research

Uncle Artie came calling a few years ago, and left me in pain. Actually, he’s still here but I’m in pain anyway. I’m talking about arthritis and what it did to cause me to research. I dropped the funnel while I was putting oil in the bike because my nerves had been pinched in my shoulder. I was a boat builder at the time and had been steadily losing strength and sensation in my right arm. Not knowing anything about anatomy I went to the library and looked up everything I could. Feeling as though I could understand the language, I called a Nurse Practitioner friend, who loaned me some books on shoulder ills and some helpful suggestions about where to go next. With my daughter’s help I used the internet to find the best shoulder surgeon around. One was highly recommended at Johns Hopkins and one right in Ellsworth. Money wasn’t an issue because I would probably go through bankruptcy anyway. I checked with the AMA and the Osteopathic School of Surgeons to compare their success rates, infection rates and overall patient satisfaction. After a nerve test I had all the information I needed to make my choice. I opted for the surgeon in Ellsworth just because I found a classical violinist right here in Hancock who had gone to him and spoke highly. So here I am, years later with a fully repaired shoulder and a surprising amount of anatomy knowledge.