So, what next?

A very good question.

For a change, I'm at a complete loss as to what to do.  I'm following a BAD shoulder day with a very good shoulder day, which tempts me to do more... but I don't want to jump the gun.  For what it's worth, while I keep characterizing this as a shoulder problem, it's more correctly an upper back problem; I have no problems on the rotator cuff tests - I have no loss of ROM and can do things I wouldn't be able to do if I had an RC tear.  But the weakness extends into my arm, and lack of left arm strength is basically what's killing my UB workouts at this point.  In fact I was doing some light benching yesterday - just what I could handle with perfect form (and it's the weakness that kills the form, not pain) - and what I found really disturbing was how my upper back felt asymmetrical.  That is, I could feel the atrophy in the left upper back.  Not a great feeling, but it cemented my grasp of my situation - there is not a damned thing I can do besides back up and rebuild. 

So that's where my thoughts are today.  I am accepting that I'll have to use machines for leg workouts for a while; hopefully not too long since they're going to get boring, fast.  The UB stuff and the core stuff, I will just have to play by ear, although the goal will be to hit the weakest points three times a week.  What this will probably look like is a total body Monday, UB Wednesday, legs Friday, UB Saturday.  Except - there's always an exception, damn it - this week I will be getting about 1,000 shots for school so I may just be playing it all by ear.  Again, nothing I can control so nothing I will sweat.  If I'm sore, I'll work the unsore parts.

Speaking of school - got a lot of paperwork done today; everything that is due, besides my medical papers by the end of this month is in, and I should have the medical stuff that's immediately due done by end of my appointment on Tuesday.  (Hopefully.  It's just paperwork, right?)  I still have to do my state taxes - had hoped to get them done today but the state efile site is down so it'll have to wait.  Got the feds done, so as soon as I get confirmation back from the IRS I can put in my student loan stuff.  Hopefully I should be able to do THAT this week, too.  All that plus orientation Friday and I will feel on track, at least at the moment.  I feel as if I'm looking at a giant countdown clock - it's a mere 10 weeks until school starts.  Holy shit.