2.06.2012
early February shoulder update
Well, I saw the doctor last week and both he and the PA decided that it's time for the next step - time to treat the frozen shoulder. I'll be undergoing what's called a manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), so it's technically not surgery. Essentially they'll knock me out and then crank my shoulder around to break up scar tissue, and break it up enough so that I have full range of motion.
Then after I wake up and am out of recovery....I get to go to PT! Yup, the same day. And every day for the rest of that week. Keeping it moving and making sure I keep that range of motion intact will be key. They told me to plan on taking a week off of work simply because I'll be loopy on meds, but also because I'll need to stretch every couple of hours and that will be tiring.
I was sort of pushing for a combination of MUA and arthroscopy, which, according to papers, seems to have been favored over the past 10 years. But my doctor told me that since I scar up so much anyhow, and the act of just putting the scope through the shoulder capsule might cause extra scarring, he really wanted to see how just the MUA goes. There's a decent chance that it'll just freeze up again, in which case he'll do another MUA but this time with arthroscopy.
Anyhow, cranking date is the 13th. My normal physical therapist doesn't work late in the afternoons, so I will see someone else on that day (the day of the MUA). But we'll be reunited on Valentine's Day. Awwwwww!
Then after I wake up and am out of recovery....I get to go to PT! Yup, the same day. And every day for the rest of that week. Keeping it moving and making sure I keep that range of motion intact will be key. They told me to plan on taking a week off of work simply because I'll be loopy on meds, but also because I'll need to stretch every couple of hours and that will be tiring.
I was sort of pushing for a combination of MUA and arthroscopy, which, according to papers, seems to have been favored over the past 10 years. But my doctor told me that since I scar up so much anyhow, and the act of just putting the scope through the shoulder capsule might cause extra scarring, he really wanted to see how just the MUA goes. There's a decent chance that it'll just freeze up again, in which case he'll do another MUA but this time with arthroscopy.
Anyhow, cranking date is the 13th. My normal physical therapist doesn't work late in the afternoons, so I will see someone else on that day (the day of the MUA). But we'll be reunited on Valentine's Day. Awwwwww!
12.31.2011
December checkup
Went to see the doc yesterday which, despite being a doctor's visit, is always pleasant because the PA I see is so awesome. He always has a smile and something funny to say. I have loved every PA I have ever had but this guy is the best.
So I did the basic ROM stuff with Andrew and, like last time, he decided it was time to call in the big dawg. The doc came in and we went through the same stuff. They prescribed some NSAID patches for me to try. Kind of doubtful that they will relieve any discomfort, but if they do, then great. If they also reduce inflammation enough so that I can increase ROM, even better, but not likely. I go back in a month and assuming there has been no change, will have my pre- op appointment for a frozen shoulder manipulation. Good thing about it is that it is non-surgical. But, I have to start PT from square one.
However, hearing that theynwouldndo the manipulation at 6 months post-op was great, because initially they were thinking they'd wait until one year, which would mean August. Frankly, after 6+ years of this, I wasn't willing to wait that long.n I either want it taken care of or to know that it is just going to suck for the rest of my life.
So we will see where things stand in another month.
So I did the basic ROM stuff with Andrew and, like last time, he decided it was time to call in the big dawg. The doc came in and we went through the same stuff. They prescribed some NSAID patches for me to try. Kind of doubtful that they will relieve any discomfort, but if they do, then great. If they also reduce inflammation enough so that I can increase ROM, even better, but not likely. I go back in a month and assuming there has been no change, will have my pre- op appointment for a frozen shoulder manipulation. Good thing about it is that it is non-surgical. But, I have to start PT from square one.
However, hearing that theynwouldndo the manipulation at 6 months post-op was great, because initially they were thinking they'd wait until one year, which would mean August. Frankly, after 6+ years of this, I wasn't willing to wait that long.n I either want it taken care of or to know that it is just going to suck for the rest of my life.
So we will see where things stand in another month.
Labels: shoulder
12.13.2011
catching up, refocusing, getting old
yes, it's been ages.
i'm going to use this mainly as a record of what's going on with my shoulder since the history is all here. boring reading, lots of waaaaaah. also included will be rants that can't go anywhere else.
shoulder update: had arthroscopic surgery #3 in August of 2011. about 1.5 inches of the distal clavicle was resected, truckloads of scar tissue was removed, and the anterior capsule was tightened. rehab went well until week 6, when i externally rotated WAY too far. heard popping/tearing, supposedly that was scar tissue. rehab hasn't been the same since - very limited in active ROM.
had 10ml cortisone, saline, and lidocaine injected on December 2 - hoping that that will provide space for the shoulder to move around and loosen up. the doctor is technically calling it frozen.
thus far, no significant changes. continue to do PT at home, and find that the "empty can" exercise is one of the most difficult. emailed Andrew yesterday, he said to be patient since results can come after up to 2 weeks. he also said that per Spiegel, they wouldn't do any kind of manipulation for the adhesive capsulitis until at least 1 year post-op. that puts it at August. hopefully things will trend upwards before then, but if not, what am i supposed to do? continue with my lack of lifestyle until then? NCWHL credit is good for next season but that's it - i'll lose that credit. will be a 2nd consecutive season i'm missing.
frustration is the main feeling right now. overwhelming frustration. has led me to think some thoughts that haven't crept into my head for many years, leaving me wondering what the next step is.
i'm going to use this mainly as a record of what's going on with my shoulder since the history is all here. boring reading, lots of waaaaaah. also included will be rants that can't go anywhere else.
shoulder update: had arthroscopic surgery #3 in August of 2011. about 1.5 inches of the distal clavicle was resected, truckloads of scar tissue was removed, and the anterior capsule was tightened. rehab went well until week 6, when i externally rotated WAY too far. heard popping/tearing, supposedly that was scar tissue. rehab hasn't been the same since - very limited in active ROM.
had 10ml cortisone, saline, and lidocaine injected on December 2 - hoping that that will provide space for the shoulder to move around and loosen up. the doctor is technically calling it frozen.
thus far, no significant changes. continue to do PT at home, and find that the "empty can" exercise is one of the most difficult. emailed Andrew yesterday, he said to be patient since results can come after up to 2 weeks. he also said that per Spiegel, they wouldn't do any kind of manipulation for the adhesive capsulitis until at least 1 year post-op. that puts it at August. hopefully things will trend upwards before then, but if not, what am i supposed to do? continue with my lack of lifestyle until then? NCWHL credit is good for next season but that's it - i'll lose that credit. will be a 2nd consecutive season i'm missing.
frustration is the main feeling right now. overwhelming frustration. has led me to think some thoughts that haven't crept into my head for many years, leaving me wondering what the next step is.
Labels: shoulder
3.23.2010
bloodletting, suction cups, a weird ear thing, and a hot ball.
yes, you read that right. but it has nothing to do with p.orn. thanks goodness.
it's reached the point in my shoulder saga that i'm willing to try (what i believe to be) unorthodox things that haven't worked for me in the past.
*note: i tried acupuncture prior to my back surgery and was VERY skeptical. i figured at the time, and still do, that acupuncture may work for some things, but it can't un-herniate a disc. as a result, i went into the treatment with a very negative outlook, which probably didn't help anything.
okay, so i decide to try acupuncture to treat my stupid shoulder since nothing else has worked. i had no idea where to go in town and asked around the department. lo and behold, someone tells me that Kaz, who helps to review and submit grant proposals, has a clinic downtown. i knew he was into herbal remedies and the like, but didn't know he was a licensed acupuncturist. he was very honest and said that it *might* help, that i should know within 3 or 4 sessions.
so this evening was session 1.
the hot ball
we started out with a general health history, then i had this warm-to-hot stone (?) ball rolled along my shoulder and arm...like body rolling, but on a mini scale. hurt at some points, felt like a nice massage at others.
blood-letting
we went from the hot ball to blood-letting. yes, you read that correctly. it supposedly removes stagnant blood and restores qi and blood in the body. i had two fingers pricked and about 5 drops of blood squeezed out of each. can't say i noticed a difference but maybe it's one of those more long-term things.
needles and tingling
i was ignorant enough to not know that there is a form of acupuncture that does not involve piercing the skin - instead, a metal needle is used and held in place by the acupuncturist. Kaz told me that he often can sense or "feel" energy being transferred through the needles. i resisted muttering under my breath. but no 10 seconds later, i felt tingling in my fingers. with a different set of needle-stick points, i felt a mild pulsating/throbbing in that area. the scientist (and skeptic?) in me was happy/relieved that there was also a time when Kaz felt this energy but i felt nothing at all. but the two times that i did feel something caused me to feel a bit shaken, unsure of what was going on.
a weird ear thing
as if i hadn't had enough weird stuff by this time, Kaz told me that, essentially, the body maps onto the ear. (i know, i know!) so he found the region on the ear where the shoulder maps and poked about 8-10 different spots, only millimeters apart. a couple of them were more sensitive than others; in theory, those spots correlate to the regions of my shoulder that also hurt more. so now i have a bead like thing taped onto my ear, and i forgot to ask how long i leave it there. thanks goodness i'll see Kaz at work tomorrow!
scraping and fire cupping
after the needles came another interesting part for me. Kaz warned me that it would hurt, and that it was called "scraping". essentially, he put oil on my back/shoulders, then proceeded to scrape the skin to irritate it and make it turn red. not pleasant, but not painful - until he hit certain spots on my shoulder that almost made me scream. i was lying face down, so he couldn't see me grimace or wince, but he knew where the hot spots were because they turned a deeper red/purple compared to the rest of the skin. 6/6 times, i felt the pain, and he called it. oddly enough, the one spot NOT on my bad shoulder that hurt was on my "good" shoulder, which has been bothering me lately. i didn't tell him that but he nailed it. weird. he picked the areas that were most irritated (painful) and put suction cups over them to stimulate the circulation in those regions. the process wasn't painful, but slightly uncomfortable over my shoulder.
and that was it. could take a few days to know if it'll work, or even a few weeks. it may not work at all, but at least i know it's one more thing i've tried. and this time i tried it with an open mind, and said mind was blown away a few times. i'll try not to be such a skeptic about certain things. so, even if it doesn't make my shoulder hurt less, this experience has let me feel better about trying something new and being open to new possibilities.
it's reached the point in my shoulder saga that i'm willing to try (what i believe to be) unorthodox things that haven't worked for me in the past.
*note: i tried acupuncture prior to my back surgery and was VERY skeptical. i figured at the time, and still do, that acupuncture may work for some things, but it can't un-herniate a disc. as a result, i went into the treatment with a very negative outlook, which probably didn't help anything.
okay, so i decide to try acupuncture to treat my stupid shoulder since nothing else has worked. i had no idea where to go in town and asked around the department. lo and behold, someone tells me that Kaz, who helps to review and submit grant proposals, has a clinic downtown. i knew he was into herbal remedies and the like, but didn't know he was a licensed acupuncturist. he was very honest and said that it *might* help, that i should know within 3 or 4 sessions.
so this evening was session 1.
the hot ball
we started out with a general health history, then i had this warm-to-hot stone (?) ball rolled along my shoulder and arm...like body rolling, but on a mini scale. hurt at some points, felt like a nice massage at others.
blood-letting
we went from the hot ball to blood-letting. yes, you read that correctly. it supposedly removes stagnant blood and restores qi and blood in the body. i had two fingers pricked and about 5 drops of blood squeezed out of each. can't say i noticed a difference but maybe it's one of those more long-term things.
needles and tingling
i was ignorant enough to not know that there is a form of acupuncture that does not involve piercing the skin - instead, a metal needle is used and held in place by the acupuncturist. Kaz told me that he often can sense or "feel" energy being transferred through the needles. i resisted muttering under my breath. but no 10 seconds later, i felt tingling in my fingers. with a different set of needle-stick points, i felt a mild pulsating/throbbing in that area. the scientist (and skeptic?) in me was happy/relieved that there was also a time when Kaz felt this energy but i felt nothing at all. but the two times that i did feel something caused me to feel a bit shaken, unsure of what was going on.
a weird ear thing
as if i hadn't had enough weird stuff by this time, Kaz told me that, essentially, the body maps onto the ear. (i know, i know!) so he found the region on the ear where the shoulder maps and poked about 8-10 different spots, only millimeters apart. a couple of them were more sensitive than others; in theory, those spots correlate to the regions of my shoulder that also hurt more. so now i have a bead like thing taped onto my ear, and i forgot to ask how long i leave it there. thanks goodness i'll see Kaz at work tomorrow!
scraping and fire cupping
after the needles came another interesting part for me. Kaz warned me that it would hurt, and that it was called "scraping". essentially, he put oil on my back/shoulders, then proceeded to scrape the skin to irritate it and make it turn red. not pleasant, but not painful - until he hit certain spots on my shoulder that almost made me scream. i was lying face down, so he couldn't see me grimace or wince, but he knew where the hot spots were because they turned a deeper red/purple compared to the rest of the skin. 6/6 times, i felt the pain, and he called it. oddly enough, the one spot NOT on my bad shoulder that hurt was on my "good" shoulder, which has been bothering me lately. i didn't tell him that but he nailed it. weird. he picked the areas that were most irritated (painful) and put suction cups over them to stimulate the circulation in those regions. the process wasn't painful, but slightly uncomfortable over my shoulder.
and that was it. could take a few days to know if it'll work, or even a few weeks. it may not work at all, but at least i know it's one more thing i've tried. and this time i tried it with an open mind, and said mind was blown away a few times. i'll try not to be such a skeptic about certain things. so, even if it doesn't make my shoulder hurt less, this experience has let me feel better about trying something new and being open to new possibilities.
Labels: shoulder
9.04.2008
from pre-op to post-op
so i'm just over 2 weeks post-op, and i think things are going well. i saw the doc and SuperSean (P.A.) last week and they seemed happy with how the surgery went. we went through what all was done and looked at pictures, talked about a timeline for rehab.
let's see if i can gather all my thoughts from pre-op until now.
Pre-op
i don't know if any of you have been to the Menl0 Park surgical hospital, but i distinctly remember thinking it was a bit of a strange place. much smaller than i had expected, and once we were inside i thought maybe it was a renovated hotel. the pre-op room i waited in after all the paperwork was taken care of was exactly like a hotel room. a bed all made up with linens, a desk and telephone, an adjoining bathroom. anyhow, we watched tv and waited for the surgery room to open up. while waiting, we went through the usual routine - meet the anesthesiologist, meet with the doc, and this time i got set up with my post-op polar pack - a device that pumps ice water through an attachment, in this case a shoulder wrap.
once everything was ready to go, a kind nurse came and got me and for the first time in my life, i walked into my own surgical room. i'm used to being wheeled in on a a gurney and then shifting over to another gurney, but it was kind of nice just walking in. i talked a bit of hockey with SuperSean and then the anesthesiologist got my iv hooked up. it took a few tries since i was dehydrated and the room was cold. 3 sticks in my wrist, 3 sticks at the elbow, 1 stick in my left foot and then finally the clincher in my right foot. i think i was only conscious for 4 of the pokes, though.
Recovery room
one of the things i dread most about any surgery is the immediate recovery. i get the chills and shake all over, but i don't remember too much of that this time, thank goodness. i do remember hearing that my blood pressure was high but that it was coming down, then waking up more and seeing Justin. he told me that the doc had stopped by and voiced much pleasure about how the surgery went and that he thought they had probably gotten what was getting me.
Monterey recovery and pampering
once i was discharged, Justin drove me home to Monterey, where i stayed for just over a week before coming back to work. i could have been in Santa Cruz, but Justin was out of town for a week, so i needed to be near able-bodied folks. just a bonus that it was with the folks, who, by the way, were awesome as usual. they dutifully changed my ice every 6 hours, woke me to make sure i took my medicine at the right time, with food, if necessary. i spent most of my time sleeping, since i picked up an allergy somewhere along the way. Maddy would come in and kiss my toes, then just rest alongside my bed for a bit.
Checkup, 6 days after surgery
what was done:
1) released the long head of the biceps tendon.
2) fixed a small tear in my labrum.
3) removed a bone spur that had grown in the area that was operated on last year.
4) cleaned up scar tissue and other crap that had built up in the ball-and-socket joint.
short-term use:
minimal. they prefer i not use my arm too much at work, so i'm trying to be careful. i've been icing (not in the hockey sense) with a small pack at work, using my wrap at home. i will try to go to PT next week, and i should have almost full range-of-motion in 3 weeks.
prognosis:
right now, i don't have enough rom to determine if the preoperative pain is gone or not, so it's hurry up and wait. the doc did all he could to fix whatever seemed to be wrong, so it'll be very disappointing if pain persists. i just have to hope that it's all fixed and that, in a couple of months, i'll have a pain-free shoulder for the first time in 2.5 years.
hockey prognosis:
i haven't signed up for the fall/winter season, and it's really eating at me. i keep thinking that since i've been out before, i'll be used to it. instead, i just miss it more each time. maybe i'll be able to sign up mid-season, around November or so, but i'm not betting on it. whenever it is that i am back, it'll be worth the wait.
let's see if i can gather all my thoughts from pre-op until now.
Pre-op
i don't know if any of you have been to the Menl0 Park surgical hospital, but i distinctly remember thinking it was a bit of a strange place. much smaller than i had expected, and once we were inside i thought maybe it was a renovated hotel. the pre-op room i waited in after all the paperwork was taken care of was exactly like a hotel room. a bed all made up with linens, a desk and telephone, an adjoining bathroom. anyhow, we watched tv and waited for the surgery room to open up. while waiting, we went through the usual routine - meet the anesthesiologist, meet with the doc, and this time i got set up with my post-op polar pack - a device that pumps ice water through an attachment, in this case a shoulder wrap.
once everything was ready to go, a kind nurse came and got me and for the first time in my life, i walked into my own surgical room. i'm used to being wheeled in on a a gurney and then shifting over to another gurney, but it was kind of nice just walking in. i talked a bit of hockey with SuperSean and then the anesthesiologist got my iv hooked up. it took a few tries since i was dehydrated and the room was cold. 3 sticks in my wrist, 3 sticks at the elbow, 1 stick in my left foot and then finally the clincher in my right foot. i think i was only conscious for 4 of the pokes, though.
Recovery room
one of the things i dread most about any surgery is the immediate recovery. i get the chills and shake all over, but i don't remember too much of that this time, thank goodness. i do remember hearing that my blood pressure was high but that it was coming down, then waking up more and seeing Justin. he told me that the doc had stopped by and voiced much pleasure about how the surgery went and that he thought they had probably gotten what was getting me.
Monterey recovery and pampering
once i was discharged, Justin drove me home to Monterey, where i stayed for just over a week before coming back to work. i could have been in Santa Cruz, but Justin was out of town for a week, so i needed to be near able-bodied folks. just a bonus that it was with the folks, who, by the way, were awesome as usual. they dutifully changed my ice every 6 hours, woke me to make sure i took my medicine at the right time, with food, if necessary. i spent most of my time sleeping, since i picked up an allergy somewhere along the way. Maddy would come in and kiss my toes, then just rest alongside my bed for a bit.
Checkup, 6 days after surgery
what was done:
short-term use:
minimal. they prefer i not use my arm too much at work, so i'm trying to be careful. i've been icing (not in the hockey sense) with a small pack at work, using my wrap at home. i will try to go to PT next week, and i should have almost full range-of-motion in 3 weeks.
prognosis:
right now, i don't have enough rom to determine if the preoperative pain is gone or not, so it's hurry up and wait. the doc did all he could to fix whatever seemed to be wrong, so it'll be very disappointing if pain persists. i just have to hope that it's all fixed and that, in a couple of months, i'll have a pain-free shoulder for the first time in 2.5 years.
hockey prognosis:
i haven't signed up for the fall/winter season, and it's really eating at me. i keep thinking that since i've been out before, i'll be used to it. instead, i just miss it more each time. maybe i'll be able to sign up mid-season, around November or so, but i'm not betting on it. whenever it is that i am back, it'll be worth the wait.
Labels: shoulder
