Well, I went for an MRI on Thursday, which was an ordeal in itself. I'm too big to go in their tube, so they used what they call an "open MRI". I had back surgery about 20 months ago, so I knew what to expect. I'm semi-claustrophobic, but I had no problem when I had the MRI before the back surgery. The problem this time was that they adjusted my shoulder in some kind of contraption to keep it in the proper position, and it put my shoulder in a very uncomfortable position. I figured I could stand it, but as the time went on, it became extremely uncomfortable. I mean EXTREMELY uncomfortable. If you've had an MRI you know that they tell you to remain as motionless as possible. Well, since the fusion surgery I had in 2006, it is difficult for me to do that. Do you remember when your coach was running you to find out who really wanted to play? I had to use the same kind of mental discipline to keep myself from pushing the "panic button" the technician had given me as I did to keep running those wind sprints forty-two or forty-three years ago. By the time I got out of the thing, I could hardly get off the table.
If they told me I had to do it again, I would say, "fine, just you give me a couple of those 'happy pills' y'all keep around here."
I took the films to the doc on Friday. He studied them himself and read the technician's analysis. He said my rotator cuff, while not torn completely through, was torn very badly. He said a combination of the damage to the rotator cuff and arthritic degeneration of the socket part of my shoulder joint made him afraid that conventional joint-replacement might result in the socket (I forget the exact technical term) fracturing. He said he thought I was a candidate for something called "reverse shoulder replacement".
I said, in my best country hick voice, "Say what?"
He explained that it meant that they attach a new ball joint to the top bone (scapula, maybe?), and a new socket to the lower (humerus) bone. That's just the opposite way from how God did it in the first place. He said that he doesn't do that operation, and that he was sure I wouldn't want him learning how on me, but that there is another doc in the hospital who does do it. I have an appointment with this doctor Wednesday morning.
http://www.hughstonhospital.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCustomContentID={9574F6C3-9B7E-41B6-B0FE-A723C926431D}
At the bottom of the linked page are x-rays showing a before-and-after of someone with this type of surgery. The doc I'm going to see wrote the article, and the Hughston Orthopedic Hospital has been in business for a long time. They took good care of me when I had my back surgery, so at least I have confidence in the doctors.
! I still have 6 screws, two pins, a plate, and some wire in my ankle, staples in my lung, and shoulder. When it is time to "bake and shake me" my will will request that I go to a smelter; I will be worth some $ 
