Let me preface this post with the fact that I am BLESSED! Throughout my life, I never broke a major bone (a few fingers here and there) I never had major surgery which some might call it luck but honestly, I was fortunate. Growing up, I played competitive sports all year round. I was rough on my body. I played softball in college as a pitcher and outfielder. There was a lot of stress and torque on the shoulder throughout the years.. A few setbacks during my career but nothing major.
Fast forward to present day, we’re talking 20 plus years later and I knew something was wrong. As a Gen X’er I’ve been taught to push through it. And let’s be real, I’m not trying out for the New York Yankees any time soon (or ever) and at 48, clearly my pitching days are over! But, it got to a point that I struggled to do simple everyday life moves. For example, as a teacher, writing on the board, I had trouble washing my hair, downdog in Yoga was done but not without shooting pain running from shoulders, down through my triceps and biceps. Push-ups, pull-ups?!? Forget about it.
I bathed myself in icy hot, biofreeze, essential oils; all of it. I did mobility, stretching, ice, cryotherapy, I tried it all; no dice. Then came the X-Rays and MRI’s. The T word was uttered to my dismay. Torn. Labrum, torn, there’s also a slight tear in the rotator cuff. .
TORN
My shoulder is torn, now what…the S word, surgery or suffer in pain. I don’t mind pain but I was struggling; my workouts were not meeting my expectations because of my shoulder, and so for me surgery was my only option.
SURGERY #1
July 2023 I had my first surgery to repair a torn labrum. I also had a bicep tenodices which repairs the tendon that connects the bicep muscle to the shoulder. After surgery, I had high expectations. I was motivated, determined, and disciplined with my rehab and physical therapy.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
I started physical therapy and I was rehabbing at home. I was following doctor’s orders, doing my shoulder exercises and doing everything I could to make my comeback. But after 8 weeks, something was not right. Something was off. My gut (and my shoulder) were talking to me. A few follow-ups with the surgeon, a switch to a different physical therapist and we discovered that I was initially not getting the correct therapy. Long story short, surgery #2.
SURGERY #2
The day of my 2nd surgery, November 10th, 2023. We went to physical therapy right after my surgery and got after it. I say we because that was all Todd my PT and Markell, my husband. I don’t really remember it because of the anesthesia, nerve block and meds.
DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK
Let the comeback part II begin!
My new mantra was to get MAD - It’s an acronym for Mindset And Determination. I kept my same goals from surgery #1. The physical therapists I worked with were amazing, my husband came with me to see what they were doing so he could help me at home. It didn’t happen overnight, it didn’t happen without tears, and it couldn’t have happened without the people in my life that believed in me. I’m not where I want to be just yet! But new goals have been created, with the same mindset and determination to continue to grow and get stronger.
I know there will be hiccups along the way but I also know that “nothing can dim the light that shines from within” - Maya Angelou
Fast forward to present day, we’re talking 20 plus years later and I knew something was wrong. As a Gen X’er I’ve been taught to push through it. And let’s be real, I’m not trying out for the New York Yankees any time soon (or ever) and at 48, clearly my pitching days are over! But, it got to a point that I struggled to do simple everyday life moves. For example, as a teacher, writing on the board, I had trouble washing my hair, downdog in Yoga was done but not without shooting pain running from shoulders, down through my triceps and biceps. Push-ups, pull-ups?!? Forget about it.
I bathed myself in icy hot, biofreeze, essential oils; all of it. I did mobility, stretching, ice, cryotherapy, I tried it all; no dice. Then came the X-Rays and MRI’s. The T word was uttered to my dismay. Torn. Labrum, torn, there’s also a slight tear in the rotator cuff. .
TORN
My shoulder is torn, now what…the S word, surgery or suffer in pain. I don’t mind pain but I was struggling; my workouts were not meeting my expectations because of my shoulder, and so for me surgery was my only option.
SURGERY #1
July 2023 I had my first surgery to repair a torn labrum. I also had a bicep tenodices which repairs the tendon that connects the bicep muscle to the shoulder. After surgery, I had high expectations. I was motivated, determined, and disciplined with my rehab and physical therapy.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
I started physical therapy and I was rehabbing at home. I was following doctor’s orders, doing my shoulder exercises and doing everything I could to make my comeback. But after 8 weeks, something was not right. Something was off. My gut (and my shoulder) were talking to me. A few follow-ups with the surgeon, a switch to a different physical therapist and we discovered that I was initially not getting the correct therapy. Long story short, surgery #2.
SURGERY #2
The day of my 2nd surgery, November 10th, 2023. We went to physical therapy right after my surgery and got after it. I say we because that was all Todd my PT and Markell, my husband. I don’t really remember it because of the anesthesia, nerve block and meds.
DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK
Let the comeback part II begin!
My new mantra was to get MAD - It’s an acronym for Mindset And Determination. I kept my same goals from surgery #1. The physical therapists I worked with were amazing, my husband came with me to see what they were doing so he could help me at home. It didn’t happen overnight, it didn’t happen without tears, and it couldn’t have happened without the people in my life that believed in me. I’m not where I want to be just yet! But new goals have been created, with the same mindset and determination to continue to grow and get stronger.
I know there will be hiccups along the way but I also know that “nothing can dim the light that shines from within” - Maya Angelou
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