If you’ve been around me or are one of my Facebook friends, you know that I have a separate shoulder. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about it, so I thought I’d put a few things on my blog for all to see. Let’s make it a Q&A. Here we go:

How’d it happened?
At ice hockey last Sunday, I was skating next to a guy who was hooking me with his stick. The ref’s whistle went off, so I relaxed my body and stopped worrying about the play. Then, the guy kicked my skates out from under me. As I fell, I instinctively grabbed onto his arm. Then, the guy forced me to the ice, left shoulder first, and plowed his weight onto me at the same time. Ouch. Nice guy, too … very classy for a men’s league (joking, of course).

How bad does it hurt?
My shoulder only hurts when I move my left in certain directions. If I keep it in my sling or hold my elbow close to my chest, it feels fine.

Will you need surgery?
It’s considered a Grade III separation, meaning it’s borderline in terms of requiring surgery. For now, the doctor wants to wait and see if it heals naturally?

How long will that take?
It’s supposed to take about four to six weeks to heal, then I’ll need some physical therapy.

Isn’t the baby due soon?
Why yes, the baby is due soon. In less than a month, actually. Great timing, I know.
 
So what exactly is going on with your shoulder?
There are two bones, the clavicle (collarbone) and scapula (shoulder blade) that usually are about a centimeter apart. In my case, they are now 2 centimeters apart and two of the three tendons that hold the bones together snapped. They should, however, reattach and heal on their own. Or at least that’s the hope.


Are you on pain meds?
I was given Percoset and took it the first night. I slept great, but woke up dizzy and nauseous. I then got a prescription for a less powerful painkiller, which I’ve only been taking at night. During the day, I either just endure the pain or take something like ibuprofen or Aleve.

Can you still work, or does this affect your ability to type?
I can still type. At first, I had to get into a somewhat awkward position so my fingers could hit the keys without pain. But it’s been a week now, and I’m in much better shape for typing normally.

Will there be any permanent damage?
It should heal and my mobility should be normal in due time. However, I will have a slight bump on my left shoulder for the rest of my life. It’s hardly noticeable, but it’s definitely there.

Aren’t you too old to be out playing ice hockey?
While I may be getting up there in age, I enjoy playing hockey. Plus, it’s one of the few times during the week when I get to spend time with my friends. I’ve been skating with most of the same guys for many, many years now and it’d truly stink to give that up. I will say, however, that at some point I need to consider a less competitive league. But that also would mean an end to many of the friendships that I’ve developed.

So that’s about it. Pretty sucky, but oh well. If you have any other questions, let me know.