You might agree with me that it’s much easier to give advice than take it. Let’s face it, we’re all pretty good at assessing everyone else’s situation, business or personal, and coming up with clear recommendations for action.

About a month ago, I wrote two edgy posts, the first: Are you really indispensable?; the second: What’s your addiction?.

Provocative stuff. The kind that causes you to contemplate the meaning of life, and where you fit in. Esoteric topics like that.

Unfortunately, these thoughtful posts have boomeranged, and clocked me ‘upside the head.’ Usually, my blogging is observational and instructive. In this case (and in some subsequent posts), I’ll be sharing an ongoing, personal challenge, and how I address it.

I’m taking this approach for three reasons:

1. Announcing a challenge to the world, such as “I’m going to lose 25 lbs by class reunion,” means you are putting out to the world to check in on you, and give you encouragement. Or needle you, if you’re falling short.
2. Hurdles come up, periodically, for me AND you. Some of them can be anticipated. Others cannot. How prepared one is, helps determine the ease of traversing the journey.
3. I’ll have to take some of my own advice.

Here’s the story:

Several months ago, before moving into a new house, I started feeling some nagging pain in my right shoulder. Not all the time, just when I moved it certain ways. A tweak here, a twinge there. Without thinking about it, much, I instinctively compensated for it. That somewhat masked the problem.

Subsequently, Jessica and I moved into the house, and the level of pain and discomfort increased. I put off a shoulder examination, until after I could get a colonoscopy. I was several years late on that, but happily, the results were ‘all clear.’

Now, it was time to see a sports orthopedist and have the shoulder exam. An x-ray didn’t show much, so the doctor opted for a cortisone shot as a first step. It reduced the pain somewhat, but ultimately, didn’t do the trick.

Next step MRI. Not exactly a day-at-the-beach. You lie down, the attendant puts your shoulder in a vice, so you don’t move. Oh yes, first they give you ear plugs. Because being inside the MRI compartment sounds like you’re being surrounded by jackhammers at full throttle. The noise goes on forever… actually only about 5-6 minutes.

The diagnosis… a medical trifecta

1. Torn Rotator Cuff
2. SLAP Tear of the Labrum (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior. The SLAP tear occurs at the point where the tendon of the biceps muscle inserts on the labrum. )
3. Bone Spur

Did an injury cause this? I quickly tired of answering that question because I really can’t identify one incident, as the cause. Though, I’m sure I aggravated it, prior to, and during the house move. My orthopedist told me that’s it’s not unusual for any man in his 40’s and 50’s to develop these issues.

My new answer: “I injured it when I played high school baseball, trying to learn the curve ball… or maybe it was overthrowing the fast ball.” At least that deflects the answer, and gets a chuckle.

Surgery: An arthroscopic, outpatient procedure. Depending on the severity of the tears, the duration of the procedure takes 1-2 hours.

Recovery: 6-8 weeks. That’s not a typo. The recovery time is estimated at six to eight weeks. Assuming I follow instructions, to the letter, and there are no other surprises.

It could be worse, and it is: The injuries are in my right shoulder (I’m right handed). My right arm will be immobilized for most of the recovery. In addition, I will not be able to use my right hand, at all. Ponder that for a moment. I will not be able to type or drive. I will struggle to put on my clothes, shave, pick up a fork, use a knife, or perform any number of simple tasks.

I won’t even be able to do a simple head-bob when listening to great soul music.

Being immobilized is critical, because if one moves the shoulder, even a little, it can undo the micro-stitching of the repair. Can’t cheat. Period.

Surgery countdown: Scheduled for November 17th, but likely to be moved to December 1st. Then, the clock for recovery period starts.

Here’s my current plan, also known as Plan B:

1. Minimize moments of self-pity, and stay focused.
2. Prior to surgery, handle any personal and business tasks that are truly urgent.
3. Take a hard look at new business projects (either recently accepted or under consideration) and step away from most of them.
4. Work like a dog to take care of current clients and personal projects, on my own, and with outside assistance.
5. Be grateful it’s not life-threatening, and apply myself for the best outcome.

This past weekend, I started training on MacSpeech, a speech recognition software program which will allow me to dictate to my computer. It magically watch my voice converted to task. So far, so good.

MacSpeech is not really magic, nor a complete solution, either. However, it should be a huge help.

Than again, in the last several years, I have had many friends struggling with, and continuing to work through: Back surgery, severe vision loss, prostate cancer, colon cancer, heart attack, diabetes, arthritis, heart bypass surgery, loss of family members, and who-knows-what-else. I’m very clear that I’m not the only one to ever go through a challenging period.

Over the last week, my evolving circumstances have helped me understand that my greatest skills are critical thinking, problem solving, writing, speaking and coaching. None of these, necessarily requires a right hand on a keyboard for a couple of months. Or, at least, that’s what I’m choosing to believe, and how I’ll approach it.

For two-three months, I plan to tough it out.

I’m simply hoping the ‘challenging tunnels of life’ will become fewer and farther between. And that the light at the end of the tunnel, isn’t a train coming in my direction.

Keep a good thought. I’ll let you know how it goes. And we shall find out just how good I am at taking my own advice.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

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