My Shoulder . . .
So - it's time for a shoulder update. We last talked about my shoulder on May 8th. I had just been to see the surgeon because I wasn't progressing at physical therapy and the therapist felt it was time to see a shoulder specialist and possibly have a shot of cortisone.
You'll likely recall that the result of that visit was no cortisone - just another 4-6 weeks of therapy and a follow up visit to the surgeon scheduled for five weeks later.
So, it's five weeks later and I went to see the surgeon on Tuesday. I took with me a note from my physical therapist that said, in essence, she couldn't do anything else for me - that after two months of PT I had plateaued and my shoulder was no longer responding. I have been diligent and committed to PT. I've never missed an appointment and I do my home PT. I even got a list from the therapist and did PT twice daily when I was on vacation. Seriously - do you know anyone else who takes their gel ice on vacation with them so they can ice after PT??? On Vacation?????
But not only had I made no measurable progress in the reach-behind-your-back-and-unhook-your-bra motion according to the measurements the therapist documented, I had begun to regress in some of my other ranges of motion.
Shit.
So - back to the surgeon. He's a pretty cool guy and very good at what he does. One of the best, in fact. He gave the therapist's note a quick once-over, He checked my range of motion and my strength - and of course made me move in the way that hurts the worst. Then he looked at the note again, and settled his six foot six inch (at least) self comfortably on the examination table as I was left standing in the middle of the room rubbing my shoulder. The words "fish or cut bait" made an early appearance in our conversation. My surgeon said them. And I heard them. No cortisone - he is not in favor of it - and neither am I, so that choice was off the table immediately, which left me with two. I either have arthroscopic surgery where the surgeon will manipulate my shoulder under anesthesia to get it to move again, and then clean out whatever is making it hurt and keeping it from moving properly (fish), or I do nothing, leave it alone, and hope that within the next two years (!) it will resolve on its own (cut bait).
So . . . I'm going fishing toward the end of the month.
You'll likely recall that the result of that visit was no cortisone - just another 4-6 weeks of therapy and a follow up visit to the surgeon scheduled for five weeks later.
So, it's five weeks later and I went to see the surgeon on Tuesday. I took with me a note from my physical therapist that said, in essence, she couldn't do anything else for me - that after two months of PT I had plateaued and my shoulder was no longer responding. I have been diligent and committed to PT. I've never missed an appointment and I do my home PT. I even got a list from the therapist and did PT twice daily when I was on vacation. Seriously - do you know anyone else who takes their gel ice on vacation with them so they can ice after PT??? On Vacation?????
But not only had I made no measurable progress in the reach-behind-your-back-and-unhook-your-bra motion according to the measurements the therapist documented, I had begun to regress in some of my other ranges of motion.
Shit.
So - back to the surgeon. He's a pretty cool guy and very good at what he does. One of the best, in fact. He gave the therapist's note a quick once-over, He checked my range of motion and my strength - and of course made me move in the way that hurts the worst. Then he looked at the note again, and settled his six foot six inch (at least) self comfortably on the examination table as I was left standing in the middle of the room rubbing my shoulder. The words "fish or cut bait" made an early appearance in our conversation. My surgeon said them. And I heard them. No cortisone - he is not in favor of it - and neither am I, so that choice was off the table immediately, which left me with two. I either have arthroscopic surgery where the surgeon will manipulate my shoulder under anesthesia to get it to move again, and then clean out whatever is making it hurt and keeping it from moving properly (fish), or I do nothing, leave it alone, and hope that within the next two years (!) it will resolve on its own (cut bait).
So . . . I'm going fishing toward the end of the month.
Comments
Michelle - thank you, too, and I understand about the deductible, but I blew past my deductible months ago, and am in fact very close to my out of pocket max for the year already. Did it take you two years for yours to resolve?
I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.