Sorry I havent posted in a while. This year has been busy for me, I have battled with depression yet again, and more recently I have had surgery. It is the latter I am writing about today.

This all started years ago when I hurt my shoulder in racquetball. This followed a torn tendon with basketball last May, which then I reaggravated in November due to basketball again.  I tried Chinese massages, cupping, steroid shots in America, steroid shots in China, resting, and finally, I decided on surgery.

The hospital here in Shenzhen is quite large. Eash wing it seems is the size of what I am use to for an entire hospital. My first couple trips for diagnosis was to the Chinese Dr. This included making appointments online (which was a struggle) going in one line when I got there, to get a paper to get in another line, to wait for the dr for a while, then to go back to waiting in long lines afterwards. It seemed like visiting was an all day affair. My first Dr had limited English but told me I had a torn tendon and a detached tendon. He thought surgery would be best.

My insurance wanted a second opinion and sent me to the International Section of the hospital where everyone spoke English and was three times the price. I think each Dr visit was around $150 US. Here I went through steroid shots, more MRI, and finally surgery was agreed to be the answer. My Dr would sit down with me and go over the MRI and explain everything in detail. He disagreed with the other Dr but thought I had an impinchment in the shoulder from a build up of scar tissue. I agreed to surgery.

This is where the things got a little weird. I met with the anesthetist. I told him my weight and height in feet and pounds. However he has no clue about conversions. He calculated it and told me I was around 3 meter high and about 45 kg. This made no sense. Maybe he was joking but he never cracked a smile and I ket telling him I didnt think his conversions were accurate and quickly looked up the conversions myself on my phone. (In the end they measured and weighed me anyways so it didnt matter much.)

The dr told me to come in the day before the surgery. No time just anytime to get some blood work done to make sure I am not at risk of infection by being sick. The surgery itself would be quick as they were shaving down my bone 5 mm. The surgery was on Saturday the first day of my week off from work due to spring break so I could rest and recover. As ordered I showed up the day before (Friday) on my way home from work to do the blood work. After filling out a ton of paperwork the receptionist said ok the nurse will take you to your room. “My room?” I questioned back. “yes your room, you are staying the night”. So without any books or devices I had to spend the night in the hospital to prepare for surgery the next day.  In fact I stayed in the hospital for three days for my quick surgery. The Dr. explained this is because in China Drs. cant make home visits to check up on patients like the do in America…..

Either way things went well. I was knocked out during surgery though it took a while. Strangely I woke up afterwards WIDE AWAKE. I like popped up and was asking questions on how everything went, what time it was, when I can go back to my room, how long before I could eat… I have never been so wide awake after surgery in my life, heck not just after surgery I dont think I am ever that awake.

My next two days consisted on my laying in my hospital bed, watching tv or playing games on my phone. I had a botton to call the nurse to order food for my any time I wanted from a pretty substantial menu you can see in the video (will link to later). I was in little pain at the time.

Now it has been two weeks and the pain is much worse (the Dr said it should subside in about two more weeks), but I have gained some movement in my arm I hadnt had before. I will be starting rehab later this week so hopefully all goes well.

Anyways feel free to ask me anything.