Greg Marsh is in the hospital

Stevo said:
Great that you’re making progress Greg, more importantly you have a plan and the drive to see it through. Wishing you all the best for the bet recovery possible.
Totally empathize with your situation as inactivity at our ages is really difficult to come back from and I’ve found, difficult to come to terms with. last year, after an extended period, including a hospital stay, two surgeries and being immobilized at home for more than five months after only a minor wreck on the bike led to other issues with my left leg. To rub salt in the wound! my left rotator cuff issue raised it’s ugly head too, only just helped a little by getting a steroid jab.

I used to feel pretty fit, strong and active for my age nine months ago (approaching seventy now), but things can go downhill quickly if the wrong circumstances come our way.
Having no professional therapy as you have yet but slowly getting back into regular gym workouts with some instruction as before, so we’ll see how it goes.

FWIW, as to how we seem to be more susceptible to shoulder issues nowadays, is it possibly due to us in modern times, feeling able and motivated to engage in long periods of heavy work and exercise that over stresses our old bodies whereas years ago, we may have settled for a more sedentary lifestyle?


Again, best wishes coming to you being able to continue with the valuable support you give to us.

Steve
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Sitting around will kill you! Long story, but when I destroyed the AC join in my left shoulder, my left arm was useless. Multiple radiologists and orthopedic surgeons misdiagnosed the problem as a "minor separation". I finally, after 8 months, got a surgeon to understand that was a complete separation. By then I had what I call "a little girl's arm". So, surgery, and then five months of three times a week PT got it fully functional, and 5 years of exercising it with small weights I got it back to at least an average man arm.

That aged me a LOT. This past few months have done a lot more damage. When I was 67, I was still very strong. When I was 73 kick starting a Norton was still easy. The last one I started in September was very hard. We'll see soon if I can do it at all now.

I'm sure you are right. At 16 I could deadlift 400 pounds. At 67, I could easily pickup and walk with 200 pounds. A few months ago I struggled to pickup a Norton engine and put it on the bench, but I did it. Yesterday, I could not tighten conrod nuts to 25 ft lbs - I have to wait for help - two bad shoulders. Of course, my brain still makes me think I can do these things which causes me to hurt myself, especially my shoulders :(
 
marshg246 said:
I wouldn't even consider surgery if it was recoverable without. I've recovered the right shoulder twice before via PT and have been doing the exercises for five months since this happened. When the problem happened this time, it took almost a month of working on it before I could get the seatbelt on in my car - still hurts bad to do it now. Of the three major sections of the rotator cuff, one is OK (front), one is 100% torn off the bone (middle), and one is 90% torn off (back). There is no amount of PT that can fix the 100% torn part and that part is causing my arm to be out of line and clunking when I move it.

In 2018 I tore my bicep tendon 90% through and had a small cuff tear where it connected in my right shoulder. Took about five years of work but I finally fully recovered that on my own with the PT exercises they gave me even though surgery was recommended at the time. I didn't like the mechanics of the surgery they wanted to perform.
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As so many have stated so often, "getting old isn't for pussies".
 
The verdict is in. Left shoulder rehab able with PT as long as I don't tear it more. Right shoulder is toast. The surgeon says that PT will just damage it more. He can repair it but is sure it won't last as it's been too long (5 months and a day) since about 2/3 of my rotator cuff was torn from the bones. So, assuming I can get my cardiologist to clear me for surgery, I'll add to my bionic count with a replaced shoulder probably in Feb or Mar.
 
Well that new bionic shoulder is going to have to wait for a different bionic part install! Can't get cardiologist clearance. I have two choices, another double ablation - 33% chance of success (last one only helped for a couple of months) or a pacemaker - 99% chance of success.

All those worrying about Lithium batteries in their bikes - how about one in your chest!
 
marshg246 said:
Well that new bionic shoulder is going to have to wait for a different bionic part install! Can't get cardiologist clearance. I have two choices, another double ablation - 33% chance of success (last one only helped for a couple of months) or a pacemaker - 99% chance of success.

All those worrying about Lithium batteries in their bikes - how about one in your chest!
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33% vs 99%… seems like a no brainer doesn’t it?

Surely the batteries are well proven / a none issue by now Greg?

What’s the (potential) down sides of the 99% option ?
 
Fast Eddie said:
33% vs 99%… seems like a no brainer doesn’t it?

Surely the batteries are well proven / a none issue by now Greg?

What’s the (potential) down sides of the 99% option ?
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Yes, that's why I told them to schedule it.

He says they've never had a battery failure.

Once the natural signals are cut, if the pacemaker doesn't work, the heart doesn't beat, and I will never know it. He says he's never had one fail, but that 1% means that 1% die.

As an IT person I was fascinated by one part. I asked how the battery gets recharged. Answer: It doesn't. The pacemaker communicates with an app on your phone via Bluetooth. When the battery is getting low you and the doctor's office are notified, and the device is replaced leaving the same wires in place. Battery life is approx.10 years depending on the energy needed to keep it controlling the heart. Also, the version I'll get also has an automatic defibrator so in case of an heart attack it can shock you back into rhythm.
 
marshg246 said:
Well that new bionic shoulder is going to have to wait for a different bionic part install! Can't get cardiologist clearance. I have two choices, another double ablation - 33% chance of success (last one only helped for a couple of months) or a pacemaker - 99% chance of success.

All those worrying about Lithium batteries in their bikes - how about one in your chest!
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marshg246 said:
Yes, that's why I told them to schedule it.

He says they've never had a battery failure.

Once the natural signals are cut, if the pacemaker doesn't work, the heart doesn't beat, and I will never know it. He says he's never had one fail, but that 1% means that 1% die.

As an IT person I was fascinated by one part. I asked how the battery gets recharged. Answer: It doesn't. The pacemaker communicates with an app on your phone via Bluetooth. When the battery is getting low you and the doctor's office are notified, and the device is replaced leaving the same wires in place. Battery life is approx.10 years depending on the energy needed to keep it controlling the heart. Also, the version I'll get also has an automatic defibrator so in case of an heart attack it can shock you back into rhythm.
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My buddy has had that 20 years. One of the leads corroded. They went in & replaced it. He had specifically told them to replace BOTH while in there. They only did one, because insurance. A year later they had to go back in.
 
concours said:
My buddy has had that 20 years. One of the leads corroded. They went in & replaced it. He had specifically told them to replace BOTH while in there. They only did one, because insurance. A year later they had to go back in.
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sounds like they need to join accessnorton!
 
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