I Have No Cartilage In Either Shoulder????

[roseofKY]

OK, after all these years of wanting to go to nursing school, now I have found out I have no cartilage in either shoulder. I am getting ready to start my fourth week of school. Has anyone ever heard of this? The doctor can't explain it. I have had a lot of arm pain (thought it was the fibromyalgia). My doctor does not want me in nursing school (family doctor), the doctor at the clinic who did my school physical only told me I would have to be careful lifting. How can you get through nursing school not lifting? What a blow. I am thinking I should probably change programs to something in the medical office field.

I am disgusted with this news. I am 57 years old, how can I not have any cartilage left in either shoulder? I am told it is bone rubbing against bone and they don't see how I have stood the pain. I told the doctor that my body hurts all the time anyway and I have just learned to live with it without taking medication.

Thanks for the listening ears.

[ChasingRain]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that

I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. Only you know how much pain you can handle, but you will be doing some lifting so that's def something you'll want to consider. If the doc thinks you shouldn't then it's probably for a good reason; as in you'll be making a bad condition even worse. You have to think of your health first and you don't want to do anything that's going to cause you to be in constant pain b/c you'll be miserable.

Maybe you should see another doc and get a second opinion on your condition. Find out what the long term effects of the condition will mean and find out how that will affect you in the nursing field. I know in clincals you'll have to do some lifting but maybe once you graduate you can work in a doc's office or as a school nurse. There are nursing jobs out there that are "less physical" than others; maybe you could consider doing those jobs

I don't think you should rule nursing out just yet if it's what you really want to do, but I do think you should consider your health first. Good luck with whatever you decide :redbeathe

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Do you need shoulder reconstructions or are you going to continue without treatment? Perhaps after treatment you could still do nursing. I can't see how you'd do it otherwise.. I had a shoulder injury for a while and pretty much couldn't dress myself or do anything while it was flared up.