As you know by now, most of these posts are For the Record, lest we forget the "small print" of exactly what happened, when and where.
It WAS April Fools Day, Friday, when after lunch at the couch, where we watch the news of the day, I got up way too fast, with something in each hand, and tripped over the footstool in front of me. Not able to use my hands to break the fall, I landed flat on my left shoulder.
Long story short, the Dutch protocol is to go straight to your doctor (NOT to ER), where I got the go-ahead for immediate x-rays at the nearby hospital, followed by a consultation from the ER surgeon (all of which happened in just less than 2 hours). Her prognosis: I broke a piece of bone off my shoulder which was in turn crushed into pieces. No surgery necessary. Just a sling with minimal movement. And an appointment to come back for new x-rays 10 days later and another surgeon's check-up, which was yesterday.
Bottom line: I did NOT break my shoulder bone, after all, but the calcium deposit (red arrow) that sits on top of the tendon that moves the shoulder was crushed. That calcium, which has been growing there for however long from another "accident" (??), was crushed into the tendon like sand, similar to a tendon tear (like in my right shoulder from 2019).
The good news is that I did not BREAK the shoulder; the bad news is that it's probably worse, in that, like my right shoulder, may never completely heal, especially at my age, the surgeon said.
HOWEVER, I don't need to use the sling anymore but need to move the arm as much as possible. I start PT tomorrow and, according to the surgeon, all systems are GO for our scheduled 11 days in Iceland starting May 6th.
I am hugely optimistic that the healing will continue to happen quickly (haven't needed pain meds since last Thursday!). I can already dress myself and do the main cooking I always do. I'm actually quite amazed...and that's no Aprils Fools!
