Surgery!

midget patrol · Sep 27, 2006

I'm probably having reconstructive surgery on my right shoulder before thanksgiving.

I just got back from an MRI after a preliminary visit yesterday with the surgeon. We don't have a surgery scheduled yet, though. I go back to the surgeon a week from tomorrow.

Well, let's start at the beginning, shall we?

I was born with hyper-loose ligaments and tendons along with generally excellent flexibility. For example, I can dislocate both shoulders and both hips on command, hyper extend most of my joints, and reach around my head with my right arm and grab my right ear.

Jump a few (16) years to last october. I was playing in a paintball tournament and took a headfirst dive over and into the snake (it's a long, low bunker: http://www.mafia.azpaintball.cz/clanky-obrazky/snake.jpg). My jersey sleeve caught on a stake and instead of landing with both arms out in front of me, the upper portion of my right arm was vertical when it hit the ground. My shoulder tried to stay put but my body went down. POP. All of a sudden, I was dealing with a posterior shoulder dislocation on the 50 yard-line in a paintball tournament. Basically, i pushed it back in and finished the day, playing conservatively.

I did physical therapy for three months and then stopped because it was strong. It slowly got weaker and weaker until, during august, it was dislocating 3-4 times per week, anteriorly (the opposite direction of the original injury). So I started PT again but after a month, my shoulder was actually getting worse. About a week ago, the physical therapist and I decided that PT wasn't helping and I needed to look into surgery. I'm looking at a 3 month recovery before I get strength and full range of motion back.

So, 11 months after the original trauma, that's where it stands!

ps. I haven't played paintball since the accident.

I can't rock climb now, either.

edit: pps. If my right arm's in a sling, how can i get out and take photos???

LaFoto · Sep 27, 2006

That sounds plain horrible to me!
And the mere word of "dislocated shoulder" does, too ... were you not in some hellish pain? Or aren't you with those very lose ligaments and tendrons?
But maybe some tightening is necessary ... but surgery is no pleasant thought, ever... and a sling round the RIGHT arm, when you need that to take photos, sounds like a complete catastrophe to me!
And how will typing comments to here work?
Keep up updated, will you, so we can send good vibes to you from all over the world when you are in that theatre...!!!

terri · Sep 27, 2006

Holy crap!! :shock: I'd not heard about any of this. Good luck with the surgery. You might be down for three months of recovery, but in the long term it sounds like it will be well worth it.

Jeff Canes · Sep 27, 2006

That does not sound fun at all. Hope it all work out well.

As for photography get a left hand camera. :lol:

You could use a tripod for everything IMO tripod :thumbdown:. Youre Nikoner right? Do they make a battery pack/grip with trigger on the lower front right for your camera, if so you could hold camera up side down and with your left hand. The best option is likely a LH flash bracket and remote trigger.

Mitica100 · Sep 27, 2006

Jeff Canes said:
As for photography get a left hand camera.

Ditto! Older Exaktas were left hand triggered as well as film winding.

Wishing you a fast recovery bro!

JohnMF · Sep 27, 2006

midget patrol said:
edit: pps. If my right arm's in a sling, how can i get out and take photos???

i broke my wrist when i was 18, it wasn't just taking photos you cant do. Simple things like trying to use a fork to eat your dinner become ultra complicated and messy... err, so do a lot of other things, but i'll leave it at that :hertz:

seriously though, the op will sort things out in the long term, good luck with it

midget patrol · Sep 27, 2006

JohnMF said:
i broke my wrist when i was 18, it wasn't just taking photos you cant do. Simple things like trying to use a fork to eat your dinner become ultra complicated and messy... err, so do a lot of other things, but i'll leave it at that :hertz:

seriously though, the op will sort things out in the long term, good luck with it

Thanks, all.

Luckily, I'm left handed! Unfortunately, they don't make left-handed nikon d200s. :lol:

midget patrol · Sep 29, 2006

Update: Talked to the surgeon today and he had my MRI report in hand. They do not confirm a tear, per say, but it also does not dismiss the fact that my shoulder IS dislocating. The surgeon believes that the ligaments have just gotten really loose and really long. The solution is probably going to be orthoscopic surgery to introduce sutures to the ligaments. While they're in my shoulder orthoscopically, they're gonna poke around a bit and see if they can find a tear.

I go to see the surgeons on tuesday and thursday. No surgery scheduled yet.