5 weeks post op second side for Thoracic Outlet Surgery (15 weeks post op first side)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpx8mVQ8HK0 
I am now at 5 weeks post operative for my second side surgery, and 15 weeks post-op for the first side. Interestingly, and annoyingly I have started to have chest pain again and pain at the back of my shoulder on the first side, in fact at the moment, the pain has become worse on the first side to the second, barring the feeling of pressure which remains worse on the right (2nd side).

I have just seen my physio and he is not clear why this has occurred. I explained how I'd lifted a heavy bag of presents on Christmas day using the my right arm (the 2nd surgery side) and also I had two vet visits within the week, meaning carrying a cat basket to the taxi and then inside the vets. Tragically my cat had to be put down yesterday, 27th December. She had a lost a huge amount of weight even since her visit on Christmas Eve. She was just shy of 10 years. Glispa was everything to me. She was the gentlest and most sweetest soul that walked this earth. Her loss is just another hammer blow to everything else that seems to have happened lately, and will take some time to recover. I think that of course this might have implications for my pain - emotional pain can be just as bad a physical pain. I can't stop looking for her, and the first night without her was very hard.

I digress. On a more positive side, I can now do up to 3000ml on my spirometer - that is an improvement up on last week, where I was 2-2500ml. On top of that I managed an hour and a quarter of recorder playing on Boxing day, which went pretty well, considering how out of condition I am and my lack of overall practice over the past year.

My scar is now really healing well, particularly since I have started to use lots if bio oil on it. In fact, ironically, the left side looks more obvious to the right, but the right side is a longer scar.  I am still using the lidocaine patches, but might be swapping to the left from tomorrow for a bit. Here is a picture - it doesn't really make the scars look very clear:

My physio is now away until the middle of January. I am to restart the rotator cuff exercises on the left with a 1/2 kg bottle and work up again, once the pain has gone from that side.

I  have been using arm slings to off load, and this has made a difference, particularly to the right, so I am now giving the left arm a rest again. Healing is strange. It is not a linear process at all, but seems to go up and down in a spiral fashion, and sometimes I seem to slide back a bit.

I am hoping to see my surgeon early in 2020, so will mention to him the problems have restarted in my left side. It could be the nerves to pec major and minor - and it again raises the question of whether I do need botox, but that can be discussed, and of course ongoingly with my physio.

Christmas week has shown some overall improvements to my lung capacity, but strange backwards changes to the left side. Hopefully following today's physio it will settle again. I am starting to feel more like myself and seem more capable of walking a bit further too, which is good news. I have definitely turned a corner, especially to the right side.