SO GLAD you tackled that one, ken! LOL Actually, I didn't find him as 'cranky' at all--but he IS 'to the point' without a lot of 'dressing it up'! He's right about the 'Mars' and 'Venus' thing! We gals can 'think' and be very intelligent but we usually kick into the 'feelings' of a thing, ultimately and react and act from that base. Guys--from Mars, are to the point, logical (in their minds--MOST of the time) and really have a hard time figuring us 'feeling' gals out. For instance: Why can't we just lash out and get over it--right? I think ken is someone you need to meet and spend time with, (in person) in order to understand he's typing like he's thinking, quickly to the point, fast in and fast out--with little emotion, which includes irritation or anger!! I'm not saying he may not have a moment or two of crankiness, on this forum (at least it does come across that way SOMETIMES--who doesn't have those moments, anyway?) but I really think he genuninely does not see how what he types, CAN come across that way at times! You have to know, that we cannot know the mood of any of us when we try to communicate this way--the one typing or the one receiving the words, used to make a point! I'm glad I got to meet him and figure this part out and now I can visualize him saying what he's typing, and how he's REALLY saying it, and I can just see him making those quips as in person, not crankily but 'quick to the heart of the matter' (as previously said) with little rehashing or dressing it up! I had come to think that he reminds me of a man I use to work for, and I was right--his delivery and way of communicating is very similar, and after I sort of figured him out, (that his bark was much worse than his bite) we got along just fine!! If he DID seem cranky, I'd just ask him (in a teasing way), "Why are you so grumpy today?" He seemed to appreciate that I'd hit him head-on rather than turning and running out crying and feeling all hurt and sulking the rest of the day! :o) Did I describe you even close to your reality, as you see it, ken? Janice (Venus girlie-girl)

Oh My Goodness! I got my BOX today from Miss Wendy!! Holy Cow!! First, lemme tell you...she put my address on a large ORANGEcolor> sheet of paper. With googly eyes!! The kids liked that. :O) Then, as I opened it up...the kids looking over my shoulder...they all screamed..."A BOX FULL OF CANDY! CANDY CANDY CANDY!!" To which I said...with large stick in hand..."DOWN DOWN DOWN, YOU JACKELS!! It's not like you've never gotten candy before!!!" (ok, maybe not with a stick...but I sure needed one!!) So, with kids climbing over me, on me and around me, I *tried* to write everything down as I found it in the box. Please forgive me, Wendy, if I missed anything! ~An orange & black rubber snake (Adora took off with this) ~A multi-colored skeleton light set ~A LARGE LARGE bowl of CANDY, puzzles, pencils, rubber skeletons & bats, halloween jewelry, whoopee cushions...Just TONS of stuff!! ~A bag of spider web (decorative, not real..LOL..) ~Bottles of Pumpkin bubbles ~Iris- "superstition" ~Mini mugs- pumpkins, kitties & ghosts! ~An IV bag of blood (cherry liquid candy...but STILL GROSS!! ICK!!! LOL) ~Ghost & pumpkin tealight candles ~VANILLA BEAN ORCHID!!! Yay!!! :O) ~Seeds!! Tons and tons of SEEDS!!! Some in cute halloween bags! Let me try to list them all..... corn-bloody butcher pansy- black devil eggplant-ghostbuster white cosmos-psycho white blackberry lily bird's eye sunflower-black oil sunflower-autumn beauty night phlox- midnight candy dahlia-black beauty watermelon-white wonder bachelor button-boy midnight scabiosa-black knight chrysanthemum-court jester viola-bowle's black blood flower snapdragon-black prince maltese cross tomato-black prince batwing acorn squash cup plant black peony poppy carrot-atomic red carrot-cosmic purple cauliflower-purple of sicily pink popcorn beetberry strawberry spinach german strawberry tomato bloomsdale long standing spinach majoram watermelon-desert king asparagus-mary washington banana melon huckleberry rhubarb ground cherry dianthus-spooky sunflower=cherry rose hollyhock-red dahlia-early bird mix pure white poppy lion's tail sunflower-dwarf teddy bear apple scented gold pompoms catchfly black eyed susan-goldilocks scarlet flax schizanthus butterfly orchid zinnia- carousel mix clematis-kilian donahue bells of ireland red sun sunflower gloriosa daisy poppy-drama queen soapwort-bouncing bet pink gas plant carnation hollyhocks oriental poppy partridge pea mg-sunspot tartarian honeysuckle coreopsis-early sunrise hollyhock-summer carnival cosmos-ladybird lemon calendula-mixed mexican hat old fashioned lilac WHAT A BOX!!! Oh! I forgot the wind-up chattering teeth! The kids are having so much fun with those!! :O)

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to this. I wanted to respond when I had more time to read over everything better. Oakley - With the MRI first I was hoping they could better direct the PT without causing more harm. I didn't talk directly with the Dr. about my results and I'm scheduled to meet with the surgeon in a few weeks. That rotator stuff sounds terrible! Natal - Thanks for the link! I'm adding it to my list of options. "Earlier this year I could barely kneel down, now I can stoop down with no problem." That's great! Dlm - The knee surgeries sound bad but the collar bone..hooboy. I remember a guy in school broke his collar bone during a soccer game. That just sounds like a really bad area to break. I've been hearing better things about liquid glucosamine/condroitin vs. the pills too. Thanks! Tina - Actually I'm scheduled to see the same Dr. that I'm seeing for me knee. - On the same day as my knee appointment! Come to find out he does lots of shoulders too. Mitch - Thanks for the article. I've also heard it doesn't work. I didn't realize until recently about the shellfish. Does your knee still bother you or did/does strengthening the other muscles work pretty well? Judiegal - I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder and your back. Is your shoulder pain free now? It's interesting how I've noticed in the past year how I've taken my health for granted. I never realized how much I actually use my knee or shoulder until I started having pain. Trailrunner - Thank you for the link. Yeah, I didn't think PT was supposed to actually hurt. I never had any major surgeries so I don't know, I guess if you were cut open and start therapy it's not going to feel real special but when I was going for my knee the Dr. kept asking and stressing how I shouldn't be feeling any pain during the exercises. Maybe just due to my specific circumstance. ? Liz-beth - I'll look into the Physiatrist. LOL I'm glad you clarified because I didn't catch that at first. :) Thanks! Liriodendron - Wow, PT on the same day as surgery doesn't sound appealing to me either! I'm going to look into the myofascial PT. I have pretty good insurance but I wonder if that's covered or if I'd have to go to regular PT first. I did some quick reading about it (plan to do more) but it sounds like it involves more stretching thank regular PT. I like that you sent a Christmas card to the surgeon! :) You don't have to continue some type of regular home routine for your shoulder? "My myofascial PT told me that small to moderate tears can stabilize themselves, or at least heal in enough to no longer matter" Good to hear! I just dug out my report thinking it said the SLAP tear was mild but that was regarding the tendinosis. One of the things in the reports says "There is abnormal linear intrasubstrance signal within the superior labrum, oriented in the superolateral direction, extending posterior to the biceps-labral anchor, compatible with a SLAP tear." Yeeah, I wish somewhere the whole report was in simple terms so I didn't have to look up so much, lol. I was doing some thinking trying to figure out maybe what exactly I originally did to cause the problem. I can’t think of anything but I do remember wiping out in the middle of the store a few months ago and doing down hard. I'm sure that didn't help You know, both feet in the air; purse flying. Of course, a lady saw me. I remember why I don’t wear those shoes anymore and they went in the trash as soon as I got home. Thank you everyone who took the time to share your stories and thoughts. I have more digging around to do and I'm putting together a list of questions to talk with the Dr. about. I like looking at different options. I've been saying this for some time now but we're planning on starting a family soon and that's another big reason I don't want surgery. I'm sure I'll need my arms a lot! Thanks again and I'll keep you all posted.

I truly know that one. I'm living it. My mom and my own body. Back stuff is totally awful and is never ever never ending. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I hope your deal is a one time thing. I love physical therapy. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread, the wheel, and anything else that is revolutionary. It can really help ease the pain.