Healing nicely

Just a quick update on my right hand. As of yesterday I'm cast free and as you can see from the image the scar has healed and it appears the internal restructure is healing nicely. I get the impression there will soon be very little external evidence of work having been undertaken.

So now the rehabilitation begins. I have some simple exercises to do, which will help to mobilise the hand/wrist following its six week incarceration. I'll also be attending some physio therapy sessions aimed at rebuilding strength in the wrist and grip and increasing dexterity within the whole hand.

I'm due to see the surgeon again in about two months time so he can monitor my progress and we can discuss getting me returned to his list for work on my left hand.

I won't deny there's currently a certain amount of discomfort as I go through my exercise routine, but that's to be expected at this stage. The really positive thing for me is the relative lack of pain when I ball a fist or close finger to thumb, especially when compared to similar activity of my left hand. I'm really very pleased with the progress so far.

On the way at last

I spent most of yesterday in Nevill Hall hospital, Abergavenny, where I had the first of my planned surgeries. Yesterday they worked on my right thumb/wrist and I'm happy to say all seems to have gone well enough. I'm home now of course and have a hard-shell cover with a bandage wrap over my right thumb and part of the wrist covering the area when the surgeon cut away the bone. I'd have to say it was an 'interesting' experience laying there wide awake while they worked. I watched some of the procedure, but admit to turning my head away when the boss started using a hammer and chisel to smash through the thickest part of the bone... it was bad enough just listening to that!

The recovery process has started now and hopefully in six months or so I'll be able to get my left hand fixed. All being well I'll be playing these again by this time next year. 😉

Strat and Tele must be feeling unloved

Not a happy bunny

I'm currently waiting to have orthopaedic surgery on my hands to help counteract the effects of osteoarthritis. The procedure is known as trapeziectomy, where a small bone is removed from the wrist at the base of the thumb. I have the issue in both hands and find difficulty in gripping/holding anything between thumb and fingers. Even doing up buttons or tying shoe laces and using a knife and fork is painful and frankly my quality of life is suffering since I am no longer able to do many of things I enjoy like cycling, playing guitar and taking photographs.

In December last year I attended a pre-admission appointment to ensure I was a suitable candidate for anaesthesia. During the appointment I asked when the first surgery was likely to take place and I was told usually within 3 months. Given we are now in mid-March I rang the appointments secretary to query why I hadn't heard anything since my pre-admission appointment. It transpires I probably won't be seen now until July at the earliest, which means I will not get surgery on both hands this year (they only fix one hand at a time and the expected recovery between surgeries is as least 6 months).

Medically speaking I appreciate there are a lot of people worse off than me, but nevertheless this delay in what is a relatively simple procedure, which would make a considerable difference to me is bloody frustrating.