Margaret and Stephanie thank you for responding. Stephanie, your RO's comment about it taking a year for things to open back up helps me to make sense of one of the comments that my ENT made just after my surgery. She said that it would take a year or so for the swelling in my neck to go down. For a woman doctor she is not the greatest communicator and I have just recently reached the point where I can ask intelligent questions thanks to this site.

I will ask for the PT with gentle massage when I go in this Weds. I am afraid that if the muscle or whatever continues to shrink and be stiff that it will be a permanent thing which I do not want. I had frozen shoulder (such a technical name) after my last surgery and it was truly no fun. I have been doing exercises for my shoulders and stretching my neck muscles, but it is still very stiff and now swollen.

Patty