Well its been over 3 months now since I crushed my hand. The swelling has gone down but is not completely gone yet. The swelling is interfering with my ability to move my index finger and middle finger. My husband massages and works it every morning and every night if possible. I am finding that the days I have Behind The Wheel students my hand is worse than on days I am off. On days I am off I am using it all day long, on days I have students I am not using it. I see my doctor Tuesday and he might be referring me to a specialist for possible surgery. From what I am gathering the doctor thinks my index finger knuckle at the palm has "locked" and "fused" together, but it is hard to tell with the swelling I still have in those joints. Also lots of scaring in my hand, so I have lots of questions. Is surgery worth the time, pain and lack of use? What are the odds of improvement and how much improvement? How much scar tissues will have to come out in order for improvement to be seen through surgery. Will my hand continue to improve if I continue to work at it as we are now? My husband started massaging and working my hand about 3 weeks ago, and I see more improvements with he does than I do the OPT at this time. I am adapting and am getting back into my sewing, yes there may be some things I might never be able to do again. I don't know at this time, but I am not willing to give up, so I will find ways to do most of the things I enjoy doing and want or need to do. I got an e-mail from a friend later Thrusday night asking me to make a Nun costume for a play she will be in and wanted it by Monday night. I told her "its not going to happen" I am working on altering a dress for my daughter for this coming weekend for a wedding she is in, and am finding I can do these things but they take much longer to do. The one good thing about this injury (haha) is I can turn things down much easier.
I can do allot of things that I have learned to made adaptments to, others I have gained enough strength back to use my hand for.Movement wise... I can touch my index finger to my little and ring finger and alomoost touch my palm with these fingers. I can now touch my middle finger to my thumb without forcing it with my other hand, and down can apply pressure with that finger and my thumb. I can just barely touch my indes and thumb if I force them together with my other hand. I think my doctor might be surprised, I think my husband and I may have "broken" through the "locked joint" in my index finger, as we both see movement in that joint now. I personally think we just need to keep working it and wait to see how well it heals througth the summer before we get to excited about cutting into my hand.
AS I said before, I see more improvement with my husbands massage and working it than from what the OPT is doing. So the doctor may agree that we should continue through the summer and meet again in a month or so to check the progress and if surgery is necessary. Wish me luck! I am NOT keen on going under the knife if I can get it back naturally even if it takes a year or more to do.
Hugs
Diane
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I'm with jrob..try everything else before surgery!! Sounds like you ARE making forward steps. Here's praying for a positive report from the doctor!
35675Diane, I'm still praying for healing for your hand. I always exhaust all possibilities before having surgery. If it is not detrimental to your healing to wait, I can't see a downside.
158715Please only let a very good specialist cut your hand if you need surgery - and get a second opinion. My mother lost her finger after bad surgery.
I am so glad to hear you have visible improvement. My prayers are with you to get the full usage of your hand and all your fingers back.
Sometimes refusal to accept limitations work well - after my mastectomy, I lost 90% of the use of my right arm (nerve damage due to the operation). I absolutely refused to accept it, and trained my arm to get full functionalty back. So keep on with the massages, exercises, and hold on to that will to succeed!
I wish you the best of luck. God Bless.
Anneliese
2 comments
by anssmile
19 May 2014
Oh, and some of the things I did with my arm hurt a lot - I persevered and today my right arm is stronger than my left! (I am mostly left handed)
8037This must be so frustrating for you. Hope that your hand will heal soon.
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85867Diane sigh..............I do understand limitations but if I may say this...........don't give up trying & if you really can't do something one way then find another way to do it. I have lost so much but I have a new (& maybe improved) way of doing certain things but the point is I am doing it. Everything is so much slower then it used to be & some of it is harder but I am doing it! I repeat this because you must remember this YOU ARE DOING IT! The other thing which I think is the most valuable thing we can do as individuals is listen to our own bodies you know it better then anyone else including the Dr.. If you think hubbies message is helping then by all means continue. I will keep you in my prayers & I wish you the very best. ~hugs~
299559Don't know if you have tried this but it helped me. Try exercising you hand in the kitchen sink or some type of deep basin with water as hot as you can stand it, it offers resistance as well as strengthens. Use soft clay or play dough to exercise outside of the water. You can use this anywhere and at any time, just store in the original container or a baggy and you are good to go. The Dr. told me I could even use bread dough to knead and exercise in. It will take time, but the key is perseverance and it sounds like you have that. You are only limited by what you try or want to achieve. I still find new ways to 'hurt me' as I continue to heal. Hope this helps and if you are already doing this, pardon the intrusion. :) Leaha
35301i cut my left arm 40 years ago with a miter saw cutaway the bone complete .In your arm you have two bones with a main artery between them i cut the artery to .
I said this to say ,they fixed it and it is usable today,so go for the surgery if needed.Carolyn
2 comments
360641Your husband's work with your hand has helped improve it. Why can't OPT or some other T do as he is doing? That would be the question. I have developed an action tremor in my mature age and find what used to take me 10 seconds can now take me 2 or 3 minutes but I persevere and you will also. Good luck.
2753I don't think you have to rush into a surgery. When I was in the hospital and I asked the Dr when will this heal his favorite answer was "Time will tell". Keep working with your hand and just watch the improvement.
Bev
1 comment
67271I think you answered your own question. It seems clear to me you need to wait and see through the summer. Then you will be making a better informed decision. I cringed the day you told us about this. I do believe your work with hubby is the best that can happen... as you said. Best wishes and the biggest cyber hugs! Christine
173692Diane I am wishing you luck. You seem to be a very determined women. I am sure you will make the right decision what to do. You have a sweet husband willing to massage your hand every day. Keep us posted
109774Diane, thank you so much for the update. I worry about Cuties...
Look into something called K-Laser therapy. I do not know if they have it where you live. If they do, it can really help with all you are doing. I too prefer to avoid the knife.
Continued prayers for you.
57675