Raley Design Studios

💪🏼Shoulder Update

I’ve reached a point where I feel like I can sprinkle in making a cab or few once in a while, or a quick custom like the obsidian re-cut I just did today. Then I rest for a week or two.

Originally, I had a few issues going on concurrently: 2 rotator cuff tears, a frayed tendon, tendonosis (swollen tendon) in several areas, and adhesive capsulitis (a.k.a. Frozen Shoulder).

My Frozen Shoulder has been gone for a couple months now (quickest recovery ever?); and to be honest, I never felt like that was the main issue anyway.

The acupuncture I’m getting each week is helping with the tears and tendonosis, although I wish I could afford to go 3x a week instead of just one in order to get the healing process moving along quicker. (Cuz lemme tell you, as a creative, I’m going 😵‍💫 doing all this resting every day lol)

So, yes, I can now do *some* work, but it may be very slow.

Not exactly how I imagined spending the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. How ‘bout you?

I’ve kept this in my stories for a few months, but it’s time to put it in the timeline since I don’t know how much longer I’ll be out of work.
Initial injury happened sometime mid-August as best I can remember. Had an x-ray in early October. Had a shoulder MRI in early December; results indicate a mild torn rotator cuff AND a tinge of “frozen shoulder.” Soonest I can see orthopedics is the end of January. In the meantime, having no direction from doctors on wtf to do until then, I’m doing what I have been doing all this time that relieves the pain the best: braced, iced, and not in use.

I haven’t posted or even perused social media much in months. Learning to do everything with my non-dominant hand/arm has been interesting. 😬

In other news, I’m in Quartzsite, AZ today and maybe tomorrow. Keeping activities to a minimum, but those rocks aren’t going to buy themselves! 😉😎

It’s only been seven years since I did this. 🥴😅
Grading some Montana sapphires today. It’s good to be a gemologist. 🤓🔬