A lot has changed since Holy week and my previous post.
First of all, the good news. The recycler from Chinandega came with his truck to buy the plastic the kids had collected. I will attach a couple photos. The kids made 2800 cordobas which is about 130 dollars. They are thrilled and I do not know what they will want to do with the money. They were talking about t-shirts with their logo and a slogan on it. That would be nice. The other good news is that we got the fencing up on the gardens at both my schools and the semillaro in at one of them. Good progress and still no rain in sight. I heard a kid say the other day that it comes on May 21. We'll see.
Now the bad news. I had been having a pain in my left arm off and on so I decided to see what it was all about. The PC docs referred me for x-rays, ultrasound, nerve study and a neurological work up but all were negative. While we were in this process, I snapped one of the tendons that attaches my bicep to my shoulder. I have learned a lot about biceps in this process. We have two tendons there and apparently, it is not that uncommon to break one of them, usually the "long head" which is what I broke. Its not like I was doing push ups or roping cattle, I was sweeping ashes !!! when it popped. So, then I went for an MRI.
The doc in Nicaragua who read the MRI was concerned because he saw a couple bones rubbing together so they sent the MRI film to the PC doc in DC. He then sent it to a PC ortho in DC and he decided that I have a tear in one of my rotator cuff tendons as well as the broken bicep tendon ( which no one seems to think has any importance at all). All of this activity is on my left side and I am left handed so that makes it a little more problematic.
The PC doc in DC is recommending surgery. At least that is what I think so far.....have not had a written report from him. PC will medevac me to see my own doctor. Normally the medevac is to my home of record, but I am going to Baltimore to see an orthopedisrt at Mercy Hospital who came highly recommended by a good friend who has been around the medical scene for lo those many years. Also, I'll be able to stay with my sweet sister and enjoy her and her family for a little while.
So, here is the way I see it right now. If I do surgery ( which seems like the wrong thing to do since I have very very little pain and pretty normal range of motion) the rehab is 6 months normally. Once you have a medical condition, PC gives you 45 days to get it resolved or they medical separate you ( medsep). 6 months is more than 45 days. If I go the non-surgical alternatives which all the websites recommend to start with, I would have to modify the use of my left arm and engage in physical therapy. well, PC won't release me to return to my site unless I have full use of both arms and there is only one place I can get PT over here and that is in Managua which is a 4 hour bus ride away. Plus, they would not allow me to be away from my site often enough to participate in a viable PT regime. It is a little frustrating because there is a teaching hospital 30 minutes away but PC does not have a "relationship" with that hospital so they make everyone come to Managua where the PC heardquaters is. Not very efficient, in my opinion.
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