Saw the shoulder doc today. It's always a weird visit and I sometime wonder why they keep having me go back. They don't plan on doing anything and I could have just stayed home.
The PA comes see's me first. I tell her how I am doing, yes the shoulder still hurts, yes I am doing my exercises, yes it is worse at night and sometimes the pain is bad enough I can't sleep. Someday's it isn't very bad and sometimes it is bad enough it is beyond my pain tolerance. Not that they give you anything for pain but I mention it anyway. I tell her about the new nerve thing going on on my forearm and the pain that run down my arm at times. She talks about surgery. We talk about outcome.
10 minutes later he comes in and asks me to raise my arm. Then tells me it looks good and to start increasing my weight limit and off he goes. See you in 6 weeks he says.
You know, it's not like I really want surgery. And I have gotten used to the limitations. I miss working in my garden and hate not being able to do everything around the house I used to do. But I have to wonder still but don't have the courage to ask. Is this the recommendation you would give me if this wasn't a work comp? And if we aren't going to do anything why do I still come back every six weeks? And if using the arm isn't going to make it worse why not lift my restrictions so I don't have to bother my co-workers to help me? I mean it has been over 6 months since I hurt my arm. If it was going to get better wouldn't it have done it by now?
But I don't want to come off like I don't trust him or respect his opinion and my mother ingrained that do not be rude in me so much I have trouble asking some of these questions. I don't want him to think I am accusing him. But I think it. Would it be the same? If it was his mother or wife.......
Anyway, enough of that. Could be worse. Rick just made me another outstanding meal of pork chops and fresh steamed broccoli. It is hard to lose weight with him around. And he just told me the babies sparrows just left the nest and I missed them. Darn. I knew it was close.
We have been bothered every night by 2 raccoons coming into the back yard and eating at the feeders. That wouldn't bother me but they fight, loudly. I told Rick to stop putting out seed for awhile and maybe they will find some greener pastures. Now that the baby sparrows are gone the parents can go further to look for food. We are expected some severe weather tonight so I hope it doesn't get loud and scary. I want to sleep well since it is my last night off.
Well, guess that is all I have to ramble about tonight.
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school."
Albert Einstein
9 comments:
Julie, I guess I'm not as polite as you. Is this the first doc you've seen? My shoulder was getting worse after 6 months of therapy and the first guy I saw barely listened after he told me the MRI results and just said to do 2 more months of therapy.
Hello? Did you just hear me say I'm getting worse despite therapy?
There was no way in hell I was doing more therapy when I was doing it already, getting worse, and we now knew I had a bad rotator cuff tear causing it that could be fixed.
I'm all for being polite, but have you gotten a second opinion?
Julie--Sorry. I realize that maybe sounded kind of blunt. Didn't mean it that way to you at ALL. Just a little of my retained hostility toward the first surgeon coming out I guess.
Of COURSE, you don't want surgery, but I'm guessing you want to get better, so it might not hurt to ask another surgeon if they think surgery might help you.
I understand the hesitation. After the first surgeon, when I saw my primary to get on Prozac, I asked his opinion--"Do you think I'm crazy to see another surgeon and ask him if he thinks surgery will help me? It's not that I want to have surgery, but nothing else is working!" He was in absolute agreement and made me feel like I was definitely NOT crazy to get another opinion.
Do what's best for YOU!
Surely increasing the weight limit will increase the pain which you told them was sometimes past tolerable levels? With intractable pain you need some other course of treatment. I hope you get it.... see another doctor, it can't hurt! Jeannette xxxx
I would think raising the weight limit will increase the pain since it is already doing that. If not for the workman's comp my advice would be to go ahead and have the surgery. In my opinion this should have already been done so that you would be on the road to recovery by now. It does take quite a while for the surgery to heal but you are in pain anyway. So the pain could have been used to heal so to speak. I think that doc is just doing what work comp wants him to do. Sorry to sound so blunt but that is my opinion.
When I had mine done the doc wanted to know why I waited so long and I told him I was waiting until my insurance came into effect.
Helen
I usually wasn't rude, though sometimes I was, but I was always forceful when advocating for Dad. And many people do ask: If it were your sister, wife, mother..I think that is valid. ~Mary
Julie,
YOu have to push for yourself when there are health issues such as yours. This is not going to go away until you have an operation on it. If it is torn then it needs fixing as it wont do it itself.
In six weeks time I hope you pluck up the confidence to ask for a second opinion. This is your quality of life and your future work prospects in the balance. When you know there is a remedy for it all and an end to the pain..push yourself to the front of the queue my dear friend. You are much too patient at putting up with all this pain and discomfort.
Using it again as they suggest is only going to make matters worse.
You are important not just for yourself and family but the patients whom you look after too. Think of that and go for it next time you see your 'doctors'.
Caring for you very much.
Love
Jeanie xxxx
Oh you poor thing! Ugh, shoulders!! What a nightmare.:(
That is the problem with being well brought up, we end up not getting what we need a lot of the time.
My surgeon is a lovely man, in a prestigious practice, but I am worse after this last surgery that was supposed to make me better. The pain medication barely helps because I am thinking I am probably habituated to it by now. Eighty mg. of oxycontin a day. I should be in heaven but instead I am in agony.
I have been in PT for almost a year total. My new PT is doing everything but stand on her head to help me. But we are both at the end of our ropes.
And now everyone is falling back on the MS as the reason for everything.
All I can add is to echo HMD and your other commenters. A second opinion can't hurt.
I will keep you all in my prayers. I feel as though that is the only 'treatment' I have left. Is there a patron saint of shoulders?!? lol
Sorry your shoulder is taking so long to get better. Why is it pain is always worse at night I am finding that with my knee. getting a lot of reading done. Keep smiling Love Joan.
I believe I'd be have some serious, in depth conversations with both the PA and the Dr. on my next visit if I wasn't better.
ASK the doctor what he'd do if it was his wife or mother! The more you talk the more you make him realize you are a person not a just a worker's comp case.
And yeah. I believe it being a WC case is why you are being treated this way.
Post a Comment