If you didn't see the update I posted on Tuesday's blog, I do have a diagnosis:
rotator cuff tear with muscle impingement, a cyst AND fluid on my shoulder joint
Okay . . .
If this were really true, then my arm should simply be flopping around totally useless, right?
This is the part that gets really weird--I have virtually 100% motion and movement of my shoulder joint with the exception of one or two actions that cause me pain, namely, when I cross my arms to take my shirt or sports bra off. That action almost put me to the ground a couple of times.
But to tell you the truth, the only part of the diagnosis that I care about is the part that is pressing on the nerve and causing the numbness in my hand.
I don't like that numbness thing AT ALL.
It totally brings flashbacks from my ruptured disc incident in 1992. That darn thing ruptured while I was washing my hair. Bizarro. But you have to realize that I'd been hurting it through the repetitive action of Abe--psycho horse from hell--daily dumping my ass in the dirt.
And if my Google search gives me any direction, then I'd have to say the culprit is the cyst pressing on the nerve.
I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon . . . well, actually his PA (physician's assistant) and I have an appointment tomorrow.
From what I can tell, the best case scenario is meds to decrease the inflammation and physical therapy to help repair the tear, and maybe draining the cyst--if it's that type of cyst.
Worst case scenario would be surgery and subsequent physical therapy.
As long as my fingers have the ability to type, then I'm good.
If not . . . well, then I guess I'll have to learn Dragon Speak software . . . though I sometimes wish I had it loaded since I think too much about HOW I want to write something instead of just writing it down. The beginnings of stories are always hard this way.
Next week the kidlet is at her last camp for the summer and I'll finally finish, PIPER AND THE EVERBERRY SOCCER GAME.
I'll let you know if there is anything exciting to report with the shoulder, but I doubt it.
Later, peeps!
I would love to dictate into DragonSpeak but I "hear" myself talking and lose track of my thoughts. I never did learn the art to dictation, even back in my clinical days when I could have dictated my notes. I wrote everything.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried it, Cyndi, but it sounds like something I might be able to utilize. Years ago, the hubs had one of the original versions of Dragon, but he could never train it right. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got a diagnosis. Sad that you have all of that going on.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready for a new story!
The saga continues with my shoulder. The pain and lack of movement is due to the rotator cuff tear, but it doesn't explain the numbness. Took X-rays of my neck--let's just say I'm getting another MRI this next week.
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