Inconclusive

It seems with even the most advanced technology (MRIs), the powers-that-be still cannot be sure what's wrong with my shoulder. The MRI showed inflammation and possibly something 'torn' but can't tell for sure. So doctor gave me two cortisone shots in the shoulder and told me to set up some appointments with the physical therapist. I said, "Can't you just give me some exercises to do and I'll do them on my own?" He was very skeptical that I would actually do them (which I WOULD HAVE), so I agreed to go to the physical therapist a couple of times to see what he/she would have me do and then get a list of exercises from him/lher.


And if all of that doesn't work he said surgery is the next step. I asked, "What would that entail?" He started talking about things like cutting the tip of my collar bone off and shaving bone off the top of my shoulder, etc. My thought was, "Wow! For not knowing exactly what's wrong, it sure seems like you know exactly what needs to be done in surgery!" I didn't say that out loud, but probably should have. I suspect that what he described is some cookie-cutter, assembly-line type surgery that he does to "cure" all shoulder problems. I'll definitely get a second opinion before anything that drastic occurs. Buyer Beware!


I shopped a bit yesterday for my boys' Christmas presents (both adults, but still my little boys). Will probably spend the day in 'laid-back' mode. Wrapping the few gifts and puttering around.


Bigfoot is going to get some of our propane jugs refilled today and that's about all he's got on his schedule.

Underfoot (our pug) will be his usual self and be 'under foot' all day.

Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays to everyone out there in the big ol' blogosphere---From Bigfoot, Littlefoot, and Underfoot.

22 December 2011

I'm sitting here nursing the beginnings of a cold. What nice timing . . .

On Monday I had an MRI done on my injured shoulder. I'll go tomorrow morning and find out the results. At the moment, my neck is hurting me way more than my shoulder. It's hell getting old!

I have NOT done my Christmas shopping. Thank goodness there's not that much to do. Our families are not into the out-of-control consumerism that seems to be the key inGREEDient of the holiday season. I look forward to December 21st each year more than I look forward to the 25th because I know that after that, the days are now getting longer . . . Yea!!!

Bill and I went to a Lyle Lovett concert at Bass Hall on Tuesday night. That was our gift to each other (and our annual date!). We had a great time, but it made for a late night for us homebodies.

No specific plans for the day . . .I feel kinda guilty sending Bigfoot off to work while I stay home on my break.

Obviously, not much going on here . . .

Sunday, December 11

Littlefoot here!

I'm here putting off grading papers and doing next week's lesson plans. But it's inevitable that some time today that's what I'll be up to. . . .

Our cats are maturing and reproducing and still mostly wild. We gradually tame one at a time and become semi-attached to him/her. Then that particular cat disappears. We've come to believe that we're signing the death warrant of whatever cat is next in line to be tamed. So far the order of taming and disappearance is as follows: Geddy, Tillie, Shybo, and Remmie. Next in line for disappearance is either Michelle (a solid black cat named after our First Lady) or Sox..

But ya gotta feed 'em, right? Ya can't just let 'em freeze and die. And now Bigfoot has a propane heater out in the shack that he turns on for them at night so they don't freeze (He's the 'cat man.' They're his children). We figure they're out there gestating a whole new generation. Yippee!!

I injured my shoulder on the Sunday that we were returning from the cabin during our last trip down at Thanksgiving. We were in Alpine and Bill was in Subway getting us some sandwiches. I was sitting in the passenger's seat and attempted to lift a very heavy book bag (damn heavy chemistry textbook, etc) over my shoulder between the seats into the back seat. About half-way through that manuever a loud POP! came from my shoulder---and that was that . . .

I went to the doctor the next day and we decided to take a 'wait and see' approach. I've been wearing a sling for two weeks to school (hoping things would get better). Some days it seems better--other days not. Certain motions are fine, others painful. Tomorrow afternoon I will visit the orthopedic specialist and go from there.

It's been a real pain in the ass because it's my left shoulder and I'm left-handed.

We miss being at the cabin. It sucks!

Later . . . .I've been trying to post this blog all day and Blogger won't let me. Sheesh!

Got my lesson plans done . . .Yea! As for grading papers--why do today what I can put off for another day? It's not like my students really care about their grades (until the last week of the grading period, of course--Then it's panic time).