Two years ago I had to undergo surgery to repair an injured shoulder. Although I was in much pain at the time I had no idea it was going to take such a long time and effort to recover and come back to full strength. It has been interesting to review the series of blogposts that I wrote in 2019. The first one is from the day before the operation (February 28).
The operation was on a Friday and I naively thought that I could actually start working on the following Monday. Haha, what a joke! My next entry was two days post surgery (It’s only our bodies that betray us in the end). It describes the procedure and the pain. The surgeon had told me that I would need six weeks for the wound to heal and about six months of physical therapy to come back to kickboxing, so that was my goal. A week later I wrote another blogpost (There ain’t no sin to be glad you are alive) and by then I had realised I would have to stay home from work at least one more week before going back to work, but I was still trying to stay positive.
In the entry “Someday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem funny” (April 5, 2019) I had made some progress and I felt confident enough to make plans for the summer, a summer filled with concerts and travels (remember the time when you could attend concerts?).
In With a boulder on my shoulder , written on my birthday (July 6), I talk about patience, endurance and age.
In November 2019 I had to slow things down due to a light injury on my other shoulder caused by fatigue. Apparently I had overused it when I was authorised to start using heavier weights (One step up).
In the beginning of 2020 I was more or less fully recovered and I could have started kickboxing again but I felt hesitant, scared almost and I decided to not go back just yet, but to continue building my body and this time more consciously and systematically.
I started following a bodybuilding plan split into four days, where I shift focus from upper body to lower body and back again. I keep a journal where I pedantically write down every set and every change of weights and I find it very rewarding to follow my progress.
Fortunately in Sweden, where I live, the gyms have been open throughout the pandemic and for me it has been very good to be able stick with a normal routine when so many other things are restricted.
To summon this up: two years after the operation I’m fully recovered and more. I proud of what I have achieved but I didn’t do it all by myself. I’m lucky to have a special someone who is (ruthlessly) pushing and encouraging me along the way. My body feels stronger than ever and I’m curious to see how far I can go following this regime. Stay hard, stay hungry, stay alive! 💪✌️
Over and out! /Anna
Stray Bullet 
Your tattoo is both awesome and badass! Great artwork. Even more so, your endurance, patience, willingness to go the full course, despite the reality of aging flesh and bone. But better aging than dead. U r an inspiration to all who have bodily issues in order to be the best we all can be! Keep up the good work and the struggle, much like Bruce does.
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Thank you, Marsha! 🙏
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A friend of mine had also surgeries on both shoulders. The first one was many years ago and the second one happened in 2018. He told me that the second surgery was better due to medicinal progress and he was so happy that he could held his arm high above only after a few days. I still remember his “Ouch!” after I embraced him so strong because I didn’t know that he had the surgery and our last meeting was also months ago.
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I hated to be so helpless. I couldn’t even cut my own bread and I had a really hard time washing my hair and tying my shoelaces. 😖
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I can feel it. I had a small accident on my right hand when I was 16 and I had to experience similar situations you described.
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