After a few days of an improving shoulder situation, I had my appointment with orthopedics today. I stopped taking the Vicodin on Tuesday and have been managing things with just Aleve. The pain has been much less sharp, and much more manageable, so I was optimistic going in. The doctor’s exam confirmed that it seems to be a mild tear, and some impingement. He ran me through a battery of tests, which showed that while I had pain, I still have pretty good strength on the left side, indicating that a tear is very small or even just a strain.
So, I have been referred to physical therapy and start that next week. In the meantime, Noah and I have been doing our best to workout with the available tools (e.g., everything but the left arm). Even so, I can do some things with that arm, like cradle a medicine ball for ab “twisties,” or running with it. Some stuff ends up actually being more challenging, like full sit-ups, because I can’t use both arms to thrust myself up – I have to rely much more on my abs (which, of course, is the point). Still, it’ll be nice to get back to normal workouts – it’s much easier to get my heart rate up and keep it up with the use of my whole body.
Tomorrow morning Sean and I leave for Tennessee – we’re attending the wedding of our friends Laura & John near Knoxville. Because I have a glut of Southwest free tickets thanks to all my travel last year, we’re using those and flying into Nashville and driving over. Friday night will be dinner with a bunch of friends who aren’t in the wedding party, and Saturday should be relaxing till the wedding in the late afternoon.
Sunday lunch we’ll be catching up with a bunch of my family members – at least three of my first cousins and their families, and hopefully one of my aunts. Quite a bit of my dad’s family still live in the Knoxville area. He’s one of 7 kids, and 4 stayed in that area. Two have since passed on, but there are assorted spouses, kids, and kids’ kids scattered around. It’s been over 12 years since I’ve been there, so I’m sure I won’t recognize most of the youngest generation, many of whom were toddlers last time I visited.