My shoulder diagnosis is in. I have a torn labrum. It’s not the “Tom Brady” kind, but rather the “Old Lady” kind. That is to say, it’s a degenerative tear. In a way, that’s a good thing, because it means I didn’t bring this upon myself through a specific activity. In another way, it’s a horrible thing, because it means my body is just plain wearing out and at any moment I might become incapacitated due to nothing more than age. But, at least in this case there is some good news: a torn labrum can be fixed surgically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now I have to decide if I want the surgery. I think I can use my experience with my knee as my guide. I injured my knee when I was in middle school. After the swelling went down and the pain stopped, it seemed to be okay, but over time it proved to be unstable. I stopped doing things that required knee stability. It affected how I lived my life. Over time it got worse, eventually requiring surgery. Since the surgery, it is much better than it was, but it often hurts when I walk. All of this might have been avoided if I’d had surgery immediately after the injury. But, I didn’t know I had a torn meniscus or how it would affect my knee over time. Even if I had, surgery probably wouldn’t have been an option back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s how this shoulder problem is different. I know exactly what’s wrong, and I know how bad it can get. Though my shoulder has felt better lately, simply demonstrating my range of motion to the doctor yesterday made it hurt for hours afterward, a reminder that the pain can start again at any moment. And, through my experience with my knee, I know how that’s likely to affect my life. I will limit the use of my arm and avoid certain activities. And because the shoulder has already caused me so much more suffering than the knee, I won’t merely be wary of using it. I’ll live in constant fear of a flare-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don’t want to live like that, and I don’t have to. The surgeon who fixed my knee also does shoulder surgeries. I’ll call him next week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My shoulder diagnosis is in. I have a torn labrum. It’s not the “Tom Brady” kind, but rather the “Old Lady” kind. That is to say, it’s a degenerative tear. In a way, that’s a good thing, because it means … Continue reading