Let there be silence

I'm having this shoulder thing. It started bothering me at the end of last summer. I can't pinpoint a particular incident that caused the injury although I think it can be attributed to the weighted work-out bars I just HAD to have for my birthday (shhh... don't tell Pete). In the fall I went to an orthopedic doctor and after the x-rays showed no bone problems, he suggested I have an MRI.

The last time I had an MRI was a very unpleasant experience. I was having migraine-associated vertigo, which they later confirmed as Meniere's disease, and get this; they forgot to give me earplugs. It was like being stuck in a clothes dryer with firecrackers. I mean, I really think my permanent hearing damage is because of that. Halfway through I remembered that I was supposed to have the earplugs. I started waving my hands and flailing my legs to get their attention. My ears rung for days.

So you can imagine what I said to an MRI last fall- no, thank you! I begged for a cortisone shot instead. The doctor wanted me to have physical therapy, but Christmas was coming up along with a pile of debt. I put it off thinking the shot would do the deal and I could be done with it. No such luck.

In fact, it has gotten worse. The funny thing is sometimes it doesn't bother me, except that I can't lift my left arm all the way; but when I try to do something like throw sheets out on a bed or fold table cloths, it hurts like hell. Over the weekend I had a horrible crick in my neck due to the tension from my shoulder. The combination of the two caused another migraine.

Luckily I had made an appointment last week after I discovered I could no longer shave under my arm and I had to wash my hair with one hand. Today was the day I went. Tomorrow is the MRI. I'll keep you posted... and I'll make sure I have earplugs this time.