Journey to Chicago

Early this week John and I made the trip back to my shoulder specialist, Dr. Romeo, in Chicago.

(Very, very briefly for those who may not know I have been on a ten year journey. Exactly 10 years ago this week I was diagnosised with a L frozen shoulder and had several full courses of physical therapy and accupuncture, several examinations by specialists, and an unbelieveable amount of daily narcotics and anti inflamatories just to keep the discomfort somewhat under control. The physical therapy alone usually takes care of 90% of those who experience a frozen shoulder.

I then had a surgical procedure that essentially restored a functional range of motion but the pain persisted. This was supposed to also take care of the pain as well. So I had my second surgery- an exploratory surgery that reveled a significant bursitis and impingement syndrome and oh, interestingly enough, I now had essentially no cartilege on the head of the humorous. After several more months I decided to have a L total shoulder replacement as cartilege does not tend to restore itself. This was followed by extensive physical therapy again and the result was chronic pain but a functional range of motion.) This last surgical procedure was in 2000.

This spring it became painfully apparent that my R shoulder was now a problem. I returned to the specialist and oh, yes, I now had a R frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. After a steriod injection, oral steroids, and anti inflammatories and oh, yes, multiple sessions of physical therapy and accupuncture~ it is still frozen and my range of motion is now worse than what it was in March and May. The good news is that I am finally sleeping pretty well at night thanks to the multiple anti inflammatories, and a night time narcotic. All in all I am much more comfortable most of the time than I was with the first, (L), shoulder situation. So I praise the Lord for that and am trusting God day by day.

Psalm 98:1 tells us to "Sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things. his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory." My arms a frail but I can fully rely on HIM for all things! PTL!