Stitches

Don't worry, I won't put pictures of my incision until it looks completely healthy. This is the dressing I wore for a week after my surgery which kept pressure on my wound and immobilized my wrist. It is a huge relief to have it off as it was very tight after a week, plus, my hand absolutely stunk. I will know for next time to bath my fingers everyday so I can keep that sweet sweat smell to a minimum. The worst part about the smell was that I had to elevate my hand so I often had it resting on my chest, under my nose. Yuck! Anyway, now I'm washing my fingers many times a day and loving the luxury.

My stitches came out on Tuesday so I'm taking it quite easy this week. It was a good reminder to rest when the doctor and the nurse reminded me that I needed to take it really easy for at least 2 more weeks, and that my strength may take months to return. I'm not too happy about the resting bit as I do feel quite useless. I am able to do a few things, here is the list;

1) water the garden by hand, left hand

2) wash light dishes with my rubber gloves on

3) dress myself entirely

4) shower without assistance

I can not, however, do my hair, which I'm realizing is the hardest part of this whole thing. Vanity is a terrible thing, but it goes beyond vanity, it's my profession! It's like brushing my teeth to me, brush my teeth, do my hair, same thing! I guess it's fair that if I can't do my client's hair, I shouldn't be looking fabulous myself.

I have been very blessed to have so many friends make delicious meals for us. We've had two different lasagnas, minestrone soup, veggie burgers, pasta and sauce, roasted vegetables with couscous, and muffins, buns, cookies and other yummy treats. Thank you for taking such good care of our hunger!

Blayke's Sick Hand Song

To translate my niece's song "Auntie Nay Nay" is me, "hand all better, no" "hand still sick". As her mom says, it's quite catchy! Enjoy.

Surgery, 10 days later...

It's been 10 days since my hand looked like this. The surgery was both faster and more painful then I imagined. The actual surgery took no more then 5 minutes, but the freezing was excruciating. The surgeon said the freezing pain would last 5 seconds, WRONG, it was well over a minute or two before the stabbing pain ended. Thankfully I was totally stoned on Ativan and only breathed loudly instead of screamed with blood curdling intensity. I can't believe that the doctor's assistant told me that I could drive myself home after the surgery. Not likely. Dustin came with me and has been my servant ever since.

The first few days I was in a daze, and I apologize to all of those who called during the T3 days. I don't remember talking to you. I do, however, appreciate your call. Dustin stayed home with me 2 days after my surgery because I had a very bad reaction to those T3's, and I couldn't be left alone. Since then every day has been a little bit better. I can type with two hands now, not for long, but I can do it, which is thrilling. I have all of the feeling back in my thumb, index and middle fingers of my right hand, but it is very weak. I hope to start physio next week as I have a lot of muscle wasting in my hand and I need to get my strength back. Hopefully I will stop dropping my combs so much.

I'll post again when I can type for longer.