After years of shoulder pain, Caroline C. could barely brush her hair, lift a gallon of milk or carry her young children. Bilateral shoulder surgery with Dr. Kareem Sobky, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with HCA HealthONE Orthopedic Specialists – a part of HCA HealthONE, helped her return to the everyday moments that mattered most — from gardening and pottery to holding her kids when they need her.
By the time Caroline met Dr. Sobky, she had spent years trying to parent, work as a veterinarian and move through daily life with pain in both shoulders. What began after the birth of her first child in 2018 grew worse after her second child was born, as Caroline relied more heavily on her other arm.
For years, she was told she had biceps tendonitis. She tried steroid injections and physical therapy, but the pain kept getting worse. Eventually, it became so limiting that she could not brush her own hair.
“I had a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, and I was like, this is going to be my life, I guess,” Caroline said. “I just need to figure out how to live in pain.”
Finding the right diagnosis
A pain specialist helped shift the direction of Caroline’s care. After examining her, he suspected her shoulder problems were more serious and referred her to Dr. Sobky.
“When I first met Caroline, she was in a lot of pain — more pain than someone her age should have been experiencing,” Dr. Sobky said. “She had been searching for answers, and I knew we needed to take a closer look at what was causing her symptoms.”
MRIs confirmed significant rotator cuff tears in both shoulders, with Caroline’s right shoulder especially severe. She remembers Dr. Sobky being both kind and direct. Shoulder surgery meant time in a sling, a long recovery and a lot of planning for a full-time working mother with two young children, but Dr. Sobky helped her understand why surgery could not wait.
“He was very sweet, very concerned,” Caroline said. “He said, ‘No, you have to get this done soon.’”
For Dr. Sobky, Caroline’s age, activity level and responsibilities shaped the conversation about treatment.
“Knowing Caroline was a young, active veterinarian and a mom, surgery gave her the best opportunity to improve her quality of life,” Dr. Sobky said. “The goal was to help her get back to the work she loves and the activities that matter most to her.”
A recovery focused on family
Caroline had surgery on her right shoulder first, followed several months later by surgery on her left shoulder. The procedures repaired extensive damage, including rotator cuff tears and biceps tendon issues.
Recovery was not easy, and Caroline took it seriously.
“You have to have a great surgeon, and you have to follow the instructions and the physical therapy, too,” she said. “That’s a huge component.”
For Caroline, the goal was never about chasing an extreme athletic milestone. It was about being able to live her everyday life again. She wanted to lift a gallon of milk from the refrigerator, carry groceries and travel without needing someone else to lift her suitcase. She wanted to return to pottery, gardening and riding her bike. Most of all, she wanted to be able to hold her children.
“This wasn’t about skiing,” Caroline said. “For me, it was about being able to be a mom.”
During recovery, her kids knew she had “mommy’s boo-boo arms.” Caroline remembers sitting in a recliner with one arm in a sling, her children carefully propped beside her and the family cat at her feet. She found ways to read books, snuggle and stay close, even when she could not pick them up.
Back to the moments that matter
Now, after both surgeries and a long commitment to healing, Caroline can lift and carry her youngest child. She can garden with her kids, travel with her family and share pottery with her 7-year-old, who loves it, too. She is back on her bike. She can reach for things on shelves. She can brush her hair. And yes, she can lift that full gallon of milk.
“Some people want to be IronWomen or triathletes,” Caroline said. “I just want to be able to pour my kids a bowl of cereal and carry them when they’re sad.”
For Dr. Sobky, seeing Caroline return to her life has been especially meaningful.
“It’s wonderful to see Caroline enjoying time with her family and doing her job without pain,” Dr. Sobky said. “It was an honor to care for her.”
Caroline is grateful for the care she received from Dr. Sobky and his team, including physician assistant Bridget. As a veterinarian, she understood enough about tendons, ligaments and orthopedic surgery to know her shoulders were complicated. She also understood that healing would take time.
Her advice to someone living with long-term shoulder pain is simple: Do not ignore it and consider getting another opinion if the pain is not improving.
“Shoulders, to me, are about the long game,” Caroline said. “It’s a long recovery, but it’s worth it. Trying to speed it up would probably only lead to setbacks. Keep your eye on the long term. You’ll get there.”
Dr. Sobky also encourages people to get care when shoulder pain does not improve, especially when it comes with weakness.
“Shoulder pain that does not improve, particularly when it comes with weakness, is worth checking out,” Dr. Sobky said. “The right diagnosis can help us understand the problem and discuss treatment options that support a better quality of life.”
For Caroline, getting there meant more than repaired shoulders. It meant getting back to the small, ordinary, beautiful parts of life she had missed most. It meant getting back to being Mom.
Learn more about orthopedic care at HCA HealthONE.