My Shoulder

Saturday:

Ok – here is the story, we were planting a tree.  I wasn’t really doing much of the work – Eric was, but we were finished putting the tree in the ground and the shovel was just stuck into the ground beside us.  We were putting soil around the tree, and the shovel started to fall on me, so I jerked/twisted to get out of the way.  That is when my shoulder popped and I hurt myself.  I wish I had a more dramatic story – but that is it.  I bet I couldn’t replicate it if I tried a million times.  I bet I could have won America’s funniest videos if we were videotaping ourselves.  After it happened I jumped up and tried to ‘shake it off’, but I was in so much pain that I nearly fainted.  I bet I really looked like a drama queen.  At least now I know I had a reason to be in pain, I had just broken my own bone – without any assistance!  Crazy. 

Monday:

When I went to the doc today – she sent me straight to the orthopedic surgeon.  After getting the x-rays done, it showed that I fractured the round part of my bone that goes into the shoulder joint (love those technical terms) – which is probably what the popping noise I heard when I got hurt was.  He thinks it was only a partial dislocation b/c I didn’t have to pop/put the bone back in place.  I have to get a MRI to see if I tore any muscles or if there is any damage besides the fracture.  I’m still in a tremendous amount of pain and cannot move my arm in certain directions on my own.  I must say that seeing the fracture was a bit of a relief b/c the first thing they said was rotator-cuff tear and surgery and I got really upset – so hopefully it won’t be that serious.

I have to wear a sling for 3 weeks that is designed to not allow any movement.  This is not going to be fun for any of us!  I can’t do anything – just typing this email took forever!  I can’t pick up Peyton, or change diapers, or do anything that I normally do, and I know it is going to be hard on all of us.

I just hope the pain gets better soon!  I’ll send the results of the MRI once I get them – but I have a feeling that will be in at least a week or two – you know how slow things can move in the healthcare system!

Today:

I got some bad news today at the doctor.  He isn’t sure exactly what is wrong and it is out of his area of expertise, so he is sending me to an expert in Atlanta.  They hope to get me in Monday afternoon or Tuesday.  I should know something first thing Monday.

The MRI results showed that something has eaten away all the bone inside the upper part of my arm where the ball part is and down a little in the straight part of my upper right arm.  The pains I have been feeling off and on for the last 6 months or so were that.  He used the words, tumor, bone disease and degenerating but he is not a bone expert so he said he really doesn’t know what it is so he is getting me into the specialist in ATL ASAP.  I was very shocked and I’m scared. 

I’m going to stay positive and hope for the best prognosis.  Please pray that they figure out what it is fast and treat it.  After they treat it I will more than likely have to undergo a complete shoulder/rotator cuff replacement b/c the bone is gone.  Only the shell is left.  But I really don’t know for sure yet.  The Dr. said we were going to take it one step at the time.

If you have a nagging pain, please have it checked out!!!!