The Forestry Forum

Health and Safety => Health and Safety => Topic started by: Chuck White on January 20, 2018, 08:24:10 PM

Title: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 20, 2018, 08:24:10 PM
Been told by my Dr's receptionist that I might have a torn rotor-cuff, rotor-cup or whatever it's called!

I'll call in on Monday to schedule an appointment to see for sure, I just hate the thought of SURGERY!

I might have to put one of those "$1.95 Pineywoods" autoclutch attachments on my LT40 for the Summer!

Right now I can't reach straight out in front of myself with my right arm at shoulder height and I can't bring my upper arm above level!  Hurts like well!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: pineywoods on January 20, 2018, 08:50:31 PM
Chuck, it's amazing how well that "$1.95 autoclutch" works. There's a story behind it. Local sawyer and good friend LeroyC has an lt40 super with kubota diesel. For guys our age, pulling the clutch lever is a 2 hands operation. He underwent a quad heart bypass, lifting or pulling anything is an absolute no-no. With a fully hydraulic mill, the only other physical activity is just walking, and that is recommended.  SSOOO, piece of pipe and some rope, and he is back sawing. It really doesn't slow things down as much as one would think.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Don P on January 20, 2018, 09:13:03 PM
Bummer news Chuck! Keep us posted and do what the docs say, yeah that's what everybody told me to do too  :D. I sawed a little on the Belsaw for the first time today since shoulder surgery back in Sept. I've done some on the Lucas but you don't have to turn them. Just played with little ones, he said to keep it cool till March. Is it your dominant arm or da udder one? Brushing your teeth, or your nostrils, wherever it lands, heck a lot of things we take for granite are downright difficult with da udder one. Good luck!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 20, 2018, 10:24:30 PM
Thanks Piney!   :)  I'm absolutely serious about the autoclutch!   ;)

Don; It's my dominant arm, and it's tough doing things lefty!

Can't even reach into the medicine cabinet with my right to get the cup for my partial, I tell you, this ain't going to be easy!  Heck it's tough reaching for stuff on the dinner table, so maybe this will be sorta like a diet!   :-\
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: LIL on January 21, 2018, 03:18:10 AM
Quote from: Chuck White on January 20, 2018, 08:24:10 PM
Been told by my Dr's receptionist that I might have a torn rotor-cuff, rotor-cup or whatever it's called!

I'll call in on Monday to schedule an appointment to see for sure, I just hate the thought of SURGERY!

I might have to put one of those "$1.95 Pineywoods" autoclutch attachments on my LT40 for the Summer!

Right now I can't reach straight out in front of myself with my right arm at shoulder height and I can't bring my upper arm above level!  Hurts like well!

:'( :'( I feel for you - I have been having physio for a number of weeks now for a suspected torn rotor-cuff, finally took my self to the Dr because I couldn't put up with the pain any longer and he is sending me for an x-ray and ultrasound and sounds like it could end in surgery also.  Mine is also my right side (dominant side also) unlike you though I can lift my arm above my head with only a little pain.  I have been like this since the end of November and have only recently started taking pain killers regularly which on a good day seem to help.  The Dr also prescribed codeine for the bad days.  I guess like every one says - do what the Dr says and take things as easy as possible.

LIL
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 21, 2018, 06:37:58 AM
Mine only started with the unmanageable pain, day before yesterday!

Hard to get any sleep last night and this morning is worse than yesterday, this morning I had to comb my hair "left handed"!  It is what it is!

Even operating the mouse left handed is so very awkward!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: thecfarm on January 21, 2018, 08:01:51 AM
That's too bad Chunk.
Good luck to ya.!!!!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Don P on January 21, 2018, 08:39:21 AM
Go carefully with the poppy Lil, we can lay down in a field of those and never get back up, I'm sure you know.
One thing with the MRI which you're both probably about to get. He asked if I had been working with any metal recently, I had. "Were you wearing safety glasses?" Umm, no. And off we went to have my eyes X-rayed. The machine did pull a sliver out of a friend's eye, luckily no damage but it freaked him and the tech out for a few minutes.

Overdid it a little yesterday but not too bad, I know every knot on the bedroom ceiling, easy day :D
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Dave Shepard on January 21, 2018, 09:22:29 AM
Quote from: pineywoods on January 20, 2018, 08:50:31 PM
Chuck, it's amazing how well that "$1.95 autoclutch" works. There's a story behind it. Local sawyer and good friend LeroyC has an lt40 super with kubota diesel. For guys our age, pulling the clutch lever is a 2 hands operation. He underwent a quad heart bypass, lifting or pulling anything is an absolute no-no. With a fully hydraulic mill, the only other physical activity is just walking, and that is recommended.  SSOOO, piece of pipe and some rope, and he is back sawing. It really doesn't slow things down as much as one would think.

Pulling that lever on a Diesel is a pain for any age. I put some hours on an LT40 with a Kubota. If it were my mill, I'd try to use some springs or something to preload it somehow if I didn't have the money for Autoclutch. I can see why Mr. Tom's shoulders were worn out.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: pineywoods on January 22, 2018, 12:00:36 PM
There's a post with pics in the sawmill mods thread, to add a helper spring to the manual clutch. Easy to do and it works well. Search for "J P clutch".
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: petefrom bearswamp on January 22, 2018, 02:51:59 PM
Hope you come out OK chuck.
I feel your pain.
I have had both shoulders done for that problem one in 1995 and the other in 2001.
I guess im too dumb to take it easy.
Surgery wasnt too bad but hated to be laid up to recover.
Have wrecked both again, not too much pain and some snapping when i lift the arms and no strength lifting with arms extended.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 23, 2018, 11:22:37 AM
Been thinking about that mod, Piney!

That's the one done with a car hood spring IIRC.

Thanks for the reply Pete!

Still hurts like Well.

Hope it can be fixed, can't imagine drinking everything through a straw forever!   ;D

Went in for the MRI this morning!

The trip was a little dicey, the closer we got to Potsdam!
Posted a reply in the WEATHER thread!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: BradMarks on January 23, 2018, 12:02:34 PM
Hang in there Chuck.  My wife just went thru the same, woke up day after Christmas, couldn't move arm. We live in a old home and a threshold at the back door was causing the door to hang up, just enough to be the "trigger". Diagnosis was chronic calcification of the rotator cuff and acute tendinitis. Med terms for hurts like Well!  Cortisone shot (not my preference but she's tough), anti-inflamatories, pain meds, rest, more rest, and now, continued light therapy at home. Doing much better now. Back at Tai Chi!  She had surgery on the other side some 20 years ago for the same issue. Essentially she had calcium toothpaste in her shoulder!  DO NOT let your shoulder be idle, any movement possible is better than none.  You may not need surgery!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 23, 2018, 01:05:53 PM
Just got the results of the MRI!

Burcitis!

Inflamation of the Bursea!

It's the sack that has the lube in it for the joints!

My Mom had Burcitis flare-ups every once in a while!

I have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon for a cortisone injection!

As far as I'm concerned, it's better than SURGERY!

Thank you all for your thoughts and comments!

Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: tawilson on January 23, 2018, 02:17:44 PM
Good luck Chuck. I just finished therapy on my shoulder for arthritis and old age. It did help and I'm continuing the exercises to hopefully keep it feeling better for as long as I can.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: BradMarks on January 23, 2018, 04:07:47 PM
There you go!  They add pain killer to the actual shot, you'll feel better than you are!  Be careful,  and go slow and easy.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: BradMarks on January 23, 2018, 04:14:19 PM
Another question for you Chuck:  You have really good insurance?  Reason I ask is only out of curiosity, as it was quick to prescribe an MRI, but it does get to the point quicker!  Most of the time an MRI is after other methods/procedures have been tried. My wife is on Medicare only (with supplemental).
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 23, 2018, 06:52:25 PM
Brad, I have really good insurance!

I have Medicare, and I kept the insurance that we had while driving School Bus (State), and I have Tri-Care from my military service!

So I'm pretty well set!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: petefrom bearswamp on January 24, 2018, 08:50:25 AM
Good news for you chuck
Not getting cut and just periodic cortisone sounds  OK
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 24, 2018, 12:29:31 PM
Much better to get a cortisone injection once in a while, rather than surgery!    ;)   :)
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: BradMarks on January 24, 2018, 03:59:40 PM
Yep, wife had second cortisone shot this morning, as she still had pain/discomfort at a abnormal level. But she does have movement!.  Doc said now that the shoulder had "calmed down", it was likely a small tear of the rotator cuff and another four weeks of self therapy should do it. Similar to what I think a lot of us have had, slight tears in the ACL, MCL, wherever, annoying but eventually better with care.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 25, 2018, 08:02:03 AM
Got the cortisone injection yesterday around 5PM!

Doc said it was about half-and-half Cortisone and Novocain!

Got quite a bit of range of motion back, but not completely yet!

Doc gave me a couple of exercises to do a few times through the day!

His prognosis is "good, to complete recovery"!

I'm happy!   8)
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Don P on January 25, 2018, 05:56:34 PM
Take care of it Chuck, that is one unhappy bursa!

On waiting to get an MRI. I've fooled the doc twice now, both shoulders he thought might have a small tear. First one was completely torn and retracted, this time a full tear, but I had learned my lesson and kinda insisted on the MRI. When you tear one you still have three tendons holding it, we can compensate for that pretty seamlessly. But the safety is gone. I fell on that torn out retracted one and with the one gone, tore out a second tendon, train wreck!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 25, 2018, 08:48:41 PM
That was a bad wreck, Don!

We don't really need to get hurt like we sometimes hurt ourselves, mostly by doing things we shouldn't!

This shoulder is gaining more range of motion as time goes on!

So far, so good, just have to go easy with it for a while!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 26, 2018, 07:37:30 AM
Improvements noticed this morning, I can now comb my hair "again" with my right hand, and I don't say ouch when putting on my shirt!   :)
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: BradMarks on January 26, 2018, 11:14:27 AM
Chuck, that's funny, same thing my wife said: I can comb my hair again!  And adding to the list everyday.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Peter Drouin on January 27, 2018, 07:34:13 AM
Good, it all worked out for you.  8) 8)
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on January 27, 2018, 09:06:36 AM
Absolutely, getting better every day, range of motion is almost back to normal!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Chuck White on February 07, 2018, 04:44:46 PM
Went in for 2-week followup Doc says the Rt shoulder is doing fine, I have full range of motion, just have to go easy when I get near max reach!

Then decided to get a shot of cortisone/novocane in the left shoulder!

The left had some of the same symptoms as the right, only not quite as bad!
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Don P on February 07, 2018, 05:31:52 PM
Go easy on that stuff. It provides immediate relief which is why people hop on it but long term it actually tends to have the opposite effect. You're better off most of the time altering what you re doing that is causing the problem. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory, most of us aren't inflamed, we're just wore out  :D
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: Gary_C on February 07, 2018, 06:59:38 PM
Yes, go easy on that cortisone. There have been some reports that some people have had tears after cortisone shots. Not sure if it's been verified but certainly is a good reason for caution.
Title: Re: Bad Shoulder
Post by: mike_belben on May 15, 2018, 03:52:54 PM
I hurt a shoulder at work around 2008.  The dirtbag company doctor scheduled me for physical therapy under my private insurance and $80/wk copay without any diagnosis whatsoever, and this created years of hot potato.  I had tons of cortisone and it would buy me maybe 2 days then feel worse after.  Those shots hurt too boy!

  my insurance said no its a work injury, while1 workers comp (actually the company's self insured management corp, they were evil, dirty, ruthless people) said no you went to private practice so its a private injury.  Once you pay a cent of a work injury bill out of pocket workers comp slimeballs will do anything possible to deny your claim. So I had to sue the company and won.  It was early 2011 by that time and id worn out the other shoulder compensating throughout those years.  It was very demoralizing to get used up by my employer and have them think i should be thankful for the privelage.


The diagnosis was AC arthritis.  When the ortho surgeon (best around) got in there, it was actually a bunch of bone spurs under the shoulder plate that were sawing my bicep tendon, which is like a cord that operates your arm.  It runs through a tunnel under the scapula, thats where the spurs grew.  It was like a 30% tear, looked like a frayed cotton rope on the imagery i have.  They ground out the burs, sawed off the end of my scapula and i think of 4 ligaments that hold the shoulder together.  That was arm is now my strong one.  


Point is, the pain described sounds a lot like what i had. Overhead or outreached lifting was not possible for me but i had to do it every night for my job.  If its spurs tearing a tendon, the longer you let it go the more it tears up.  

Surgery hurt for a few weeks (with a brand new baby  and snow shoveling to juggle at that) but it was the best thing by far.