Wednesday June 17,2009: Shoulder MRI results

Nothing horrible or earth-shattering. Continuing mild arthritis in my shoulder with a few small labral tears which can happen with aging and arthritis. I have to start the shoulder exercises regularly (in addition to all the knee ones) and go back in August.

Monday June 14, 2009

One more day to go to get the results of the shoulder MRI. I should know by this time tomorrow. Good news or bad news. COnsidering I wasn't called a few days afterward by the rheumy office (which is what happened back in Sept. 07 when an MRI scan showed 2 meniscus tears), I have my hopes up that it isn't anything more than a diagnosis of advancing arthritis, although it could also be a huge bone spur poking at my bicep tendon which is why it has gotten tendinitis several times. We'll see!
Meanwhile we attended a lovely wedding on Friday afternoon. I did wear heels for about 2 hours, after which I switched to my sneakers which I had in my purse. My ankles are feeling better but a couple of times a day at least, I've felt this kind of shocky electric feeling there, especially if I put my foot down wrong and my arch gets hit in the wrong spot. I see Dr. Gray on Friday afternoon and will mention it.
Twice in the last couple of weeks, I managed to jar my right leg, making the whole thing, the new knee and everything else. Youch. Left knee had some sharp pains last night. Surprise surprise (not). And my left hip has been aching since we got back from Boston. Urgh!
Meanwhile I got my itemized hospital bill which to me confirms that I had spinal anesthesia for my partial knee replacement, even though I had said I didn't want. I keep thinking perhaps I agreed to it when I was in LaLa Land and don't remember anything. Who knows! Wednesday marks 9 months, which is hard to believe. I'll be back tomorrow with the results of the scan.

Monday June 1, 2009: Shoulder MRI

I had the scan this morning. My head was in between 2 round things so I was the sandwich in a hamburger roll! But I could look out and see the wall where they had clouds painted. I used a spot on them as a focal point. And I managed to doze off. At one point, I remember waking up and moving my leg. At the end of the scan, the technician told me she did do one rescan because I moved, but apparently more than just my leg! I'm glad she didn't tell me while doing it that she was going to need to rescan something again! No headphones for the MRI room. It's through a speaker system. In the web site below (the practice's site), I had it in the middle picture labeled Open MRI but my head was where the person in the picture's feet are and my feet were where her head is. The bottom picture is of the extremity MRI which I've used for a knee and an ankle.

http://nerad.com/mri.htm

The disk with the scan will be delivered to the rheumy office. I don't need to pick it up so I won't get a sneak peak of the report. Hopefully, the rheumy PA will call me if there is something significant found on the scan, so I don't have to wait until June 16, which is when my next appointment is with her.

Saturday May 30, 2009: MRI is scheduled

When I got home from work on Thursday the 28th, Henry told me that Arthritis Associates called to say I didn’t need pre-approval for the MRI and I should call Northeast Radiology for an appointment. So I called and have an appointment for Monday June 1 at 11AM. I was offered appointments for Friday or Saturday but each happened to fall in the 4-hour period I was scheduled to work on those days so I took the Monday appointment. I got a reminder call on Friday afternoon before work. I need to be there between 10:30 and 10:45 for paper work. The appointment, btw, is for an open machine in the Brewster office, which is very convenient to home. Hoping to have to pick up the disk before my appointment so I’ll get to see (possibly) the report before my June 16 appointment, although if there is something bad (like some kind of tear-which I doubt), I’ll get a call before that.

And my new knee has been doing very well this week, with all the hours I've worked, including several days in a row. I'm working tomorrow for 6 hours and then I'm off until Thursday.



On my Google alerts for knee replacement earlier this week, there was a link to an article that was mangled by a web site. I contacted the writer who liked my silly knee pictures. I think it's the funniest thing (only because of the manging) I've ever read about knee issues. It makes me wonder if people with knee issues should've used more Tilex (read the article to see why I ay that)! Here is a link to the mangled article:

http://www.knowreally.com/insurance/surgical-treatment-of-knee-knee-arthroscopy/

Wednesday May 27, 2009: The shoulder

I'm home from my appointment. Other knee wasn't touched, but discussed briefly. We discussed the posterior tibial tendinitis. SHe poked my shoulder and determined it is mostly the bicep tendon again which is causing the most pain. So I got a shot in the tendon (done anteriorally) and I found out it's Kenalog in the shot, with Marcane (sorry if I'm misspelling those). We also discussed the fact that I've had numerous issues with the shoulder (right) and haven't had an MRI of it in at least 4 years so another will be done---waiting for a call. The prescription for it actually says "persistent pain despite cortisone x3. R/O rotator cuff tear." Hopefully there isn't a rotator cuff tear----that was the reason given for my 1st shoulder MRI so I shouldn't be surprised to see those words again. We also discussed that there is some syndrome or disorder (can't recall the name) that causes multiple tendon issues, but she doubts that's the problem since I have known looser joints making repetitive injuries easier. She also mentioned (we discussed a lot) that Supartz has now been approved for shoulders. which might be an option, along with some more PT. I go back on June 16, which is when I had my original appointment scheduled for to get the results of the MRI and if my other shoulder is bothering me then (it isn't nearly as bad as the right shoulder), maybe I'd get a shot in it then.

Tuesday May 26, 2009: My Aching Shoulders

Arthritic shoulders are really bothering me so I called the rheumy office because there is no way I can wait until mid-June for the already-made appointment. Lucky for me I have an appointment for tomorrow morning. I can barely reach behind me without pain and could barely pick up a large bottle of dishwashing soap this morning. Feet are feeling better, although slightly worse than they were before I had to work 3 days in a row this past weekend. Don't know what will happen working 4 days in a row, from Thursday-Sunday later this week but I guess I'll manage.

Saturday May 16, 2009: A diagnosis!

Despite the anterior tibial tendon bothering me (he says it's irritatated), I actually have posterior tibial tendonitis. I am to ice the area once a day until I see him next and he gave me an additional pair of orthotics to use for additional arch support with the pair he liked the other day. They apparently will move the stress from the tendon. He said (and I only saw after he said so) I have swelling below the medial side of my ankle and some thickening in there. I need to research but at least I know what it is. I go back in 5 weeks, and if there is no improvement, he'll give me a shot of cortisone which can possibly cause rupturing of the tendon, but that is unlikely. Hopefully things will not come to that. I do have to go out today and get some different socks because my shoes, with 2 orthotics in them, won't fit with the regular socks I wear and I can't count on it being nice out so I can just wear my little quarter socks.

I've added the picture of the problem. Actually here's another picture, labelled better!