An Ortho Tale

There once was a woman who had many shoulder issues. She could not reach for things, could not lift heavy objects, or twist her arms. She had a wrestling match each time she had to change her clothes. Sometimes, she just stayed in her "outside" clothes until someone came home to help her. She was trapped in her own clothes.

She longed to visit the Orthosurg. She tried and tried but was told that she could not make the journey. But with the help of her oncologist, she was able to make the journey to see the Orthosurg.

When the day to visit him finally came, the woman was filled with joy. She couldn't wait to tell him about all the wrestlings she had had. She drove with great anticipation but missed his office and drove back and forth trying to find him. She later realized that the directions on the computer were wrong... very wrong. With a call to her honey, she was able to get the exact address.

She finally made it to the office. And filled out a lot of paper work. She was then taken to a room to have many x-rays of her shoulders taken. She looked this way and that way, trying to lift up her chin so that her head wouldn't get x-rayed.

Then, the moment came when she was finally able to meet the Orthosurg. Such joy! Such happiness! She told him everything about her shoulders. He listened intently to her long and complicated story. He lifted her arms and tried to move them this way and that. It wasn't long before the woman could be heard yelping here and there. The pain was too much to bear.

The Orthosurg told the woman that she had "frozen shoulder." Frozen shoulder she had. Frozen shoulder that was very severe. He decided that it would be best that she get a cortisone shot in her shoulders. Both agreed that this would be best. The other option was too treacherous. It required that the woman go under "light" anesthesia and have her arms stretched in ways that they had not been stretched in a very long time. It was told the woman that she would be in extreme pain after the procedure and that she would have to undergo intensive physical therapy for a fortnight. She was just happy to hear that it wasn't arthritis and that she didn't have to have surgery. She agreed to the cortisone.

The Orthorsurg and his assistant came in prepared to help make the woman's shoulders better. The woman tried not to look at the shots that he carried. She didn't like looking at such things. She turned around and was told the location of where the shots would be administered. The Orthosurg sprayed some numbing agent on the woman's right shoulder. It had been chosen to go first. She felt the skinny needle pierce her flesh but she didn't feel pain. THEN, extreme pain shot through her arm. Pain unimaginable. Pain that made you want to scream at the top of your lungs. Pain that made you feel like someone was killing your arm. But, the woman was "brave"(?). She kept her thunderous screams inside of her. She only let out small yelps of pain.

But then, something else occurred. The woman shed tears. Tears that had not come out when she had had  large needles stuck in her back during childbirth... three times. Tears that had not come out when she had not taken pain medication after her c-sections. The assistant handed her a tissue to wipe away the tears of anguish. One side was done and over.

The Orthosurg let the woman take a little break. He even had the assistant bring her a cup of water to refresh the woman and prepare her for the next shot. As she waited, the woman could feel her arm feeling a bit numb. She could also feel the pounding of her heart. That was when the Orthosurg returned and told her that maybe it was better to get the next shot in two weeks. He said that it wasn't supposed to hurt. The pain that she felt was due to the severity of her condition.

The woman left the office relieved that she only had to get one shot. She drove home embarrassed that she had cried. What was she to do with such pain? She drove and drove and after eating lunch, she fell asleep.

THE END

Translation: I have "frozen shoulder" and got a cortisone shot on my right shoulder. It made me cry. It was painful. I will go for my left shoulder in two weeks. It seems that my right shoulder is pretty severe. Please pray.