teapot1

teapot1

Thursday, July 3, 2014


Presurgical Thoughts

Day 3 of UBC and NaBloPoMo challenges 

Most of my Facebook friends know that I will be having surgery on my right wrist on July 11.

The official diagnosis is de Quervain’s syndrome, defined in Wikipedia as “a tenosynovitis of the sheath or tunnel that surrounds two tendons that control movement of the thumb.” (Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the tendon sheath.)

More than a year ago, in late winter, I began to feel pain in my hand and wrist. I had been crocheting a lot at that time and, of course, working on the computer every day. I bought an elastic-bandage-type wrist brace and began to wear it.

Around April I was still having the pain. I had an appointment with my doctor, and he  gave me a cortisone shot. Within a day or two I felt much better and resumed crocheting.

I was fine for the summer, but shortly into the fall I began to start feeling twinges of pain again. I eventually got another cortisone shot, but my doctor warned me that if it happened again he’d have to refer me to an orthopedic surgeon.

It happened again, around springtime this year. I began to get frustrated. After the second cortisone shot last year I was able to finish an afghan for my sister-in-law for Christmas and became active in my church prayer-shawl group again. I had finished two shawls and was at work on another when it hit again this time.

As the old saying goes, “the third time is the charm.” Or, in this case, the final blow.

I saw the orthopedic surgeon, who gave me a (mostly incomprehensible to me) explanation of the anatomy of the wrist tendons.

 

He gave me a choice: another cortisone shot, “conservative” therapy (mostly wearing a huge Victorian-boot-type thing around my wrist), or surgery. But, he said, since I’d had two cortisone shots and neither of them cured it, he didn’t expect that another one would, either. Wanting to resolve this once and for all, I opted for the surgery.

I told him I’d have to finish up my work projects first; as a freelancer, I have no one to delegate my work to. I’d need till about the end of June. In the meantime he gave me a pain-relieving cream and the aforementioned Victorian-boot brace. “Wear it while you’re using the hand,” he said. Well, there was no way I could work or do anything with that manacle on my hand, so I continued with my elastic brace.

 

So now I’m waiting. Surgery date is set, my work is cleared up, I’m free for another week. I had an EKG with my primary-care doctor. I have my presurgery instructions. Two days before surgery, start taking Vitamin C. On the morning of, nothing to eat or drink; just two Celebrex with a sip of water. He gave me samples of these.

Although I’ll be glad to have this problem resolved, I’m thinking about what the aftermath will be like. I’ll have to wear a cast or brace for ten days. Will I be able to use the hand at all? Will I be able to eat, wash, brush my teeth? No instructions yet about any of those things. How big will the brace be? After the ten days I’ll begin rehab. When will I be able to resume my work?

I know one thing: I won’t be able to do any housework. But I know with a little “reminder,” my dear husband will do it willingly and well!

 

 

18 comments:

  1. Hope the surgery solves the problem for you, Elaine. Delegating the housework sounds like an excellent idea!

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    1. I thought so, too, Paula ;-) . Thanks for the good wishes.

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  2. I wish you a speedy recovery. I am a quilter, so I totally understand about the importance of crocheting and have had my share of cortisone shots in the tendon. (Mighty painful, too.) I hope the surgery resolves your problems and your husband takes good care of you.

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    1. I know he will, Sue. I am eager to get "back on the hook" when this is all over. I hope your tendon problems are behind you, and thanks for visiting and leaving your good wishes.

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  3. You basically won't be able to use you hand and if cast, will have to cover it with a bag (bread loaf bags are great) to bathe. Hope you recover quickly.

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    1. Ewww...that doesn't sound like so much fun, but I think you're right. I'll get through it! Thanks for your good wishes.

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  4. Good luck with the surgery! I'm worried one day I'll get that problem or arthritis. I use my hands and wrists a lot and my joints are flexible, not strong. Hope your recovery is quick and the problem gets fixed.

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    1. Thank you, D. G., and I hope that you'll be lucky and not have to suffer from a condition like this.

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  5. Goodness! I hope all goes well and you will be knitting and typing in no time!

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  6. Thanks for the update - will be thinking of you, and hoping the surgery goes well and solves all the problems.

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    1. Thank you, Laurel! I hope to be joining the ranks of Zentangle learners fairly soon, too!

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  7. You've done your homework and not rushed into surgery. Sounds like you are in good hands and I'm sure Tim will be wonderful for your recovery! Will be thinking of you "extra" on the 11th.

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    1. I'm sure he will be too, Amy. Thanks so much for your good thoughts and wishes.

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  8. You could always type with one hand, like I do, although then your other arm/wrist/hand would go de Quervain on you, too.

    I've been looking all over for you, by the way. You were nice enough to drop by on me, I wanted to do the same, and couldn't...

    John
    The Sound of One Hand Typing

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    1. I'm not sure what you mean, John. You found my blog--where else were you looking? Thanks for the effort and for the comment!

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  9. Hope you have a great recovery and are knitting again in no time!

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