Comments: On an April Tuesday night I missed a step and fell while on vacation, landing hard on a heavily traveled road and shattering my right arm, shoulder, and rotator cuff. The doctor at American Hospital in Paris told me to return to Westchester, where my adult children could help, for necessary surgery. He emailed his x-rays to my home orthopedic surgeon who knew immediately that I needed a shoulder specialist and recommended Dr. Marc S. Kowalsky.
By the time my daughter picked me up at JFK the following day, she had secured an appointment with Dr. Kowalsky, who immediately had his staff take a series of x-rays. To facilitate scheduling surgery as soon as possible - knowing that I needed it because of my active lifestyle even though I was an octogenarian - Dr. Kowalsky also had us obtain a CT scan that could help him know precisely what would be needed for and during my reverse shoulder replacement, the procedure he knew would be necessary. He and his staff helped us get insurance clearances and necessary pre-op testing, Surgery was scheduled within a week, minimizing both pain and additional damage.
Greenwich Hospital kept me overnight to assure that I was stable enough to go home, fitted with the proper post-op immobilizing sling, educated on its use and other immediate post-operative care, and ready for Dr. Kowalsky and his team to take over recovery management. Following a month of no movement to my right side except six hand exercises, Dr. Kowalsky announced my readiness for a slow beginning to physical therapy. I had not used a mouse or pen or pencil or keyboard or eaten or brushed my teeth or done anything else with my right arm while the prosthesis settled into its space and muscles and tendons and fascia became familiar with the new structure. Missing my primary coping skills (yoga and writing) along with an uncommon dependence on others had left me frustrated and determined.
After a month, the technician at the Physical Therapy facility he had recommended took over and we began the exercises and activities that helped me have an outstanding recovery. Being a compliant patient, I followed all activities and limitations that Dr. Kowalsky and his PA, Haley, (and my Physical Therapist) recommended during my post-operative visits with them. X-rays confirmed the positive trajectory of recovery; Dr. Kowalsky knew exactly what he was looking for in them and found the results he hoped for. showing them to me and explaining the progress. Following surgery, I never did ask for an opiate and after the first week of prescribed drugs, (mostly to prevent infection and minimize swelling), I didn't even take another Tylenol. My primary pain management was ice and, after a month, I needed no more icing. Pain was becoming minimal as range of motion increased. I became able to drive again with some limitations, to be able to feed, shower, and dress myself, and to add home exercises to those done with my physical therapist.
By my next post-operative meeting with Dr. Kowalsky, I no longer needed to wear the sling 24/7 and by the three month follow-up, I had notable mobility and was beginning to strengthen my right arm. At this point, less than four months post-op, the main restrictions are lifting and yanking and now I am certain I will be able to resume my full daily ashtanga yoga practice by the winter. Throughout, Dr. Kowalsky has answered all my questions, had a team who could help with details and logistics, and been a wonderful guide to not only helping me identify what was needed but to helping me follow the optimal role I could play as we worked together to repair the damage.
By the time my daughter picked me up at JFK the following day, she had secured an appointment with Dr. Kowalsky, who immediately had his staff take a series of x-rays. To facilitate scheduling surgery as soon as possible - knowing that I needed it because of my active lifestyle even though I was an octogenarian - Dr. Kowalsky also had us obtain a CT scan that could help him know precisely what would be needed for and during my reverse shoulder replacement, the procedure he knew would be necessary. He and his staff helped us get insurance clearances and necessary pre-op testing, Surgery was scheduled within a week, minimizing both pain and additional damage.
Greenwich Hospital kept me overnight to assure that I was stable enough to go home, fitted with the proper post-op immobilizing sling, educated on its use and other immediate post-operative care, and ready for Dr. Kowalsky and his team to take over recovery management. Following a month of no movement to my right side except six hand exercises, Dr. Kowalsky announced my readiness for a slow beginning to physical therapy. I had not used a mouse or pen or pencil or keyboard or eaten or brushed my teeth or done anything else with my right arm while the prosthesis settled into its space and muscles and tendons and fascia became familiar with the new structure. Missing my primary coping skills (yoga and writing) along with an uncommon dependence on others had left me frustrated and determined.
After a month, the technician at the Physical Therapy facility he had recommended took over and we began the exercises and activities that helped me have an outstanding recovery. Being a compliant patient, I followed all activities and limitations that Dr. Kowalsky and his PA, Haley, (and my Physical Therapist) recommended during my post-operative visits with them. X-rays confirmed the positive trajectory of recovery; Dr. Kowalsky knew exactly what he was looking for in them and found the results he hoped for. showing them to me and explaining the progress. Following surgery, I never did ask for an opiate and after the first week of prescribed drugs, (mostly to prevent infection and minimize swelling), I didn't even take another Tylenol. My primary pain management was ice and, after a month, I needed no more icing. Pain was becoming minimal as range of motion increased. I became able to drive again with some limitations, to be able to feed, shower, and dress myself, and to add home exercises to those done with my physical therapist.
By my next post-operative meeting with Dr. Kowalsky, I no longer needed to wear the sling 24/7 and by the three month follow-up, I had notable mobility and was beginning to strengthen my right arm. At this point, less than four months post-op, the main restrictions are lifting and yanking and now I am certain I will be able to resume my full daily ashtanga yoga practice by the winter. Throughout, Dr. Kowalsky has answered all my questions, had a team who could help with details and logistics, and been a wonderful guide to not only helping me identify what was needed but to helping me follow the optimal role I could play as we worked together to repair the damage.