Bluegrass Orthopaedics is pleased to announce our latest Comeback Champion, Mr. David Wesley!
In 2002, David underwent surgery on his left shoulder outside of the Bluegrass Orthopaedics system. Unfortunately, following this surgery, he experienced pain that made it impossible to sleep lying down. David remembered, "The pain was like a hot knife going through my shoulder." Due to this pain, David slept in a recliner for 4 months.
Fast forward to 2020, David's shoulders began to ache again due to his workout routine and years on the job. However, due to his previous experience, he was hesitant to seek medical attention. In June of 2022, David's condition worsened. He had been dealing with pain for several years and he was unable to lift his left arm above his shoulders. He had exhausted all conservative treatments and his quality of life was beginning to be affected.
A colleague recommended Dr. Ryan Donegan at Bluegrass Orthopaedics, and David made an appointment. During the visit, Dr. Donegan confirmed that David's shoulders were in rough shape and would require a replacement.
David remembered, "I wasn't shocked, but the thoughts of 2002 came rushing back to me. Dr. Donegan assured me that he was confident it would be better than the scope was. In November of 2022, during the morning of the surgery, Dr. Donegan stopped by and talked to us before getting ready. Those small jesters of assurance made us feel more confident about the replacement."
"After I woke up after the surgery, Dr. Donegan stopped by and confirmed my shoulder was not in great shape, but he was very happy with the replacement."
David left the hospital with a pain pump that lasted 6 days before being removed. "I kept my sling on and iced it all the time, waiting for the pain to come, but truthfully it never came!"
During David's follow up 10 days later, the X-rays demonstrated that everything looked well-aligned, and he reported to the staff that his pain was, "At most a 2/10." To assist with his recovery, David was scheduled for physical therapy, however because of his fast recovery, he quickly moved to once a week and was able to do most of his therapy at home.
In February of this year, David had his other shoulder replaced by Dr. Donegan. "It's truly amazing being pain free in my shoulders. My strength is still low and I have weight restrictions on each shoulder, but I never could have dreamed that it was going to be as easy as it was. I followed all their instructions, and I believed that made a difference in the healing."
To learn more about Bluegrass Orthopaedics' shoulder specialist, Dr. Ryan Donegan, click here!
