Manuel

Seven months after his shoulder pain began, Manuel asked his GP to refer him to see a specialist. At the hospital, and after examination and tests, he was told he needed arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) surgery. He had no worries about having surgery, as he found the surgeon’s explanations reassuring and the idea of keyhole surgery easier to accept. Manuel’s surgery went well, but he experienced post-operatory breathing difficulties, which the consultant explained can sometimes happen when using nerve block. The ECG results were normal, but the tightness of the chest lasted for a few days.

A year before his diagnosis, Manuel began to experience sharp pain in his shoulder. His GP prescribed painkillers, and on two occasions during that time, he was treated with cortisone injections. But relief from pain following the injections lasted only a few days and he continued taking painkillers to manage the pain.

Manuel’s job sometimes includes the carrying and lifting of heavy boxes and he was relying on painkillers to be able to do his work. He was also given lighter work to do. Manuel has been doing the same job for ten years and thinks that the constant physical repetition has resulted in wear and tear that has damaged his shoulder. He also has a back problem. Before his surgery he was thinking of quitting his job.

Seven months after the pain began, Manuel asked his GP to refer him to see a specialist, who told him he needed arthroscopic subacromial decompression surgery (ASD). He had no worries about having surgery as he found the surgeon’s explanations reassuring and the idea of keyhole surgery easier to accept. Manuel’s surgery went well but he experienced post-operatory breathing difficulties, which the consultant explained can sometimes happen when using nerve block. The ECG results were normal, but the tightness of the chest lasted for a few days.

During his pre-op assessment appointment, Manuel was also shown the Technology Enhanced Patient Information (TEPI) website and he found it a most useful tool. He said the site gives the same information that he got from the consultant, but in a visual format. The video helped him fully absorb the information he got from the consultant – something that not always happens during a consultation. He felt calm because he knew what was happening before, during and after surgery. He also said that TEPI is a great source of information to share with the family. He showed the site to his children, who were curious and understood well his surgery and post-op care and recovery periods. After surgery, Manuel used the site to help him do the recovery exercises. For him, it was like having a virtual’ physiotherapy session. He found it useful and reassuring.

Manuel went back to work full-time four weeks after surgery but is conscious of his limitations, so he avoids putting pressure on his right shoulder. Manuel was having pain in his neck and has noticed some swelling in his back. He is looking forward to discuss these symptoms with his consultant at his next appointment. He is a bit disappointed because he expected to be fully recovered seven weeks after surgery.

He describes the healthcare he has received as near perfect’.

Manuel’s care was near perfect. The doctors and nurses were very good and he felt well looked after.

Age at interview 44

Gender Male

How do you feel about the healthcare that has been provided or you have received? I mean healthcare in general, how…

Well it’s near, near perfect, you know. I mean where can you receive healthcare like this, you know. You, from day one to last minute of what [condition] you’re complaining for, it’s being looked after.

And they still like, they’ve got follow up, follow up on what they do to you. And like if you go in private hospital basically, I mean if you don’t have the money [laughs], you can’t go back now unless you have the money to pay the doctors for a visit [laughs]. And it’s just asking some simple questions basically. I mean, from the doctors to the nurses, to all the people that’s involved in doing the healthcare, it’s good. Very, very good.

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Manuel did his exercises watching the TEPI video. He felt he was having physiotherapy at home. The exercises kept him busy all day while he was recovering.

Age at interview 44

Gender Male

When you started your exercises, your post-op exercises, you were looking at the website or you were checking the leaflet?

I was looking at the website. I was doing it at the same time while I’m watching it. So it guided me properly because obviously if you just read it, you just see it on the images, just right hand raise, you know, what they’re doing. But if I’m looking at the actual video, it actually says what’s the limit of what I can do and which point I have to do it, you know, like raising your hands and to what extent. So it, the video is actually good.

So you have seen the pre-op exercises, the post-op exercises more than once?

Yeah, I use it every day when I was doing the, so I have to go there.

Ah, okay.

Watch it and follow each exercises. It helps, it’s just like having an exercise with somebody as well. It’s just like two of you doing it at the same time. It’s just like having physiotherapy by your side basically. So it is good.

Okay. So this is a kind of visual, virtual physiotherapy session?

Yes, exactly.

Okay, no that’s very interesting.

So, and how does it make you feel? I mean more confident to do the exercises? How does it make you feel to have this kind of visual session?

Well the instructions is there, so it’s easier to follow. The only thing is until up to what time you have to do it, but again that information was provided already before, sorry after the operation. You can do the exercises in short frequent sessions. So I watch it, do one session, then stop for half an hour, do the next one. Then stop again for half an hour. So that kept me busy for the whole day basically being at home, alone at home [laughs].

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