I'd had my right shoulder rotator cuff repaired 25 years previously and was experiencing pain in my shoulder. Two months of physical therapy resulted in no resolution. The physical therapist referred me to Dr. Meridith Mayo of the BoulderCenter for Orthopedic & Spine. Dr. Mayo explained that a second rotator cuff surgery is often not effective and that, at my age (82), a shoulder replacement was her recommendation. On September 25, 2026, I had my right shoulder replaced (reverse shoulder procedure). During the entire process, I found Dr. Mayo to be an excellent communicator as well as a great surgeon. The team that assisted with the preparation was all knowledgeable and answered all of my questions. I had absolutely no pain at all during the post-surgery process, which was partially due to that nerve block working effectively. The only pain medication I took was Extra Strength Tylenol, and that was only for the first week. My neighbor lent me an ice machine that could be programmed to run at specific times. I think the ice machine was part of the reason that I had zero pain during this process. I was required to wear a sling for the first six weeks. This was definitely one of the more difficult stages. Sleeping was very difficult as I normally sleep on my side and/or stomach. I couldn't have done this recovery on my own, at home. My wife had to help me with many things, from putting on my shirt and socks, to cutting up food to eat. The physical therapy was well organized, and the physical therapists, along with my surgeon, were both on the same page. My primary physical therapist was Guillaume (Ghi) Fouque. I told Ghi he was a magician; in that he was able to stretch my arm/shoulder and was able to stop just before it hurt. I'm now six months out from the surgery and would say that I've recovered 95% of mobility. My friend suggested that I spend time before the operation to learn how to use my left arm. I was surprised to find out how many things are impacted. This advice made the recovery much easier. The bottom line is that I'm glad I had the surgery done. I'm back to doing things as I did before.