At his peak, Henry Gray could bench-press 600 pounds without breaking a sweat. For decades, competitive lifting gave him purpose and strength. But by last year, Gray’s left shoulder was hurting so much it kept him up at night.
For a while he pushed through the discomfort. But the potential consequences gnawed at him. As chief deputy of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Gray realized that putting off medical attention not only put himself and his team at risk, but also jeopardized his 30-year career in law enforcement, which included overseeing drug and SWAT team operations.
“One morning, there was numbness, and I couldn’t move my arm up to a certain level; it actually scared me,” said Gray, 60. “I would hate to go up on a scene with my guys and not be able to give them 100%. I felt that would be hindering or hurting a situation, so I knew it was time for me to get my shoulder fixed.”
That was March 2023, when Gray met with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mark Schweppe of Novant Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine - Winston-Salem. He diagnosed Gray with advanced shoulder arthritis, a condition that usually affects joints in older patients when cartilage wears out and bones come into contact with one another.
Injured? Get immediate orthopedic care.
Nonsurgical options for shoulder arthritis
Surgeons always start by looking for nonsurgical options like physical therapy, over-the-counter medications and cortisone injections, Schweppe said. But when symptoms get worse, as they had in Gray’s case, it’s time to consider surgery.
Not only was Gray determined to get well, but there was also another upside to surgery. Four years ago he developed a trust with the Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center team when COVID confined him to a hospital bed away from his family at Christmas. It also didn’t hurt that Schweppe years ago had successfully repaired a rotator cuff for Gray’s mother.
“He walked me through the whole procedure and it was awesome – that’s the only word for it,” Gray said. Schweppe replaced Gray’s left shoulder last December with the help of a newer procedure meant to preserve bone and minimize pain.
Growing up fast
Gray grew up in Winston-Salem and joined the Army after high school. Rather than burden his mother with college tuition, Gray instead threw himself into studying field artillery for four years while stationed in Germany.
“Growing up, if you didn't quite know what you wanted to do, the military was there,” Gray said. “It taught me discipline, it taught me camaraderie. And it makes you grow up fast.”
When he returned from overseas in 1988, Gray joined the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier in 2024 he was promoted to chief deputy, a role requiring the management of day-to-day operations as the sheriff’s No. 2. But, as Gray points out, one cannot perform at the top of their game if they’re in pain.
“I lead by example,” he said. “I want my guys to view me as one of their own, and as a man who can be counted on.”
An acute injury, such as a fall or a sports-related accident, should be followed up with an X-ray and formal exam if the pain does not improve with rest, physical therapy and over-the-counter medications, Schweppe said.
Patients do not need a referral from their primary care doctor to schedule an orthopedic, or joint pain visit with Novant Health.
Top scores for safety in NC
Novant Health received the most ‘As’ for patient safety in North Carolina
from The Leapfrog Group. With a focus on safety, quality and patient
experience, the national, industry-leading nonprofit, evaluates and
assigns letter grades ranging
from A to F to hospitals across the country. Novant Health’s hospitals with “A”
grades outperform 70% of hospitals nationwide for safety and quality.
Surgical options for shoulder replacement
Ahead of a traditional shoulder replacement (known as anatomic total shoulder replacement), a CT scan evaluates the patient’s bone anatomy. Those findings are uploaded to a software program that allows virtual placement of metal and plastic implants.
“Shoulder-replacement surgery has truly progressed in terms of technology and implants,” Schweppe said.
In Gray’s case, Schweppe used a bone-preserving implant known as a stemless total shoulder replacement, a good fit for patients with arthritis-related pain and decreased range of motion.
This surgery allows the patient to preserve more bone stock, one of the advantages of a stemless total shoulder replacement. The procedure takes less than two hours. Some patients are immediately discharged while others spend the night at the hospital.
Physical therapy typically follows within a week, and Gray pushed through the spring to regain the strength in his shoulder.
“The rehab team was awesome,” Gray said. “Everybody was on the same sheet of music, pushing me hard and not letting me settle for anything less. Rehab is what you put into it. And because I love being a public servant, I was going to do everything I could to get back to work.”
That happened in May, when Gray returned to the sheriff’s office, pain-free. With his competitive weightlifting days behind him, Gray has since requalified to carry his firearm and is looking forward to surgery on his right shoulder later this year.
“I wouldn’t trust anyone but Dr. Schweppe to do it,” Gray said. “Since the beginning, the people at Novant Health have never given up on me.”
