First, a bit of back story: I had been living with moderate to occasionally severe right shoulder pain for several years. I sought treatment at another major orthopedic group on two different occasions. In both cases, after an examination and couple x-rays, I was referred to physical therapy, with no definitive explanation for my pain. After the requisite therapy, I had little to no improvement. I was discouraged to say the least. In the latter half of 2015, the pain reached a level where I could no longer sleep on my right side, waking up in pain, and having to sleep only on my left side. My family doctor recommended I see a specialist at TCO. Upon making the initial call to TCO, I explained my situation, and a very friendly and helpful person recommended
Dr. Kelly. I asked if I could go ahead and set up an appointment, expecting a wait of a few weeks to be seen. They actually scheduled me for an initial consult the very next day. It was the first of several positive surprises with TCO. After being shown to an exam room, I was greeted by Dr. Kelly and two members of his care team. I noted a few things right away - they showed empathy and concern, and took the time to actually listen to my story and my condition. My shoulder was thoroughly examined, and I was then sent for x-rays. After coming back to the exam room, Dr. Kelly reviewed the results of my x-rays, and then used a portable ultrasound to further examine my shoulder. He then showed me the cause of my pain - a significant calcium deposit on one of my rotator tendons. Dr. Kelly recommended the Tenex procedure, which would utilize a small incision (about 1/2 inch) on the shoulder to allow access to the calcium deposit where the device would use ultrasonic pulses to break up the calcium and vacuum the debris. For the first time in years, I was finally optimistic that I had a physician that cared enough to find the right solution to a chronic problem. The procedure was scheduled for about 10 days later. Arriving at the surgical suite, I was quickly shown to a pre-op room, where I only needed to remove my shirt, and wait comfortably with warm blankets. I was soon taken into the surgical suite, where Dr. Kelly was waiting with his team. I was given a local anesthetic to numb my shoulder, and then laid down on my left side. Dr. Kelly did an awesome job of keeping me informed of each step of the process, which relaxed me, especially since I was fully awake for the procedure. The entire Tenex procedure took about 20 minutes to complete, and was nearly painless. After a final shot of cortisone to reduce the inflammation and speed the healing process, I was bandaged up (no stitches!), and sent to the recovery room. After a brief time, I was discharged and was even able to drive myself home. I experienced some minor discomfort for a few weeks while the shoulder healed, but the previous pain I had was gone. It has been about 4 months since the procedure, and I am 100% pain free, and have unrestricted motion of my right shoulder for the first time in years. I truly appreciate the care I received from Dr. Kelly and his team - it was a first-class experience. If you're experiencing similar pain, don't wait like I did - the fix was so simple and the results so positive that I wish I had done it long before. I highly recommend Dr. Kelly and TCO. It was a life changing experience for me.
