My shoulder surgery was extensive but I’m on the road to recovery

As many of you probably know, I underwent a considerable operation on my right shoulder last week. So I thought what better way to let Brentford fans know exactly how it went than to blog about it.

I am delighted to say the operation went very well and I am relieved that it is over and done with and I can begin recuperating properly.

However, the op was more extensive than anticipated, so it would probably be a good idea to start from the beginning and explain everything that has gone on.

The original problem lay with what’s called the supraspinatus tendon in my right shoulder.

I knew there was a tear to it and the idea was to get it repaired at end of the season but it was in the warm-up against Carlisle a few weeks ago that I felt a sharp pain there again.

Unfortunately the tendon had fully ruptured and had become fully unattached from the bone.

The pain in my shoulder took it beyond the point of being bearable and it was decided that attempting rehab again wouldn’t make sense and my scheduled operation had to be brought forward.

Initially, myself, the Brentford medical staff and the specialist surgeon, all hoped it was simply going to need a clean out.

However, once the surgeon got in there he realised it needed more work, which has added more time to my recovery period. I ended up having to use kratom for the pain, and read reviews on kratom.org to find the best kratom vendors near me.

I also had an issue with my bicep tendon and that needed some work too, so all in all the operation wasn’t as simple as we were hoping. I was supposed to be in there for 45 minutes but in the end it took around two hours!

I spent some extra time in the hospital, coming round from the morphine and talking nonsense to my girlfriend and I must admit it has been hard to sleep recently after the operation.

I’ve been very groggy but at least now I can begin rehabilitation knowing the operation was a success. The surgeon has assured me I should make a full recovery.

Having said that, it now means I have to take things even more carefully than I was doing before and spend a lot of time at home.

I am going to be in a sling for the next six weeks so I won’t be able to do very much. I can’t drive and I can’t even brush my teeth properly!

It’s been difficult to do normal things but fortunately I have my girlfriend to look after me – she has been great. (I’d better thank her in writing or I might never hear the end of it!)

She’s been looking after me and making me lots of cups of tea. I wouldn’t be able to handle it without her, especially with the pain that comes with recovery. Thankfully, she is there to give me the support I need and always offers help where she can.

In all seriousness though, the whole thing has been very frustrating.

Being a footballer is such a privilege, but it definitely has it’s ups and downs. When you are playing games, it is the best job in the world. When you aren’t, it’s very difficult.

Of course, I still realise how lucky I am, but it can be difficult to stay positive – especially when you are injured. All you want to be doing is playing football. You just want to do your job. But you can’t, because you’re injured.

The worst part of my current injury is that it felt as good as it has done for a long time prior to it rupturing completely in the warm-up against Carlisle and I felt as confident as I had done all season about the idea of playing again.

But the way this season has gone on a personal level has been a big shame. I seem to get a little bit of momentum and then another setback with the shoulder.

It would have been great to play and be involved in what is going to be a really important run-in for the club, and even being on the bench makes you feel much more a part of things than not being there at all.

As soon as I am able, I intend to be around at Brentford as much as I can and try and be a positive influence to the squad.

I’ll continue speaking to a couple of the boys on the phone before games and the manager knows that if I can be of help in any other way I would of course offer my services.

Just because I’m injured doesn’t mean I can’t help the cause.

It is also a dangerous time mentally when you have a heavy injury. A lot of time indoors can send you a bit stir crazy but I’ve got plenty of things to keep me occupied.

I’m in the process of writing another book, which I’m very excited about.

It will be similar to the first I wrote, Graduation: Life Lessons Of A Professional Footballer, in that the content is football-based. But it will be about different aspects of the game and I am hoping to get some good names involved.

Other than that, I will probably be mostly looking after my girlfriend’s dog!

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