I made another sojourn to see my Orthopedic Surgeon yesterday. As luck would have it, it turns out that not only do I have an inoperable torn ligament in my left shoulder, I also have a congenital bone spur on the shoulder blade that is rubbing against the clavicle and, possibly, injuring my rotor cuff. The technical term for this is a shoulder impingement syndrome.
While the torn ligament can't be repaired, the bone spur issue can be resolved by going under the knife.
It's weird. Between the ages of 7 - 16, I had two operations. From age 17 - 50, I was not cut on once. However, if I decide to go forward with this surgery, it will mark the third one in the past 18 months! I already know there is another one in the offing.
I'm leaning toward going ahead with the shoulder surgery. My mobility is becoming more and more limited plus the obvious pain issue. It's not that I can't deal with the chronic pain; it's more that I keep bumping or twisting the shoulder and these episodes cause excruciating pain. Since I'm a born klutz, I know that more such episodes are in my future!
There is another significant consideration as well. At some point in the next few years, my left hip will need to come out -- it's no longer a question of IF, but WHEN. As part of the normal recuperation from hip replacement surgery, I will need to get around for a few months with the aid of a walker, crutches and, eventually, a cane. If I don't do something about my ailing shoulder, this will severely impact my ability to regain some mobility because I won't be able to sustain my weight with a walker or crutches.
Consequently, the prudent strategy appears to be that I need to deal with the shoulder issue in the near future, so that I don't jeopardize my state of recovery for the later hip procedure. As it is, recovery from shoulder surgery can take anywhere from two months to an entire year.
The more I think of it, the more I realize this is something I need to get on top of. So, I made a call (got the voice mail) and requested a surgery date of October 25. Why that date? It's my birthday!
What a swell present to give myself. A date with my own Mack, the Knife! (Note: My doc's name is McDonnell)
While the torn ligament can't be repaired, the bone spur issue can be resolved by going under the knife.
It's weird. Between the ages of 7 - 16, I had two operations. From age 17 - 50, I was not cut on once. However, if I decide to go forward with this surgery, it will mark the third one in the past 18 months! I already know there is another one in the offing.
I'm leaning toward going ahead with the shoulder surgery. My mobility is becoming more and more limited plus the obvious pain issue. It's not that I can't deal with the chronic pain; it's more that I keep bumping or twisting the shoulder and these episodes cause excruciating pain. Since I'm a born klutz, I know that more such episodes are in my future!
There is another significant consideration as well. At some point in the next few years, my left hip will need to come out -- it's no longer a question of IF, but WHEN. As part of the normal recuperation from hip replacement surgery, I will need to get around for a few months with the aid of a walker, crutches and, eventually, a cane. If I don't do something about my ailing shoulder, this will severely impact my ability to regain some mobility because I won't be able to sustain my weight with a walker or crutches.
Consequently, the prudent strategy appears to be that I need to deal with the shoulder issue in the near future, so that I don't jeopardize my state of recovery for the later hip procedure. As it is, recovery from shoulder surgery can take anywhere from two months to an entire year.
The more I think of it, the more I realize this is something I need to get on top of. So, I made a call (got the voice mail) and requested a surgery date of October 25. Why that date? It's my birthday!
What a swell present to give myself. A date with my own Mack, the Knife! (Note: My doc's name is McDonnell)
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