ADRSupport Community - new "old" member

Greetings to all,

I'm back after quite a long absence, and it's very good to see all the familiar "faces".

The arthroscope on my right shoulder over 4 years ago proved to be devastating to the already damaged joint, and the continued loss of ROM and attempting to adjust to a new "normal" has taken a toll.

So, I haven't posted here as this forum is for spine patients, but I was really hoping to find another forum of similar caliber just for shoulder injuries/arthroplasty. Unfortunately, there are none.

As I look back at a post I made in October 2013, it's evident that I cancelled one arthroscope after speaking with Dr. Zeegers. Even though he specialized in spines, he was well versed in many other orthopedic problems, and I believe if I had listened to him there may have been a chance not to have the current diagnosis of severe degenerative OA and proposed treatment of TSR.

The increase in pain over the next few months and the illusion of a conclusive diagnosis in December of that same year was attractive to me, so I went forward and agreed to surgical repair of a torn labrum in Feb., 2014. I will not elaborate on the specifics of the so called "minimally invasive" arthroscopic surgery and everyting else the surgeon elected to do while under anesthesia and most assuredly without previous discussion.

I continue to research alternatives to the TSR because if performed inadequately it may cause even further disability. After fully repatriating in 2014, traveling to Europe for a better standard in orthopedic care is farther out of reach.

With each passing month and the reality that I may never find a suitable treatment for my shoulder OA diagnosis, it's still wonderful to see patients still exchanging good data here and receiving the best care for their spines!

Cheers,
Holly

Torn annulus L4/L5
Succesful ADR (Active L), Aug., 2009
Bonn, GE - Dr. Zeegers