Engine swap may not take place until later this year. :(

[John Schmidt]

I've done something to the right shoulder, can't lift the arm out to the side or up. If I forget and by habit move it in that motion I experience intense pain, a couple times it actually made me nauseous it was so painful. Went to a local facility that has an Acute Injury Center, sorta like an ER but specializes in ortho type injuries. The young surgeon that checked me out was quite thorough...and oh boy...there's that pain again. He looked at me once asked if I was OK, later told me I was white as a sheet. Yeah doc, I was in pain. They're planning on an MRI and would have done it that afternoon but I refused since they won't knock me out. All they offered was valium which I've tried in the past and never worked for me so waiting for a call re. an appt. in a town south of me. Not far and is a facility that has an open MRI. By feeling around the dr. said if felt like something has come loose in there since he felt something slide sideways...believe me, something moved cuz I felt it. My daughter in Illinois recently had surgery on the same side. They detached the bicep and part of the shoulder muscles, cleaned out the joint, then reattached everything after repairing a tear. She called me and said she had a bidet installed since she couldn't take care of business normally. Big nasty T shaped scar on her shoulder now.

Nancy drove me to the first facility, was with me in the exam room. The dr. said if the MRI shows damage requiring going inside the insurance may balk due to my age. We had a rather intense discussion about then, talked about my activities, etc., so he looked at Nancy and aske "is he really that active an 85 yr. old?" She smiled and nodded "yes." His response..."OK, I'll see what we can do." Here's hoping it's not totally messed up and can be corrected with rehab. I have stuff to do I can't be putting off any longer, one big thing is hanging a shelf kit from the garage ceiling. That would be fun...I'd be working overhead to install that. Need it to put some of the crap stuff Nancy has brought with her. Stay tuned...I'll be selling some of my stash also; stock seat, final drive, driveshaft, swingarm. Not sure what else is out there.

[cookiedough]

good luck. hope rehab will work for you since even though you in very good shape age 85,  surgery is riskier at that age and no disrespect intended. 

My mother in law age 81 has been battling with knee and shoulder pain and so far has been surgery free doing daily stretching and other exercises along with yoga.   All or some of that might slowly work for you or enough of the pain gone to live a somewhat less painful life.

not sure how much more daily pain and inability to bend or walk long distances will I be able to tolerate without having both hips replaced.  Dr. says loose 30lbs. first to get BMI under 40,  and he will gladly replace both hips since riskier for blood clots the fatter a person is.  Xrays show bone on bone which some days is near unbearable but most days just extremely annoying.  Tried an appt. with sports medicine to do a few exercises, but even that lady herself who had both hips replaced in her 40's said probably the stretching exercises will do not much good.  I take aspiring 4-5x's daily and that helps just a tad for pain.

[Rams]

John,
Wish you the best in however this goes.   All I can really say is that if your doctor writes it up correctly, you'll get what you need.   My mother is currently in rehab after getting her second shoulder replacement.  She'll be 87 her next birthday.
Your doctor may have asked only about how active you are but, how much pain you are in is also a major factor.   

Rams

[Jess from VA]

My 93yo mom just had her left shoulder replaced.  It went well and is rehabbing well.  Insurance and Medicare covered it all (or nearly all).  

I had MRI and Pet-CT scans last year.  One was open and one wasn't.  Even the closed one was open on the other side of the tube where my head was.  I'm claustrophobic about being put somewhere I can't get out of (like rolled up in a carpet), but I could easily get out of the closed MRI if I wanted to.  What bothered me about both of them was not the closeness of the units, it was how long I had to lay there with the hammering and banging and clanging going on... which gets louder and louder for nearly 40 minutes (esp the last 10 minutes).

They gave me a button to push if I needed assistance or had a panic attack or something.  I asked if that was really necessary, and was told some people can get downright combative.  At about 30 minutes in the MRI, I was asked how I was doing and I said you know, now I understand the combative thing, how much longer do I have to stay in this damn thing?  I want out!! But I soldiered through.  

One piece of advice.  They gave me some sound muffling headphones (like shooters muffs) but they were well used and loose and did a very poor job.  I would have been well served to have taken a pair of my own good foam earplugs and stuck them in under their crummy muffs for sound deadening.

Otherwise, the thing to do is lay there and try to relax and think happy thoughts.

Take care of yourself John.  Heat and ice and topical analgesics (Icy Hot, Aspercreme, Blue Emu).  If you continue to aggravate it unintentionally, using a simple arm sling can be helpful in just reminding you not to use the arm much.  And lay off the push ups.  

[f6john]

It’s probably time to call in some help for the shelving. Save those joints for more important activities with Nancy! As you know well, life is what appends while you’re busy making plans.

[TTG53#1717]

I worked out in the units at an oil refinery with lots of varied physical activities.

Then I started at the control console and sat for 12 hour shifts with multiple touch screens and membrane key boards.

Over a couple weeks, I developed excruciating pain in my shoulder that would be worst when I drove my Tacoma. It almost had me screaming behind the wheel.

The mystery was, now that I’m that much more sedentary and not climbing tall columns or turning big valves, why this terrible pain ?

I was regularly seeing a Massage Therapist who one day asked how many pillows I slept on.
I answered two, both pretty firm. It was suggested I try only one - and my pain was gone in two weeks and has never come back.

I’m always amazed at how simple and unexpected that turned out for me.

Wishing the best for you.

[0leman]

John, several years ago, I had issues with my left shoulder.  Couldn't raise my left arm above my shoulder level.  Lots of pain.  Was able to get into see a shoulder doc.   He had x-rays done.  Then MIR.  By the time I got them done and was able to see him again, the pain had gone away and had full range of motion.   BAD news was that the MIR's showed no cartilage and arthritis.  He said when I experienced this type of problem again, then may be time to go under the knife.  Been trying to be good to shoulders since then.  Lower weights/high reps when working out, backing off when I feel some pain coming on.  Really don't like getting cut on.  Riding seem to help with the pain. 

[da prez]

  John , find the best surgeon , not a hold my beer and watch this. I had five surgeries before both my shoulders were replaced. There was nothing left to attach to. Sounds like you tore the ligament loose.
  Even at your age , it should not  be an issue. You seem (?) healthy. 

                                       da prez

[cookiedough]

I worked out in the units at an oil refinery with lots of varied physical activities.

Then I started at the control console and sat for 12 hour shifts with multiple touch screens and membrane key boards.

Over a couple weeks, I developed excruciating pain in my shoulder that would be worst when I drove my Tacoma. It almost had me screaming behind the wheel.

The mystery was, now that I’m that much more sedentary and not climbing tall columns or turning big valves, why this terrible pain ?

I was regularly seeing a Massage Therapist who one day asked how many pillows I slept on.
I answered two, both pretty firm. It was suggested I try only one - and my pain was gone in two weeks and has never come back.

I’m always amazed at how simple and unexpected that turned out for me.

Wishing the best for you.

interesting on the 2 pillows vs. 1 pillow sleeping on.  I had same issue for years slept on 2 pillows and had neck pains often waking up.  Past 10 years or so switched to 1 good pillow, problem solved no more aching neck.

agree, let the heavy overhead shelves to someone else even if you have to pay others to do them.  I was too chicken to climb up 20 ft on last few rungs of ext. ladder to fix my few dangling vinyl siding chunks way up top.  Fear of falling off and me now being clumsier and less agile, I probably woulda fell and broke something 20 ft up falling off.  Well worth the 85 bucks to have someone come in and do a simple 30 minute job I guess? 

[Charlie McCready]

 "is he really that active an 85 yr. old?".......John, my Mother in Law is 101 years old. She broke her hip a couple weeks ago and had to have surgery.  She is struggling to get over the effects of sedation. Seems to be in and out of those effects but has been up and walked a few times on her good days.

[John Schmidt]

"is he really that active an 85 yr. old?".......John, my Mother in Law is 101 years old. She broke her hip a couple weeks ago and had to have surgery.  She is struggling to get over the effects of sedation. Seems to be in and out of those effects but has been up and walked a few times on her good days.

My sis-in-law died this spring at 100+2 months. Lived alone in a split level house for over 70 years. My first reaction to what the dr. said was "what does my age have to do with anything when it comes to surgery?"  I understand that some folks are so feeble most surgeons hesitate, I've seen many in their 60's and 70's that are so feeble they probably shouldn't even trim their fingernails. When I questioned him about it he simply said..."well sir, you ARE 85."  I offered to arm wrestle him, he declined. 

[Kiwitex]

Good luck with the healing, it's hard to have to slow down but it won't heal otherwise.
(don't ask me how I know that )
Might have to rent some labor for those overhead jobs!

[John Schmidt]

Good luck with the healing, it's hard to have to slow down but it won't heal otherwise.
(don't ask me how I know that )
Might have to rent some labor for those overhead jobs!

My son-in-law is 6'5", we only need one ladder to install the overhead shelves in the garage.