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