Bursitis

I saw the orthopedist this morning. First I filled out a form, which included a lot of questions about things like levels of pain and what I can and can't do with the shoulder, including a couple to which the real answer was "I don't know, I'm not stupid enough to have tried it/that's not how I'd lift a gallon of milk," but seemed basically sensible and relevant. I was pleased to be looking at a form that asked about my regular exercise and write "walking and weightlifting." Then I talked to a physician's assistant, who asked more sensible questions (and remembered catelin when I mentioned where I'd heard about Dr. McCann), and then to the orthopedist.

He looked at the films briefly, I think, but paid more attention to the results of examining me (can I raise my arm straight up, does it hurt when he moves it like this, that sort of thing), my answers to his questions, and the MRI report. He is fairly sure it is tendonitis of a particular part of the shoulder, commonly known as bursitis. One thing I liked was that he asked me what bothered me most about the shoulder problem; I thought about it a little, and said it's the curtailment of activity, both things I haven't been doing--lifting weights in particular--and the need to stop and think and use my left hand instead of my right.

The next step is physical therapy. Dr. McCann said that I should allow six weeks of PT before concluding that it has or hasn't done the job. He said that it clears up 70% of cases. Having been out all day, I probably can't do much toward that until Monday--my GP is closed on weekends--though if anyone has recommendations for a physical therapist in New York City, please let me know. I do, however, also have a sheet of exercises that I can do as soon as I like. I can also go back to the gym, with the caveats that I should avoid exercises that raise that arm above the shoulder, and that if something hurts the shoulder, I should stop. I forgot to ask about the leg presses, which have some weight pressing down on the shoulder; more research may be called for, or the physical therapist, when I find/select one, may know.

If the PT doesn't work, I go back to Dr. McCann for a cortisone shot. If that doesn't work either, we can discuss arthroscopic surgery.

Wandering and gathering

"Gathering" in this case means largely unplanned shopping, not literally going out into woods and fields and picking fruit and greens and such.

After seeing the orthopedist, I met L (WINOLJ) for general socializing. First, we wandered around the Union Square Greenmarket; exercising self-restraint because I didn't want to overburden either my shoulder or L's generous willingness to carry things for me, I bought only about a pint each of black raspberries and tristar strawberries: no other fruits, no herbs, no plants. There's always tomorrow on Isham Street. We had lunch at Veselka, which didn't have the cucumber soup we'd expected from L's recent visit, but did have blueberry pierogi, tea, goat cheese and arugula pierogi, and of course lentil soup and lemon bundt cake. And no desire to hurry us along, so that was good.

We wandered, talked more, looked in various thrift stores, where we found nothing we liked, and Three Lives and Company, which produced pleasant air conditioned conversation, blank cards, a book of poetry, and L's observation that everything she can think of that she's looking for is at least a decade old, and most of those out of print. After a while of enjoying the air conditioning and explaining to a helpful shopkeeper that we didn't need specific help, I paid for my finds, and we made our way to Christopher Street, where I got more Assam tea at McNulty's. Thence, up Hudson to Myers of Keswick--rysmiel, remind me to pack your Fry's Turkish delight next week. My feet were getting tired, and L was feeling peckish, so we went a few blocks north, to a Chino/Latino place that was somewhat disappointing. Specifically, the tea was green instead of black, and I've had much better dumplings. By then, though, it was 6:00, and time for me to come home, have tea I liked, and ice my shoulder.

Wandering and gathering

"Gathering" in this case means largely unplanned shopping, not literally going out into woods and fields and picking fruit and greens and such.

After seeing the orthopedist, I met L (WINOLJ) for general socializing. First, we wandered around the Union Square Greenmarket; exercising self-restraint because I didn't want to overburden either my shoulder or L's generous willingness to carry things for me, I bought only about a pint each of black raspberries and tristar strawberries: no other fruits, no herbs, no plants. There's always tomorrow on Isham Street. We had lunch at Veselka, which didn't have the cucumber soup we'd expected from L's recent visit, but did have blueberry pierogi, tea, goat cheese and arugula pierogi, and of course lentil soup and lemon bundt cake. And no desire to hurry us along, so that was good.

We wandered, talked more, looked in various thrift stores, where we found nothing we liked, and Three Lives and Company, which produced pleasant air conditioned conversation, blank cards, a book of poetry, and L's observation that everything she can think of that she's looking for is at least a decade old, and most of those out of print. After a while of enjoying the air conditioning and explaining to a helpful shopkeeper that we didn't need specific help, I paid for my finds, and we made our way to Christopher Street, where I got more Assam tea at McNulty's. Thence, up Hudson to Myers of Keswick--rysmiel, remind me to pack your Fry's Turkish delight next week. My feet were getting tired, and L was feeling peckish, so we went a few blocks north, to a Chino/Latino place that was somewhat disappointing. Specifically, the tea was green instead of black, and I've had much better dumplings. By then, though, it was 6:00, and time for me to come home, have tea I liked, and ice my shoulder.