Shoulder injury (and why that's NOT an excuse)

So, I haven't really mentioned this to you guys, mostly because I've been in a kind of denial about it myself. (I don't GET hurt, I am always fine!!! ... why do I think I am invincible?)

Starting in August, my shoulder started to hurt. It only really hurt when I was shoveling/etc for work. Then, my dad passed and I stopped doing field work to work in the lab. So, I figured, my shoulder would start to heal because I wasn't using a shovel/pick ax/whatever anymore.

Wrong.Very wrong.

It's been hurting a lot more lately. Doing stupid things like pulling my hair off my shoulder or pushing the clothes to the side in the closet. Uck.

My soon-to-be sister-in-law is a physical therapist and we saw her at Thanksgiving. She did an examination and told me it looked like I had bruised the tendon that runs through my shoulder joint and down my bicep. She recommends physical therapy, ibuprofen and perhaps a cortizol shot in a month or two if nothing improves, just to get the swelling down and let it heal.

Okay. Things to work on. Will do!

HOWEVER, she tested my general shoulder strength and was pleased I haven't stopped using my shoulder because it hurts. Everything except one or two specific movements is strong. (the one that required me to use my bicep muscles when my arm is raised is the weak spot) She cautioned against relying on my "good" shoulder because if I favor one shoulder, the other will start to deteriorate, freeze up, and then it's a big problem.

So. Keep using my arm and my muscles like normal. Don't be afraid of the pain. Do physical therapy stretches. Take ibuprofen.

Get back to normal!

I want to nip this in the bud early. I am kind of mad at myself for waiting four months to even seek out a little bit of help on this matter. I don't want to be laid up, using an injury as an excuse as to why I am gaining weight, why I can't participate.

Also: down to 124 after three days of clean eating post-Thanksgiving :)

Namaste!