Last PT Session… For Now

So I got an MRI last Friday, and set up an appointment for next Monday (the 22nd) for the sports doc to review it.

But the PTs have access to my electronic charts, so they thought they could review it for me on Tuesday. They forgot, so they said they’d take a look at it by this morning. The boss PT (who is the one with access) ultimately decided that it’d be better if the sports doc did the analysis.

…How worrying is that? I’m pretty sure she peeked.

I’d already decided that this morning was going to be my last PT session, pending the MRI results. I know the exercises and the variations, and all I needed to do was verify how I should progress (increase reps first, or weight). My PT was fine with the decision, and kinda sad to see me go, I think.

What was dismaying for both of us, though, was both a follow-up survey on pain levels and abilities, and the second of two push-tests.

As asked in the survey, getting a cup down from the cabinet with my left arm is still uncomfortable and painful. I still wake up in the middle of the night in pain. My maximum pain level is still up at an 8, although the median is a bit better.

That said, my range of motion is better and I’m stronger, as evidenced by the first push-test she did after I exercised, but before I was iced.

Her: Hold your hands out in front of you, palms facing. Now hold still while I push down. …Now in. …Now out. Now hold your hands out to the side, thumbs down…
Me: Hoo-wah. …Eep, ow.

Painful, but better than 5 weeks ago.

After everything was done and I was halfway out the door (I’d been iced and shocked, but the shoulder had warmed back up to near-normal), she did the test again, and the shoulder failed miserably. Sharp pain in one case, the shoulder gave twice, etc.

How fucking discouraging is that? She didn’t even do the full battery.

Happy Friday. To add to to the complaints, I want to cut my eyelid off; I’ve been suffering from my old facial fasciculation this week thanks to poor sleep. Driving. Me. Nuts.

So on Monday morning I’ll find out what’s going on in my shoulder. I suspect that the options will remain what I’ve always thought them to be: surgery, more PT, steroid shots (1-2 more tries), and just living with it.

The last would suck, because I won’t spend the rest of my life doped up in the evenings on hydrocodone. I guess I’d get used to the pain.