Erica Feinholtz

No Surgery and No More Pain

It was September of 2016, and I had been having pain in my right shoulder for several months. I am right-handed, and was not able to lift anything heavier than a quart of milk due to the pain. I could no longer sleep on my right side since my shoulder ached if I slept on it. I decided it was time to see an orthopedic MD and I selected a doctor near where I live, down on the Jersey Shore. The doctor took an x-ray and told me there was inflammation in my shoulder. He gave me a cortisone injection and prescribed physical therapy for me. After 4 months of PT, I felt better, but was still uncomfortable due to the pain. I went back to the doctor in March, 2017, and he sent me for an MRI. He told me that the MRI showed that I had a tear in 1 tendon of my rotator cuff and a partial tear in a second tendon. He recommended additional PT.

I decided to go for a second opinion. I went to a different orthopedic MD, again, near where I lived. He told me that I needed to have surgery. I was worried about having surgery at my age (76), so I decided to look for a doctor at HSS since they have such a good reputation. I searched online and selected Dr. DiFelice for a number of reasons. Among his listed areas of expertise was rotator cuff repairs. Also, I watched a short video that Dr. DiFelice made and was very impressed with everything he said. I found it to be very encouraging in his video when he said: “Just because I am a surgeon, doesn’t mean that surgery is the only approach that I use to achieve a successful outcome”. I made an appointment and saw Dr. DiFelice in October 2017. He examined me and ordered an x-ray. I had brought along the disc of my MRI from March of 2017 as well as the radiologist’s report and he looked at all of that. Dr. DiFelice recommended that I get a cortisone injection, but this time, it would be ultrasound guided. He gave me the injection and said that I should begin feeling better soon. AND HE WAS RIGHT. The pain subsided, and within a few days, I was pain free. It is now September 2018, 10 months later, and I am still pain-free! Thank you Dr. DiFelice!