Ugh, lets just say that I go to the doctors tomorrow (on my 21st bday :) ) to find out if I need another surgery. Read my last post if you are unaware of what my surgery entailed.

Knowing what happened in my last surgery... the cardio surgeon that I am seeing now thinks that maybe the neck muscle that my other cardio surgeon used is too tight. I have been having a lot of neck pain and pain at the joint. The worst is the neck pain. I have constant pain every day, some days are barely noticeable but other days are unbearable. The pain is effecting my life.

Anyway, wish me luck, I will update soon.

When I was 14ish, my collarbone dislocated at the Sternoclavicular joint... where your collarbone and breast bone meet. Ever since then, my SC joint would dislocate constantly throughout the day (pretty much with any arm movement... 15-20 times a day?) The doctor I saw at the time said it would heal in a year... that it was common in young girls since bones aren't fully matured at that age. My doctor said he didn't recommend surgery since I was so young.

When I was 16 or so, I went back to the doctor since it didn't heal. The doctor said that it was odd that it didn't heal but again, didn't recommend surgery.

When I was 18, I got my collarbone checked out again to make sure I was ok to join the Army. Everything was fine. Again, he said he wouldn't recommend surgery since it is a pretty intricate surgery....Doc said to come back if I had any pain.

When I was 19, after basic training and AIT, I started having a lot of neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. I went to the doctor again... turns out the pain was coming from my collarbone- everytime it dislocated, it was irritating my muscles and nerves. I found an amazing heart surgeon that was willing to do my surgery- no if's and's or but's about it!

When he first cut me open, the doc found the muscle just floating around (The muscle that held my joint together. He drilled a hole in my collarbone...took one of my neck muscles and wrapped it around my collarbone and rib to hold it in place, to make my SC joint a stable joint.

The surgery went well- as in it IS a stable joint.... ALTHOUGH I am having some complications. I have to go back to the doctor to get some xrays and mri's done... I have some clicking in my SC joint. My physical therapist thinks that it could be my bones rubbing together... either over the years of constant dislocation or the doc cut my bone too sharp- sounds like the disk between my two bones have deteriorated.

Overall, I wish I didn't have the surgery. I still have neck pain... sometimes worse than before since I have my thin neck muscle holding my joint together which is painful sometimes. Yes, it is a stable joint but I still have pain and just a big scar.