Back toward the end of September I noticed that my right shoulder was sore when I exercised. I didn't think much of it until fall break in October when I wasn't exercising and it STILL hurt. While on vacation at my daughter's, on her recommendation, I went to see her physical therapist.
He told me that my humerus was slightly dislocated and I probably had a torn rotator cuff (based on a thorough evaluation). Egad! He got the bone worked back into the socket and did some helpful massage.
So, I had already applied for and been accepted for a new insurance policy that would go into effect November 1. I was in a terrible dilemma. I had paid for the PT out of pocket, but I did not want this diagnosis to throw a whammy on my new insurance because my getting the insurance was part of a plan to get Carl on new insurance, too. We had been paying through the nose and our agent had been looking for a way to save us considerable $$ without reducing our coverage. Our agent looked into it and assured me/us that as long as I had been truthful on my application everything would be all right. He contacted the new insurance to double check, too. I really appreciate that guy!
So, I went to the doctor at home on November 1. And of course, the diagnosis was confirmed and I also found out that what I have been doing to rehabilitate my shoulder has been spot on. The only thing I missed was alternating the cold treatments with warmth. I've added that and I now have stronger pain meds including a topical gel. So all SHOULD be good!
The bad news is that it just keeps getting slowly worse, not better. I'm to go back after two weeks if I don't see improvement. Ha! Improvement? The pain is so bad at night that for major periods I am only sleeping for a few minutes at a time. My brain has gotten so fuzzy that I am hardly coherent most of the time.
Imagine how embarrassing it is to conduct parent/teacher conferences and not be able to talk about the progress a student is making!
Even composing posts like this is a major task as I can't remember how to spell. I do not look forward to reading things I have written sometime in the future!
So please forgive any discontinuity!
When I read back over this I found all sorts of incomplete sentences. I wonder how many I missed!
So, I'm worried about needing surgery and the long recuperation that will need. People who know us just nod and say that it will be Carl's turn to take care of me, after those years that I helped take care of him while he was on dialysis. But, I'm NOT a good patient. I'm a much better care partner!
I have actually had MORE time to come to IHD because of this situation, though. I have to leave the classroom for my heat/cold treatments and there is not much I can do during that time except browse the internet.
Anyway, that is what is going on in my life right now.
I find it painfully ironic that I did this in an attempt to be healthy! I'm determined not to miss exercising (I've lost 30 pounds), so I've switched to mostly walking. but that does nothing for my upper body! Sigh.
I didn't intend this to be a pity party....
but I find this the only forum where it is REALLY all right to let loose with a heart-felt rant! And even having said this, I am so very fortunate to have a torn rotator cuff as my ONLY problem What a small problem it seems to what so many of you fine folks are dealing with.
So forgive me for going on about this, but it is such a pain, both figuratively and literally.
Aleta
I Hate Dialysis Message Board
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