After almost 10 months since my trigger thumb diagnosis, I can bear the thumb popping no more. Not only does it gross me out, it’s painful and on top of that my inability to do everyday tasks is becoming a bore.
After two cortisone injections in my thumb which were fine while they lasted (which was not long,) I’ve resorted to tapping up my doctor’s knife skills. The trusty surgeon tells me that it will be quick and relatively painless. I think my bank balance will hurt the most. For the record, in my next life I want to come back as an anaesthetist and retire by the time I’m 30.
The night before the op, I live like a woman on death row. For the next 10 days, I’ll have a dressing that can’t get wet or sweaty which not only rules out hairwashing, baking, manicures and worst of all, exercise. On the plus side, washing up is a no no. There is always a plus side, I tell you!
I am pretty laissez faire about surgery these days. I belong to the “been there, done that, got the T shirt” school of thought, although it’s not really a T-shirt,more like one of those un-sexy backless white gowns.
Going back to a hospital I know and proceedures I’ve followed definitely helps. I’m so relaxed in my room, on my bed with my own TV, I almost fall asleep. Who needs anaesthetic when you have jet lag?
I take the drugs because I’m paying enough for them but it’s those weird ones where you can hear stuff, feel stuff but you don’t hurt and can’t remember. I guess it’s a bit like being really drunk without a hangover.
I can’t tell you exactly what they did. Frankly, if it involves knives, I don’t want to know. Besides, like I said, I was in LaLa Land. I’m hoping whatever she cut in my thumb will fix it right up, and that the cortisone injection she popped into my left will offer some relief, albeit temporary!
I wake up with my right hand bandaged in the gallows and my left hand in a band aid. As one of my instagram friends noted, I only needed a few more bandages and I would have a great costume for Halloween!
The big bandage was not quite the little band aid I had imagined. Now I look like I’m wearing Michael Jackson’s glove without the fingers or rhinestones and to add insult to injury, the iodine has made a mess of my manicure! Bah!
However, the piece de la resistance is a sling which I must wear when I leave the house, so that I am treated with care! I would have preferred it if it was pink, but hey, you can’t have everything!
After the doctor gave me the once over I was sent on my merry way… in a wheelchair! Apparently, the exit was too far to walk. I think they forgot, it was my hand that was hurting, not my feet!
So now I’m home with my hand raised and despite having all this extra time on my hands, I can’t twiddle my thumbs. I am instead thinking how to master everyday activities one handed. I am sure at the end of this experience, if nothing else, I will be fabulously ambidexterous.
Do you have any one-handed tips and tricks? What can you do with your “other” hand?
