a huge help.

Hi N., I'm not sure where your mom lives, but there are companies that are set up to help people in cases like this. I work with one called Home Care Personal Services, based in Naperville, but they offer services all over the state of Illinois. They will cook meals, help with chores around the house, drive you on errands (or to & from surgery). If your mom is in Illinois, check them out, it might give all of you some peace of mind. Their website is http://hcpsil.com. Other home care companies, like Home Instead are nationwide.

Good luck to you as you try to help your mom from a distance. And best wishes to your mom!

My husband is a athletic trainer and is currently completing his 2nd year of physician assistant school. He said that the recovery time varys depending on your mother's age, as well as the type off surgery she has (laproscopic vs open). She will be in a sling for a few weeks either way, which will make driving out of the question. And she will have months of rehab, which for some people can be emotionally challenging. Just be there to help her with daily things like running errands, getting groceries, making meals, cleaning, ect. Depending on your situation, maybe you can stay with her for awhilie....or maybe she can come stay with you. Just think how hard it would be to get things done with only one arm! I hope it's not her dominant arm. Anyways, good luck and I hope surgery/recovery goes well!

See about home health services and/or outpatient 3-5 days a week for occupational therapy. Someone mentioned physical therapy, which is on the right track, but it's actually best to have an occupational therapist who can evaluate your mom's needs, work with the ortho doc to find out weight-bearing restrictions, and provide rehab exercises (which will vary depending on progress). The benefits are helping her to also problem-solve how to do her activities of daily living with her other arm in the meantime, safely!

OT is a referral-based therapy, her doc will need to write a script.
p.s.--I'm an OT :)

Wishing her the best of healing!

I second the recliner idea. My 85 year old father had the same surgery in the fall. He is still doing physical therapy, but then he is 85. And he's trying to get in shape to get back on the tennis court and golf course in the spring! yep, it's the truth! My mom was home to help with most things and they live 1/2 way across the country from me so I don't have any other tips for you. I just know that they have mentioned several times how glad they were that he had the recliner to sleep in. Good luck!