i can be a worst case scenario person. i come by it honest. every time we made a 30 minute trip to walmart growing up, my great-grandmother would have us all dead and buried before we made it home. all that being said, these hand doctor people are good...i mean they out worse case scenario me every single visit! they really never cease to amaze me.
let's recap:
{visit one}- i thought: they would say, all's okay. maybe wear a splint for a few weeks. actual result: need surgery to fix nerves
{visit 2- surgery}- i thought: repair nerves. actual: repair nerves, repair 20% cut tendon, repair 100% severed tendon
{visit 3- today}- i thought: remove cast, start therapy, get most of my hand back for usage.
actual: the nerves will take a year to heal-6 months before i notice any difference. as to how well they will heal, he says if you are over 40, then all you can expect is to get sensation back (hot, cold, etc.). if you're under 20, then it gets close to normal. in between, well it's in between results. i'm hopeful that although 33 1/2 is closer to 40 than 20, that my results will be closer to 20 than 40.
the tendons scoop is this. there is one that goes up to the top joint in your finger. that's my 20% one. there is another tendon in your finger that goes to the middle joint. that's my 100% cut tendon. i have to be in a splint for 6 weeks at least. because apparently your pinkie is stupid and has little independent thought, they have to immobilize all of my fingers. always the lawyer, i was able to negotiate my pointer finger and thumb to remain free. hopefully i can button my pants now so that i can stop wearing elastic waist yoga capris and skirts, etc.
i have to go to therapy 3 days a week and do he exercises on my hand EVERY HOUR!!! my exercise is that i have to use my right hand to bend my left fingers. no independent movement for the left fingers yet. oh and the therapist said "you don't have to wake up and do them at night". THAT'S MY CONSOLATION PRIZE!?!? I get to sleep through the night! that's after i've spent 2+ hours tossing and turning trying to get comfortable while trying to keep my hand elevated. i meant to ask when anyone was going to throw me a bone and give me some sleeping pills, but in all my shock and horror, i forgot.
so i'm in this splint. not a cute pink splint, but a "i look like freddie cruger" splint. i cant even take it off to shower because i will apparently pop my tendons if i move my hand. here is the new freak-show splint...
i kid you not people, i'm seriously contemplating a trip to hobby lobby to bling this thing up (maybe paint, jewels, stickers???) also my hand is crazy swollen so i have to keep it elevated (for 6 weeks!!!!!). so i walk around with this ugly splint and holding my hand up above my heart and i look totally afflicted!
so i'm bummed even more....
below is your gross out photo. don't scroll unless you want to see my uncovered, unedited battle scars...
apparently there are lots of surgical markings that should wear off eventually...he promised i'm not tattooed. and as if the scar wasn't big enough to begin with, it is bigger now! where you see ink, the is incision.
let's recap:
{visit one}- i thought: they would say, all's okay. maybe wear a splint for a few weeks. actual result: need surgery to fix nerves
{visit 2- surgery}- i thought: repair nerves. actual: repair nerves, repair 20% cut tendon, repair 100% severed tendon
{visit 3- today}- i thought: remove cast, start therapy, get most of my hand back for usage.
actual: the nerves will take a year to heal-6 months before i notice any difference. as to how well they will heal, he says if you are over 40, then all you can expect is to get sensation back (hot, cold, etc.). if you're under 20, then it gets close to normal. in between, well it's in between results. i'm hopeful that although 33 1/2 is closer to 40 than 20, that my results will be closer to 20 than 40.
the tendons scoop is this. there is one that goes up to the top joint in your finger. that's my 20% one. there is another tendon in your finger that goes to the middle joint. that's my 100% cut tendon. i have to be in a splint for 6 weeks at least. because apparently your pinkie is stupid and has little independent thought, they have to immobilize all of my fingers. always the lawyer, i was able to negotiate my pointer finger and thumb to remain free. hopefully i can button my pants now so that i can stop wearing elastic waist yoga capris and skirts, etc.
i have to go to therapy 3 days a week and do he exercises on my hand EVERY HOUR!!! my exercise is that i have to use my right hand to bend my left fingers. no independent movement for the left fingers yet. oh and the therapist said "you don't have to wake up and do them at night". THAT'S MY CONSOLATION PRIZE!?!? I get to sleep through the night! that's after i've spent 2+ hours tossing and turning trying to get comfortable while trying to keep my hand elevated. i meant to ask when anyone was going to throw me a bone and give me some sleeping pills, but in all my shock and horror, i forgot.
so i'm in this splint. not a cute pink splint, but a "i look like freddie cruger" splint. i cant even take it off to shower because i will apparently pop my tendons if i move my hand. here is the new freak-show splint...
so i'm bummed even more....
below is your gross out photo. don't scroll unless you want to see my uncovered, unedited battle scars...
apparently there are lots of surgical markings that should wear off eventually...he promised i'm not tattooed. and as if the scar wasn't big enough to begin with, it is bigger now! where you see ink, the is incision.
Comments
Glad you are back on-line, I missed your updates!