CLAVICLE

The Adventure Continues

Today, PG had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.

The surgeon was kind enough not to comment about what a contrast PG’s shoulder was to those attached many of his other patients, genuine athletes.

The doctor said he could perform a surgery to insert a funny little bent plate and screw the plate onto PG’s clavicle to hold things together. Then, in three or four months, another surgery would be necessary to remove the bent plate because while it was in place, PG would be unable to raise his arm higher than his shoulder.

The second approach would be to do nothing at all, which would result in the broken chip healing into the rest of PG’s clavicle. This would result in a bony clavicle knob that would be visible in x rays, but unlikely non-observable for those who glanced at PG’s shoulder.

The doctor was willing to go either way at PG’s discretion.

Suffice to say, a choice of having two surgeries or an invisible knob was not difficult for PG to make.

Knob it is.

Bonus Quote:

We are reaching deep within ourselves to adjust the master knob.

Kevin Kelly

PG expects to be blogging again tomorrow.

5 thoughts on “CLAVICLE”

  1. Some conditions are best treated by rest and natural healing.
    Even in the sports world.
    At least one form of cancer that shows up late in life is so slow progressing that it isn’t fatal. Other conditions do in the patient first. That’s life. Entropy always wins in the end.

    Fortunately, yours, while painful and annoying, is in the first category.
    Just take your time and don’t push it. Nature works at its own speed. Refuses to be rushed.

  2. Less invasive is always safer and better in the end, even if it’s not perfect. As I keep telling my injured mother, take the time you need to heal. I hope your recovery is relatively easy.

  3. Wow! So sorry you’re going through this. Rest and take it easy. For me and my knee this has gone the other way, where time did not heal as I prefer (facing down osteoarthritis). But your prognosis sounds good, and I definitely agree with the not-having-surgery-unless-absolutely-necessary option. Take good care of yourself.

  4. My doctors looked at the part of my humerus (knob) that had pulled away from the ball end, and decided much the same. Will know for sure, on the 19th, when my next ortho visit occurs.
    From the occasional uneven movement, rather than the former smooth rotation, I may have a similar outcome.
    My general rule is to avoid/delay surgery when it comes to joints. The replacements have about 12-15 year life. Then they need replacement again. OTOH, materials, expertise, and cost will drop in that timeline.

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