Random Thoughts

So much for shoulder improvement.  It was feeling a bit better, temporarily, but the PT thought that was due to my not using it, rather than any real progress.  I did the exercises and stretches prescribed, but not anything extra. The physical therapist (at least that’s what I’ve been told PT stands for – I’m starting to think that it really means that I pay someone to torture me) finally said that it didn’t look like he was able to help this time, so kicked me back to my PCP.

I promptly stopped using my arm/shoulder, and the rest helped.  I could sleep most of the night (as long as I didn’t roll over the wrong way).  Once I’d rested my shoulder sufficiently (I thought), I resumed the gentle stretches and exercises prescribed by the physical therapist.  As soon as I tried to do anything, the whole shoulder was aggravated again.

I think about the fact that a baseball pitcher can tear his rotator cuff and completely recover to the point that he can pitch again.  There shouldn’t be any reason that I can’t get my shoulder working again so that I can do easier things than pitch a baseball.  Like play my guitar.

The trick is figuring out what it’s going to take to fix this shoulder.  My PCP looked at the PT’s report, asked questions, and referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon.  My doctor’s terrific.  He suspected that I’d be reluctant to have surgery (he might have gotten that impression from the fact that I still have my gallbladder), and reassured me that the physician to whom he’s referring me will have suggestions on non-invasive things I can try.  Surgery will be a last resort.

Googling the Referral

In the past, I’ve known nothing about doctors to whom I was referred.  It was so cool, instead of being in the dark, to come home from my last appointment and google the surgeon.  Up popped his medical clinic.  I was able to see a picture of him and read his bio.  I was surprised at how much less nervous I felt after that.

I also got to fill out all my paperwork online.  Is it paperwork in a paperless office?  I guess it’s easier and more legible than having the office mail forms to me, but it took three hours to do it all.  Next time someone asks my occupation, I’m tempted to tell them that I’m a professional patient.

In Other News

Happy as I was to discontinue the sulfasalazine, I’m wondering if I’m going to have to start it again.  I’ve been wondering if the Enbrel wasn’t working as effectively – not a pleasant idea – but this morning (when I filled my pill boxes) realized that maybe the ssz was really helping and the recent problems are because I’m not taking that med any more.  Next rheumy appointment is the middle of June, so either this is a flare that will go away, or I’ll know something different needs to happen.

Lastly, I’ve overcommitted myself, so probably won’t be online much for the next few days.  In no particular order:  my boys are going camping this weekend, and I have things to prepare for them (laundry, mending…).  I’m teaching tomorrow morning – but not until 10, which is good, because I’m helping someone set up a new database and need to be done by 9. Plenty of time to spare if I finish that project first thing when I get up, then prepare my lesson for 10:00.  I have a sewing project that needs to be done in the afternoon, then two of the kids need transportation to a violin master class in the evening.  By the middle of next week I have three more sewing projects to finish, then we need to pack for our vacation.  And I need vacation overrides so that I can refill my meds.  Fortunately I have someone to stay at my house and take care of the animals while we’re gone, so no worries there.

Hmmm… maybe it’s the busyness and not the lack of ssz that has my feet hurting so much.  I guess if I get better on vacation, I’ll have my answer.

Have a terrific weekend.

Shoulder Exercise #3

Continuing the series on exercises given to me for my rotator cuff issues, today is a look at two different quick exercises that are quite similar.

Maybe this should have been number one, since it’s the first shoulder exercise I was ever given.  I gained an even greater appreciation for the internet after being told what the problem with my rotator cuff was, and asking, “The x-rays showed tendonitis?  I thought tendons don’t show up on x-rays?”

My search for information led to a good introductory explanation of rotator cuff disorders at WebMD.  Reading the entire article, I eventually found home exercises for the rotator cuff, along with a zillion warnings that the exercises should not be done without first consulting your health care practitioner.  I’m okay with that, but I’d just seen my doctor and didn’t really want to drive back to town.  It would have been nice if he’d told me during that appointment that there were some things I could try at home to make my shoulders better, but he didn’t, so I phoned and left a message for the nurse, “I found these rotator cuff exercises, but they come with a warning to discuss them with the doctor first.  Is it okay?”  Here’s where emailing the doctor’s office would be nice – I could have just sent the link and they’d look and say “yes” or “no” or “come see us first.”

But I digress.  When my call was returned, the NP described some exercises that I could try – and all of them were in the WebMD article.  Wall walking was her first recommendation.  The simple method – no equipment required – is to slowly walk the fingers up the wall, stopping when it hurts.  Over time (and it doesn’t take too long), this will increase range of motion.

When I eventually saw a physical therapist, he put a twist on it and had me roll a big balance ball up the wall.

I start at chest height and roll the ball up the wall until my arms are fully extended overhead, then lean in toward the wall for extra stretch.  Fortunately, my house has vaulted ceilings so I can do this indoors.  Standard eight-foot ceilings would make it impossible to do in the house, requiring some creativity to avoid getting rained on:  maybe in the garage.

Disclaimer:  this is not medical advice.  Consult your personal physician for diagnosis and treatment of your medical issues.
It really is important to run the exercises past your doctor.  Some of the stretches on the WebMD site were recommended to me the first time I saw a PT, but this last time was told that my shoulder can’t handle those and I should stick with the easier ones for now.

Back At ‘Ya

“Time to punt.  Your PCP did what he could for your shoulder and it didn’t help, so he sent you here,” summarized my physical therapist.  “I’ve done everything I can do, but it doesn’t look like you’re getting better, so I’ll send your doctor a note saying, ‘Back at ya.’  It’s his turn again.”

I think I just failed PT.

Last time I did PT for my shoulder, it was extremely helpful.  This time, not so much.  In the past, I’ve really liked ultrasound treatments.  This time, it hurt.  The intensity would get reduced when I’d wince, but it still hurt at the lower setting, and would ache for hours after I left.

I’m glad I did the PT, though.  I saw a different therapist this time, and although there was some overlap in the approach, there were a few differences.  This person had extra exercises that weren’t prescribed last time, and there were a couple exercises that he explained differently.  There’s also one exercise that I discovered I’ve been doing wrong all this time, and that’s now been corrected.

My shoulder no longer wakes me up at night, which I’m very happy about.  That’s the only improvement, though.  Nothing looked any better when comparing the initial and final evaluation tests, which is very frustrating.

The physical therapist is bouncing me back to my PCP, and I’m supposed to schedule an appointment to see him so he can figure out what to do next – which, the PT warns me, will likely be either another round of PT, or a referral to an orthopedist.*  That’s me.  WarmSocks, the human ping-pong ball.

Sometimes I just want to quit.  “Never mind.  I’ve had enough contact with the medical profession to last a lifetime.  I’ll learn to live with it.”  That thought lasts until I try to pick something up, or reach out to the side.  I quickly realize that this is not something I’m willing to make accommodations for.

• If there’s something in the passenger’s seat, I want to be able to reach over and pick it up.
• I want to close my car door without pain.
• I want to be able to move the shifting lever with my right hand (it’s so awkward to reach through the steering wheel with the left hand and tug that lever upward).
• I want to wipe the dinner table after meals.  I’m learning to do it left-handed, but it’s mighty frustrating to have such a simple task be so hard.
• I want to be able to vacuum my house.  Sure, my kids are good at helping out, but I want to be able to do these things.
• If my children sneak up beside me, I want to be able to give them a hug regardless of which side they’re on.
• I want to snuggle with my kids and husband.  I don’t want to spend the rest of my life saying, “That shoulder is not a pillow” when loved ones lean over to rest their heads against me.
• Have you ever tried to take wet clothes out of the washing machine with only one hand?
• I want to use whatever bathroom is most conveniently located, and not have to consult blueprints before relieving myself.  (Nope, can’t use that bathroom because the TP roll is on the wrong side; my arm doesn’t rotate that direction.)
• I want to play basketball or baseball out in the yard with my family and friends.  Normal, everyday things that I used to take for granted are now spectator sports.  I don’t want to sit on the sidelines and watch life pass me by.  I want to participate – with both arms.

So I’m not going to quit.  I just need a breather before tackling the problem again.

Monday mornings tend to be pretty busy, so I’ll wait until after lunch to phone my PCP’s office and tell the receptionist that if they’re not as sick of seeing me as I am of needing to see them, the physical therapist says I need to schedule another appointment with the doctor.  Okay, maybe I won’t phrase it quite like that.  I actually like my doctor.  I just don’t like needing to see him.

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Dear WordPress grammar checker:  When I write “an orthopedist,” do not tell me that I’ve selected the wrong article and should try “a orthopedist.”  Any six-year old can tell you that the letter “O” is a vowel, therefore the appropriate indefinite article is “an.”