Oddly enough, these do actually go together. (image from: http://physioguy.com/3-biceps.html)
Of the many things I complain about on this blog, I've probably complained a couple of times about my right shoulder. I injured it while swing dancing with my ex-boyfriend back in the summer of 2000. It was right before we broke up; we were going swing dancing and had gotten into an argument over whether I did the move he wanted me to or not (I tend to date men who don't : follow the swing rule "the follow is always right", which ends up with a number of swing-related spats). Anyway, there was some tension while we were dancing (and not the good kind) when he jerked my follow arm up into the air, causing shooting pain in my shoulder. It ached for a while, but then the pain went away, beginning a 8 year cycle of lots of pain followed by periods of no pain, failed physical therapy, and an definite inability to diagnose what the hell was wrong anyway.
This summer it got so bad I woke up 3-4 times a night. I was losing sleep and miserable. So, I finally made another apt to see a specialist. The apt was yesterday and fortunately/unfortunately was during a no-pain swing. However, we think we were able to figure it out: it seems that I have tendonitis in the tendon coming out from the top of the bicep. This is a condition aggravated by typing at a computer and carrying heavy loads in my backpack - both of those actions have in turn caused me to hunch my shoulders and raise my scapula, which is making the entire thing worse. Are we surprised? No.
The good news: he understands I'm a student with somewhat crappy insurance and gave me exercise to do at home w/o physical therapy, and the availability to come in a make an apt to try a cortizone injection in the tendon sheath should the pain get too bad. In the meantime, while in a pain-free cycle I'm to do exercises, stretch, strengthen, and ice, ice, ice. Advil for 5 days if pain kicks up and then switch to Tylenol. considering I was terrified I had a rotator cuff tear (even though I didn't have the weakness associated with one), having to get an MRI and having to get surgery, this is the best news I've heard in weeks. We finally think we've figured out what it is and I have a way of dealing with the problem.
And now, the babies...
Via facebook, I just found out the same ex-boyfriend and his wife of 2 years are expecting their first child. It's not a surprise, he's always wanted a gaggle of kids, but it's the first ex of mine to reproduce. I'm happy for him, and I feel a little odd about it. I guess sit sort of reminds you of the grad school bubble when people you were close to have moved on to the "next phases" in life. At the same time, I sincerely hope that he and his cute redheaded wife have lots of cute little red headed babies and spread more Irish into the world.
Oh yeah, and we ordered a camera, it'll be here Friday or Tuesday. Hooray!
I'm glad you can get cortisone shots when it gets really bad. I always tell people ICE IBUPROFEN ETC but when the pain has been there for 8 years and it's waking you up at night, it's time to look into other options.
ReplyDeleted'oh! Well, I once had tendonitis in my shoulder from softball for several seasons, and more recently in my left knee when running on pavement of uneven roads in Taiwan. The good thing I can say is that after a lot of downtime with the shoulder (two years of no exercise and beer drinking at VT) and recently lighter on the knee--more swimming, some biking and only some treadmill running for two months combined with yoga twice a week-- seemed to work.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
PS My ex of from college (1998-2000 we dated) got married at 24 and has popped out two kids already. On the other hand, his wife and him live in nowhere VA in a house/trailer and we haven't spoken in years. He was a certified jackass back then (clinically diagnosed as bipolar several months after we broke up!) so hopefully that isn't getting taken out on the kids...