[rinaina]

Thanks Lani for all your useful input. I have not had my neck re-MRI'd. I have, however, had 2 different MRIs on my shoulder as well as xrays and they show the humorous ball and glenoid bone on bone and loss of all cartilage, severe osteoarthritis, bone spurs and a chipped bone just kind of floating, as well as extreme wear and tear of the bones. You have me very worried now about this surgery re-activating the cancer. I have already tried therapy and 3 different injections and have lived with this pain for over 1 year. I have asked if there are alternative choices to a total shoulder replacement and consistently from 4 different surgeons and my rheumatologist the answer has been NO. With that said, they all have told me that they are not trying to talk me into surgery, it is still elective surgery, but that it is the only way to fix the joint and rid me of the pain. They said that if I can live with the pain and loss of mobility then I can wait, however, there most likely will be additional deterioration over time. I can't believe in one years time how much more severe the problem has become and how much more deterioration has taken place. I was not bone on bone a year ago. Just some mild arthritis. I wonder if caring for my father for 4 plus months contributed to the rapid decline in my shoulder. Caring for him took a real physical toll on me. I have nothing to gain by waiting to do the surgery later except for more pain and suffering. I found out that shoulder replacements only last about 15 years in 75% of the people which means in my lifetime I will have to have a second replacement which is upsetting. Plus the second one is not as successful as the first one. Very troubling. I am only 58 yrs old. The average age of someone needing a shoulder replacement is 65. I am just so upset.