Day 1 (Wednesday)
On Wednesday December 30, Sally and I hiked up Falling Rock Canyon to Ontario and Bighorn Peaks. We brought and used microspikes. On the way down Icehouse Canyon, I tripped over a rock in the dirt trail (dislodged it) and flew right shoulder first into a warped root. When I made contact, I knew something was terribly wrong -- I actually felt the top of my humerus move back, then forward. Sally was at my side instantly and I took a moment to collect myself before standing up. She made a sling with bandanas and we continued to walk the 1.5 miles to our cars.
I felt shaky and off balance, resulting in two more falls to my knees. When we hit the icy part of the trail, a kind stranger tried to help me get through without falling and nearly slid off the trail himself. Walking out was made more difficult by an enormous tree blocking the trail near the TH. Sally and I activating SAR (especially after falling two more times) but I didn't want the stigma of being rescued again. When we reached our cars, I laid down to avoid passing out. We were blessed with the arrival of my friend Diver Dan, who recommended that we go to the emergency room at San Antonio Community Hospital. He drove me and Sally followed in my car.
It's best to avoid ERs in the evening, especially coming up on a holiday weekend. The place was a zoo -- Sally and I were worried about contracting the plague the longer we waited
Finally got into X-Ray. The tech was very nice and upbeat -- said it probably wasn't as bad as I thought. Post X-Ray, she became serious and said she was moving up my priority to get me a bed more quickly. Back to the germ-ridden waiting room. Sally snagged us Coca Cola and chips from a vending machine. Despite the fuel, I became very light headed. Sally jumped into action and I was rolled inside and placed on a stretcher in the corridor. My systolic blood pressure was 80 palp. A RN started an IV and gave me morphine. The ER doctor told me I had a bad fracture -- the humeral head (ball) had broken off the humerus, there were cracks in the humeral head and the humerus was displaced anteriorly and medially. 
The ER physician said I would need surgery but that they would be sending me home
The ER RNs were just as surprised as Sally and me. Saint Sally drove me home where Larry met us and drove her back to her car at Icehouse TH. It was a very painful night but at least I was in my own bed and had my fur babies.Day 2 (Thursday)
I called my primary care physician in Riverside Thursday morning (New Year Eve's day) -- he recommended that I go to the Riverside Community Hospital ER for an ortho consult. I brought the disk with X-Rays and San Antonio's discharge notes. I was seen by a PA and some RNs who asked me why I bothered coming to the ER. No one looked at my X-Rays or my shoulder. I was told that my primary care doctor should have referred me to an ortho and that he should not have sent me to the ER. It's important to note that I have good insurance and can go to a specialist without a referral from my primary care doctor. I called my primary care doctor (the ER had thrown him under the bus) and he did his utmost to have me seen by an ortho. Due to New Years, no ortho was on call
Day 3 (Friday -- New Years Day)
Sister Sally, Miracle Marilyn and Larry came to my house on New Years Day -- bringing food, beer and fellowship. Marilyn took me to the grocery store to stock up (I couldn't drive). Several physician hiking friends reached out to me via Facebook. It became quickly apparent that no ortho in Riverside could manage the complexity of my fracture -- I would need to got to Los Angeles or to the desert to have a great surgeon. These physician friends understood that I was an athlete and should pursue the best possible outcome.
Day 4 and 5 (Saturday and Sunday)
In limbo, hoping that I would be able to see someone on Monday. I was in a lot of pain. In addition to the shoulder swelling, my right forearm was swollen. It was apparent that I was bleeding into my chest. As much as I wanted to be admitted for pain control, it was clear from talking with my physician friends that I needed the "A Team" to operate on my shoulder.
Day 6 (Monday)
My Los Angeles hiking physician friend and his contacts got me into Christopher Lee, MD (Stetson-Powell) on Monday afternoon for a consult. Miracle Marilyn drove to me to Burbank. Dr. Lee discussed my options -- reverse shoulder replacement or open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) with plate and screws. I wanted to try to salvage my shoulder -- also didn't want the movement limitations imposed by reverse shoulder replacement. Due to the severity of the fracture, Dr. Lee noted that I may require a shoulder replacement in the future. Now I needed a surgery date.
Day 7 (Tuesday)
My Los Angeles physician friend recommended that my primary care physician conduct pre-op exam, EKG and blood work to expedite surgery. My primary care physician was fabulous (as usual) and expedited the pre-op tests. The pain and swelling in my shoulder, forearm and chest continued to worsen.
Day 8 (Wednesday)
My desert hiking physician friend contacted me and noted his ortho agreed with the treatment/surgery plan. Glendale Adventist Medical Center and Dr Lee's office asked me to come in on Thursday to check in, sign consent form, etc.
Day 9 (Thursday)
My older sister called me Thursday morning. My 92 year old mom had fallen in her assisted living facility and broken her hip. She was in Riverside Community Hospital and needed surgery. Thank goodness I have amazing sisters -- they handled everything. I was deteriorating day by day.
Saint Sally took me to the Thursday appointments at Glendale Adventist and Dr. Lee in Burbank. We stayed Thursday night with Sally's brother and sister-in-law who were fabulous hosts.
Day 10 (Friday)
Sally took me to Glendale Adventist and stayed until I was wheeled into surgery around 2 PM.
The surgery took about 4 hours. I remember waking up in recovery wiping my eyes and coughing to clear the mucous from the endotracheal tube. Miracle Marilyn was in my room and they let her spend the night in a pull out bed. I don't think she sleep a wink more than I did. A catheter was placed in my neck to deliver numbing medicine to my shoulder. Sadly, the catheter came out around 2 AM (probably due to me sitting up to cough) and I felt that someone had lit up my shoulder with a blow torch.
Day
As a result, I would need a shoulder replacement. Full recovery from this injury is a year assuming everything heals.
