Saturday, September 17, 2011

Stange Experience

So I had a pretty strange experience yesterday (9/16/2011), I went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon for the first time in my life. Let me back up...

I have played baseball ever since I can remember. After High School I started playing men's competitive slow pitch softball. I had a minor right shoulder injury my sophomore year of High School, but recovered with physical therapy. Since then my shoulder has been fine.

In April 2011, I played in a softball tournament in Aurora, CO. We played about 5 games that day and after my right shoulder was sore. It slowly got worse, but I still had good range of motion, and strength, so like any guy does I figured it would just get better and there was no reason to go see the doctor.

A month later (May 2011), it was still hurting so I went to my doctor. He thought it was just swelling and gave me some anti-inflmatory pills. They didn't help. But life got busy, I took a season off softball, went to South Africa, and my shoulder never really stopped hurting.

I went back to my doctor in August 2011. He took some X-Rays, couldn't see anything there, so he referred me to the Orthopedic Surgeon. Now we are all caught up. Recap, hurt my arm on April 16, and I'm finally on the road to recovery on September 16, five months later. I know typical guy.

The Orthopedic Surgeon said, "The good news is there is no arthritis or bone spurs, but the bad news is that I have Tendinitis (swelling/ inflammation) in my shoulder and a Slap Tear."

So to help with the tendinitis I got a Cortisone Shot in my right shoulder, that was the afore mentioned strange experience. Most of my issues are in the front of my shoulder, but they administer the shot from the back of your shoulder. The needle was bigger than any other shot I have ever had. Thankfully, they spray you with a numbing medication to help with pain and the shot itself had some numbing medication with it. However, feeling a large needle moving around in your shoulder and the pressure that comes with it was, well, a strange feeling.

I also have to do 6-8 weeks of physical therapy which I start on September 20. I have a 50/ 50 chance of that healing my shoulder, or I will need surgery to repair the SLAP Tear. I have never had or needed a surgery before, so that was also a strange thing to hear.

Thought it would be fun to share this experience with those who care about me. Here's to hoping and praying that the physical therapy will heal my right shoulder. And as always thanks for reading my blog.

Love God & Live Free!

PS: Not looking for sympathy, but prayers are appreciated!