a visit with the surgeon and then the rheumatologist

I decided that I didn't want to wait three weeks for more information on my shoulders so I called and made an appointment with Dr. King, on Dec 16th. When I go to Dr. King's office I see the physician's assistant that works in his office first and then see him. Laurel came in, looked at the MRI's, had me demonstrate the range of motion in my arms and told me that I had Adhesive Capsulitis. I told her that I had been told that was what I had and then I was told that wasn't what I had. Laurel said it was very rare to have Adhesive Capsulitis in both shoulders at the same time but that rotator cuff tears wouldn't be causing the range of motion limitation that I was experiencing. She then told me that Dr. King would be in shortly to talk with me.

Dr. King came into the room, looked at the MRI’s of my shoulders and said “something isn’t right here, you have way too much fluid in your joints”, he asked me if I had Rheumatoid Arthritis and then ordered several blood tests. He also sent me to front office staff to make an appointment with a Rheumatologist at the Palo Alto Medical Clinic. Dr. Andrew Rozelle had an opening on Dec 18th at 1pm and I visited with him today.

Dr. Rozelle asked me a lot of questions, he looked at the shoulder MRI's and could see the fluid in my shoulders, he looked at the joints in my hands and feet and took copious notes. Since Dr. King and Dr. Rozelle are both associated with the Palo Alto Medical Clinic they have access to each notes on me. Dr. Rozelle was able to read all of the notes on my knee surgeries and commented that Dr. King didn't note any inflammation in my knee. I told Dr. Rozelle that Dr. King had commented on the amount of swelling in my knee at least twice on my initial visit to his office. I told the doctor that I would bring the knee MRI to my next appointment.

Dr. Rozelle was very kind and spent a little over an hour talking with me. Dr. Rozelle told me that he believes that I have an autoimmune anti inflammatory arthritis and that I don't have Adhesive Capsulitis. He told me if I was going to have this type of an arthritis this was the time to have since in the past 10+ years there has been a lot of advancement in the drugs used to treat these types of arthritis. He told me I should expect to get back to my normal, active lifestyle that I was living prior to flair up with my knee almost 4 months ago. Dr. Rozelle doesn't think that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis as this usually starts in the smaller joints in the hands and feet and my inflammation is in my knees and shoulders. The inflammation in my shoulders is causing the range of motion limitation in my shoulders and knees.

Dr. Rozelle ordered blood and urine tests and several x-rays. I was able to get the x-rays and the lab work done right in the clinic. Dr. Rozelle also changed my anti-inflammatory medication to see if we can find one that will work for me. I told him that I was leaving town for 10 days and so he also decided to write me a prescription for another 6 day round of Prednisone, he told me to fill the prescription and take it with me to WA but not to take it unless I called and talked with him first. He wants to make sure that I won't be miserable while I'm out of town.

After I left Dr. Rozelle's office I was feeling pretty good about finally getting an answer and hopefully working towards getting me back on my feet. While I was sitting waiting to be called back for the x-rays it suddenly hit me that I had just been diagnosed with a chronic disease. I never thought I had a chronic disease, I just figured I had something that just needed a quick fix and then everything will be better. For the past several months I have been living with the attitude that things will improve next week...

I came home from the doctor and called my sister to tell her the news. I felt like I was fighting back tears the whole time I was on the phone with her and then at the end of our conversation I lost it. She offered words of encouragement and reminded me that it was good to finally know what was wrong and to have something that could be treated. I am glad to know what is going on in my body and I am optimistic that things will improve for me in the near future.

Now the wait in on again, the wait for the lab results. I see Dr. Rozelle again on January 4th, 2010.