Tag Archives: specialist

wilderness

“Carpal tunnel” What? “There is nothing wrong with your ulnar nerve.” The neurologist spoke in the soft, mixed British-Asian accent of highly educated students from that part of the world. “It is all median nerve. Carpal tunnel.” Never mind that … Continue reading

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not so small

“Trace the exact path of your pain for me.” I sit on a padded exam table facing the neurologist, having passed the slew of tests to determine if the pain and numbness in my hands is due to something in … Continue reading

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happening

My surgery is scheduled for four days from now. I spent my spare post-holiday hours drilling down on the research, gathering what few common factors I could glean from the various case studies. I brought my resulting bevy of questions in for … Continue reading

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the beginning of the end

“What about under here? Did they give you a cortisone shot back here, under the scapula?” My right shoulder throbbed, sending slicing pains up into my neck. My arm was bent down and backwards in such away as to expose … Continue reading

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blues before and after (part 2)

Instead of talking about what the new specialist did yesterday afternoon, I’d rather talk about what he didn’t do. He didn’t talk down to me. He didn’t brush my symptoms aside. He didn’t see “nothing remarkable,” about my shoulder. He … Continue reading

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blues before and after (part 1)

I see a new doctor today. But any hopes I might have had about the tendon damage as a possible avenue for recovery were consummately dashed by my physical therapist this morning. She read the MRI report and said it … Continue reading

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chastened

I woke up at 5 AM this morning and everything hurt. My shoulders, my back, my legs, my neck, everything. I have one gel wrap that stays in the freezer and another I warm in the microwave. I decided to … Continue reading

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patiens emptor

Back in October, I saw an orthopedist for pain in my shoulder that was radiating up into my neck. He diagnosed a pinched nerve in my cervical spine. He ordered an MRI of my cervical spine. It did not show enough … Continue reading

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the MRI

The MRI report for my rotator cuff and scapula came in the mail yesterday.  I’d asked for a copy to be sent to me as well as to my doctor. I put off opening it until after dinner.  I had … Continue reading

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never gonna get it

As I parked my car at the gym this morning, I saw a woman who had already pulled in to the handicap space next to mine. She had a permanent handicap hang tag (they’re blue; mine is red) suspended from … Continue reading

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