My shoulder has been giving me pain for the last three weeks or so; and after surfing with it amongst the rough and tumble of the Californian swell I finally gave in and had it check out. This is an x-ray of it.

I need to get an MRI next but there is a bone chip in there from an Aussie Rules injury when I was about sixteen, there is also a spur, which might be the issue. Then again given where I was weak it also might be a torn labrum/labrial (sp?) which is bad since it requires surgery. Which is not cool.

As an aside this will be my second interface with the US medical system and to be truthful it makes me nervous. I far prefer the Australian system where I know I will be taken care of. In the US I am more dependent on the insurance my employer has, rather than a collective health pool or my own insurance. It is fine if you don't have much wrong with you, but I am aging, and this is where I would not be in the least bit concerned if the US adopted an Australian or West European system (like France's) as health care. I don't see it happening though.

I dealt with the US health system in detail when I first came to America and inconveniently broke my leg playing Aussie Rules for the New York Magpies in Cincinnati. My insurance at that time was through an Australian insurer. I did not transition to US health care until later. I recall it was a fight to get the insurance company to pay - but ultimately they did.

For my shoulder the X-Ray was covered, but the MRI is optional and has to be approved by the insurance company, in this Aetna. I suspect I am going to be out of pocket one way or another before the shoulder is fixed and back to fully functioning status.

Update: I damaged the shoulder doing incline presses at gym.

Update II: 1/4 x-post