Saturday, April 18, 2009

Two Left Arms

I have a bunch of glam shots of my right shoulder sitting on the dining room table. Dave and I spent a long time staring at them the other night. Dave pretended to know what he was looking at, and I let him, because we were bored waiting for the kids to get home to watch LOST. But really all we could make out was my port, which I really didn't feel like looking at if you want to know the truth.

I spoke with my physical therapist briefly, by phone, yesterday. She said I have three things going on with my right arm: tendinosis in the rotater cuff, arthritis in the clavicle and shoulder, and a fraying of the bursa sac under the biceps tendon. I don't know if I said all that just right. I tried to write as she spoke...but I am right handed, and we are talking about my right arm. Plus I think my brain is still vibrating from the jackhammer they used on the MRI tube I was in when they took the pictures of my shoulder. Basically it was latent and pre-existing, and exasperated by the port. Which doesn't surprise me, as it has been so exasperating in general. A cortisone shot may be on tap, to see if I can tap into some relief. I have an appointment with my PT on Tuesday to find out the gameplan.

Meanwhile, I went ahead and played some tennis Friday despite it all. It was too nice a day not to, and besides, the courts behind my house looked like they needed some cheering up after the winter of their disuse. I ended up playing three sets and getting sunburnt. The first set my tennis bud Heidi and I got beaten by fellow tennis buds Aimee and Celina, 3-6. The second set Mikey and I got beaten by Aimee and Heidi, 3-6. The third set, Mikey beat me for his first very happy time, 6-3.

SO MUCH FUN. Worth the sunburn and the fact that I can barely move today.

On the flipside (of my shoulder) I have come to the rather inconvenient realization that the geography of my armpit has changed since the surgeries, rendering it nigh impossible to shave. Just a little kink in things that I thought I would mention, as I am a bit up in arms about it all. Which is not the most attractive thing in the world. And the truth is, I might think it's too inconvenient to do anything about. Even if I haven't mentioned any of this to my poor razor, who has already been through so much, to flippantly go breaking its heart again.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jules, have you had cortisone shots for your shoulder before? Maybe that would be good before your trip so you can enjoy it without so much pain. I bet you did thoroughly enjoy that tennis match, pain aside! Can't wait for the blogs from Italy. When in Rome...
Chris

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie,
Sorry to hear of your triple trouble in the shoulder.
Chuck has had great results with steroid injections in the past. Sometimes the relief was not so great, but always it helped. One important determining factor is the skill of the injector person to get it in the right place. We will pray for that very thing if they decide to do the injection.
Chuck and Becky
PS Whaddyamean about the armpit? Is it like concave and too narrow for sad razor to get into it? You do make me laugh!