Font Size: A A A

Arming herself with solutions

Holding babies and children is a critical part of Andrea Cordell’s job, so the chronic pain she experienced in her right shoulder for two years was a big problem.

Andrea saw Dr. Thomas Fyda at Great Basin Orthopaedics’ (GBO) to address her pain. The diagnosis: Calcium deposits had built up in her rotator cuff. As a nurse practicioner specializing in pediatrics, Andrea knows there are multiple ways to address a physical problem. She was open to trying the least invasive approach first and received cortisone injections to treat her shoulder pain. When she and Dr. Fyda didn’t see the results they wanted from the cortisone, they chose to pursue surgery.

“He went in and did a complete clean-out, even removing a bone spur while he was in there,” Andrea explains, adding that he did a minor repair of a tendon at the same time.

That was in April and she started physical therapy (PT) with GBO’s Joel Peck two days later.

RELATED: Why physical therapy matters

“I love Joel,” she shares. “He was super knowledgeable and was able to explain what was going on so that I understood exactly why we were doing what we were doing.”

Now seven months later, Andrea is living a pain-free life. “Before I wasn’t able to work out, lift weights or do yoga. And I woke up every night in pain,” she shares. “Now I can do all the things I want to do.”

She says the entire GBO team has been good to work with. “Across the board, from scheduling to the day I left PT, I had nothing but a great experience with everyone,” she says. “Everyone knew my name and the PT aids were very responsive. I would absolutely refer to them.”