I'd get a second opinion. I went to Dr. Graham several years ago, with terrible pain in my right shoulder and weakness in my right arm. They put me in an exam room and promptly forgot about me. After 45 minutes, I went down the hall and reminded them that I was there and waiting. He diagnosed a torn rotator cuff, and prescribed physical therapy.
Well, my physical therapist took one look at my shoulder and told me that I didn't have a torn rotator cuff; the problem was the C4-5 disc in my neck. She refused to do anything else, as she said it would be dangerous to do so. She told me to call my orthopedic surgeon in Houston that day, and to get in to see him ASAP.
I did so, and my orthopedic guy did his own X-Rays and an MRI. Guess what? No torn rotator cuff, but a severely deteriorated C4-5 disc that was crushing the nerve to my right shoulder & arm between a bone spur and my spinal cord.
Result, he did a cervical fusion a week later, and the pain was gone immediately. He also told me that I was in great danger of losing the use of my right arm PERMANENTLY if I hadn't had the fusion done. Over three years later, and my shoulder is fine.
Dr. Jeffrey Kozak, Fondren Orthopedic Group, (713) 799-2300. He's treated my spinal problems since 1988, and is THE MAN. Or, have another orthopedic specialist at least give you a second opinion. That's what I did, and it probably saved my right arm.
I was really disappointed with Dr. Graham, and especially his staff. I called them, to pick up the X-Rays that he had done before I went to see Dr. Kozak. They told me it would take all day for them to be ready, because they were just swamped. Well, I knew that Dr. Graham did surgeries on that day, and didn't buy the excuse. I was in that part of town a couple of hours later, and dropped by the office. No one was on duty, but I could hear guitar music and singing coming from the back. I just walked back there, and caught the Girl Scout campfire sing-along red-handed. Swamped, my ass.
This is serious stuff, so take care of yourself. Don't expect anyone else to care as much as you do, especially in Austin.
