Post-surgery update

[wagonman100]

Well, got my stitches out and my big clunky splint off today. I now have a slimmer splint that I can take off for bathing and physical therapy. I start physical therapy on Friday, but have to start working my hand now. It's very stiff and I can't bend my hand very far due to it still being somewhat swollen and the muscles and tendons that have contracted and the scar tissue holding onto the tendons and such. Just got through some of my exercises and can flex the hand more than when I started. Still can't make it straight on it's own. The ring and pinky fingers want to stay bent. Still have a fairly long road to go. The doctor said I could return to work, but I can't use the injured hand. So essentially I can't go back to work.

Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes.

[chevman57]

Sounds like a slow road back to before-accident status Jay. We`ll keep you in our prayers here.
Terry

[rayharris]

Take care of yourself. Don`t try to do too much to fast. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

[Bilaire]

Good to hear you're progressing - PT is great - no pain though - the old adage no pain no gain is wrong - when pain starts PT stops during that cycle. Been there done that.

[mr 265]

Take care of yourself. Don`t try to do too much to fast. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

I agree ---

[jblack55]

Take care of yourself. Don`t try to do too much to fast. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

:anim_25: take care and the projects will still be there when you are well :shakehands:

:gba:

[trifive]

I had several broken bones in my hand from a hydraulic jack failure and was in a cast for a while, when the cast came off like you I could not straighten out my fingers and when i tried to pull the fingers straight it had severe pain, I never went to physical therapy but worked daily on my on to straighten them, It took along time but you will get full movement so keep the faith.

Good luck and have a safe recovery.

Otis

[angs1957]

Take care of yourself. Don`t try to do too much to fast. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

:p3:

[carls 56]

take it easy and get well jay. :tu

[Dan Starnes]

PT and time will allow you to return. Take care of yourself and you are in my prayers.

[r66ss]

jay
take care of yourself, and keep us posted on how your comming along :shakehands:

[wagonman100]

Just a quick post to upate. I'm still not back to work, but the hand is slowly getting better. I still can't bend the pinky joint very well, but it is slowly getting better. They measured the bend on the first knuckle on 1/10 and it was 40 degrees and it is now 65 degrees. Still a ways to go to be normal. I'm hoping to return to work in the next two weeks or so.

[mickeywestsr]

The getting better and better news is great.....keep up the good work. :tu
:gba:
bowtie-trifive

[Dan Starnes]

The progress sounds very positive.

[Big Bob]

Get well soon and a speedy recovery Wagonman.Take it slow and easy.Take care.:shakehands::anim_25:

[mr 265]

Take care of yourself. Don`t try to do too much to fast. :anim_25: bowtie-trifive :gba:

I agree ,,take it slow ,you only get one chance of healing right ,,:anim_25:

[cecil13]

Our prayers are for your quick recovery. Be smart don't try working until you hand is the way it should be. Early return sometimes turns into a longer recovery time. Voice of experience talking.:p3:

[wagonman100]

Believe me I won't return to work until I am ready. The hand is well healed, I just need to get the strength and range of motion back. I can't really do my job without being able to close my hand, so it needs to be about 100% to go back. It's still quite swollen at the injury/surgery site as well.

Thanks for the well wishes and I will update again when it is warranted.

[Bilaire]

Hi jay, glad to hear that you are progressing well - my wife had surgery on her hand to repair a torn ligament- doctors had he squeezing silly putty for a while - don't know if that' advised for you in your situation - it takes time - keep your spirits up.

[wagonman100]

Thanks Bill. I've been squeezing therapy putty and pulling it and pressing cones into it for a few weeks now as well as other things, but just at therapy. The only thing they tell me to do at home is warm the hand (I bought a clay pack you warm in the microwave) and do my hand exercises and use the progressive splint on the pinky.

The splint is a nice little torture device. It wraps around my arm and has a bridge on it (like a guitar bridge) and I curl up my pinky and wrap a fabric loop around it. The loop has fishing line that is tied to the outside and goes through the bridge and is attached to a piece of velcro. I put the loop around the pinky and pull it down as far as I can without too much pain and hook the velcro tab to the splint to hold tension on the pinky and stretch the tendon. Like I said, it's working, but it is so slow. I've also broken the fishing line several times, which they say has never happened before. It's 10# test. I told them I guess my pinky has more resistance than the line has strength.

I just want to go back to work, but know I can't. I try to keep busy at home and use my time productively, but there's only so much I can do without full use of the hand and I also don't want to do anything here that sets me back.