Surgeon says ...

[talyen]

My shoulder has a fourth degree separation (not second degree, as previously stated - and there *are* five degrees of separation).

I snapped four (4) tendons during my bicycle accident last August. No, they don't grow back, and yes, this is the first I'd known about this.

My excruciating pain from my current(ly discontinued) running regimen is due to my shoulder blade bouncing up and down in place with nothing but a muscle or two trying to stabilize it, rubbing on the remaining rotator cuff, which is inflamed.

My options:

A) discontinue activities that will aggravate the shoulder, such as running, biking, swimming, tennis, racquetball, walking vigorously, and many other regular forms of my favorite exercise.

B) surgery to reconstruct the tendons from other tendons and sutures, which has some chance of allowing me to resume activities (and some chance that I'll still be in pain forever)

Physical therapy is not an option because, well, there isn't anything to strengthen that's still attached.

Now I understand. And I'm really disappointed. I know I really can't stand the pain to train for the marathon, but I really want to run in it. My first marathon. I don't want to stop running, even for this week. Every day, every morning, I take running clothes with me, because when I wake up, I feel like I'll be able to stand the pain long enough for a run. And then, I can't. By evening, I can barely lift my arm to change my clothes.

Comments

[renniekins.livejournal.com]

Wow, that totally sucks.

Is there any possibility of a brace or immobilizer?

One good thing: at least this proves you were right about the pain being unacceptable and you weren't just being a wimp or something...

[talyen.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouragement, and the reminder that I am *not* am wimp. (:

Not sure about a brace or immobilizer. Sounds like my scapula is just hanging in space, and surgery would provide the tendons (from where??) and the sutures to give it support.

[renniekins.livejournal.com]

I had a couple of ACL reconstructions in my knees. To reconstruct a ligament, they take a piece of a nearby tendon. Not all of it, just part, and then the tendon is supposed to heal back.

There was also the possibility of cadaver tissue, although I decided not to go that route.

I would not be surprised if a tendon reconstruction would work similarly. Given that you have several missing, cadaver tissue (if an option) might be better... then you wouldn't have to heal from both a removal and the reconstruction at the same time. I kind of regretted not doing that myself.

[legocoach.livejournal.com]

Wow. That Sucks.

Are you seeing a physician who specializes in sports medicine? These are the guys who get football players and professional cyclists competing with broken bones and the like; they may have more strategies. But, yeah, without surgery (and possibly with it), you ain't gonna be up for much running. That sucks.

[talyen.livejournal.com]

I have to switch to a new guy, so I'm going to ask around. I'm seeing someone on Monday, and he presumably sees sports injuries. If I don't like him, I can see more docs (limited only by how many times I want to pay the $25 visit co-pay).

Thanks for the reminder about finding someone who does sports med - my current clinic has sports med in the title, and has seen some big-time athletes, but obviously this doc missed something about getting me back into it. I'll see what the new guys creds are. Good point.

[shadowriderhope.livejournal.com]

How terrible! I'm so sorry to hear. :( I hope if you decide on surgery that it goes incredibly well and gets you back to where you want to be quickly and with a minimum of pain.

[talyen.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the good thoughts, I'm going to need them.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

That sounds thoroughly nasty. Sounds like surgery will be the best choice, just hope that it goes well.

[talyen.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I think it probably is, and I hope it's successful after a 6-month lag.

[rmeidaking.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Shame on the doctors for not finding this sooner. I agree that you're going to be happier for the rest of your life if you have the surgery. You *need* your shoulder to be working.

Hang in there. *hugs*

[treebones.livejournal.com]

Oof. Having once worked for an orthopaedic shoulder surgeon, you have my sympathy. How do you feel about this surgeon? And what kind of repair is he or she suggesting?