The range of motion in my shoulder is almost back to where it was before I had the procedure. Sweet.

I went to a different orthopedist's office yesterday to get a second opinion. They said, yes, you have tears in at least two of the tendons in your rotator cuff. And those tears are irritating things and causing scar tissue that's pushing this other tendon out of line which is why you can't move your shoulder correctly. And you should (and probably will) get surgery. But until you get around to it you can tough it out with cortisone injections and physical therapy. It could take several years to heal that way, though. Recovery from shoulder surgery is 16 weeks: 6 in a sling, 12 in PT getting motion and strength back. That sounds inconvenient, and unpleasant. I'm going to try cortisone for now.

The doctor and nurses I saw were astounded that I went through the manipulation procedure without sedation, in the Dr's office as an outpatient, and that I drove myself home one-handed. They'd never even heard of it being done that way. They do the procedure, too, but with the patient under general anesthesia, in a hospital. And even then, it's so painful they can see the unconscious patient's heart rate spike when they start trying to crunch through the scar tissue. They weren't surprised I didn't enjoy it, nor that it didn't work. It's not really for what I have.

Good times.

Mrs. is half-joking about finding a malpractice lawyer.