Oh no, here we go again. But I promise it is for the last time; more
about Deanna's shoulder surgery. There is not a doctor in the world
who would go in a forth time, and this next surgery will make number
three. As you are undoubtedly aware, she had a major rotator cuff
surgery some time ago, it got infected and did not heal well. Very
painful and after a period of time the doctor went in again and tried
to stitch some (there are several muscles all involved in there) things
back together.
Not that anything had come loose. They just had not healed, stitched
together. He went back in a second time and seemed to have gotten
all the loose ends tied in (literally stitched tendons to her shoulder bone).
She then started physical rehabilitation and some weight training to
strengthen the area. After a few months of continuing pain, not as bad
as before the second operation, but still way too much pain than there
should be, we asked for yet another MRI (like an X-ray but much
more detailed). It showed that there was still a ten percent area not
tied in. One major muscle that just was not connected. No wonder it hurt.
We went over the images with him earlier this week and could
plainly see the separation and the muscle involved. The muscle
is strong, the weight training did help to make it strong, and we
agreed to have him operate one last time if he would. He had a
full board meeting that same evening with the other seven surgeons.
The surgery will be in about two weeks.
We are not thrilled that she still has problems but are grateful
that it seems to be operable and the doctor is willing to perform
the job. She has actually, very good range of motion but this pain
thing has to go. The prognosis is that it should be a small and
simple operation, much smaller than the others and she should
be pain free as there are no more loose ends in the picture. The
worse case scenario is, she will be as she is now. Not pleasant
to face but, not the probable outcome either.
She may miss putting up an issue somewhere along the line at
that time. Her arm will be in a sling and she will be on a pretty
good bunch of pain medications too but she has typed that way
many times in the past. The arthritis in her left thumb is responding
to the glove she wears at night and the carpel tunnel in her right hand
seems to be calming down likewise. The pain from her facial cancer
surgeries has subsided quite a bit and some of the feeling is even
returning to that side of her face. The problem is, that when it does,
it often hurts. You can't win them all. It has been hard on our little
girl but she is a trouper and still holds her head as high as she can.
I lied. This will not be the last time I write about this. I will keep
you posted on her progress. ~ James Castwell
