Hand surgery

[bullebak]

Don't ignore carpal tunnel issues. Muscle wastage will follow.

An old friend did ignore it, resulting eventually in total loss of the use of most of his hands. He reckoned it was 'punishment from the devil'...

I had both of mine done at different times, totally recovered not long afterwards.

 

[Bird]

Don't ignore carpal tunnel issues. Muscle wastage will follow.

Yeah, I put it off as long as I could, even having to sit up at night in a recliner because the pain kept me from sleeping much. The final straw was when I had to use an ordinary caulking gun, and found that I didn't have the strength to operate it, even with both hands.

If I'd know back then what I know now, I'd have had it done much sooner.

 

[murph1]

if you wait too long there will be nothing they can do for you.

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't push things as it takes time to heal...

We had a patient today... a very spry older woman that has lots of energy...

She had a bad bone break and had surgery to repair and metal splints and bone screws were used.

All was going well and the pain meds so effective she wasted no time getting back to work... well... she broke the metal splint because she didn't allow any time for the bone to heal and fuse together.

Not to get way off topic...

We had a pain patient that was 50... owned a contracting business... basically crawled in and could sleep and constant pain...

Doc did surgery and all went well plus had pain meds... the patient told the Doc 3 days later he never thought he could feel this good again... the following week he came back in a wheel chair... he felt so good he did 200' of 6' redwood fence over the weekend and was in very bad shape... his wife threatened to leave him because in her words he thinks he is superman... they got into a big fight when he insisted getting right back out into the field.

Maybe being around and seeing has given me a different prospective... pain meds are great for providing temporary comfort but never forget they are masking the source which if fine if used to get rest and heal... but not if going back to the same activity that put in bad shape.

 

[murph1]

Had cast pulled off yesterday Now using a plastic form brace. Get stiches removed next week. still much pain and now out of pain pills due to new law.

 

[Dutch445]

sorry to hear you are still in that much pain, are otc meds helping at all?

 

[ultrarunner]

If your pain is unabated the Doc can find a way to write you a Script...

Many don't want to as there is a possibility for questions if audited...

Several of the podiatrists that do surgery no longer prescribe certain class of painkillers and it is much less work for them and responsibility...

 

[murph1]

had stitches pulled out 16 of them. can exercise my fingers and move my wrist. Still can't drive and that has to be worse thing

 

[Dutch445]

Murph how long did they say no driving?

 

[ultrarunner]

Docs don't want the liability should you have a problem...

The guy that delivers our newspapers lost his left hand in the service.... he drives a newspaper van with one hand and fully licensed to do so.