Yesterday was the 11th day after the surgery, so I went in for my postop checkup. Everything looks good! The cast finally came off (and this had been the most annoying cast, yet). I now have a very small plastic brace that goes on with Velcro straps, which I can take off to shower (!!!!!!) and to do my exercises. The incision is big, but healing well; the skin is already pretty much closed over. The whole arm and hand is a bit achey, and feels vulnerable because it isn't so well protected. The bone won't actually be healed for another four weeks, but because the plate is holding it together, I can start on rehabilitating everything.
The weirdest part is that I am supposed to now be doing all kinds of exercises to get a hand and the wrist back in shape, and it's very strange to have nothing at all on the arm, and to be trying to tell it to do things, and it's not be able to do them. I know that will come in time, as I work on it.
Below the cut, my x-rays, so you can see the plate and all the screws.
Comments
What? That would be cool.
Seeing the dressing under the cast come off made me wonder how they controlled the bleeding during surgery. Because, wow, did that sucker bleed even after they'd closed it up.
Gah about the nerve blocker and the Percoset, but yay for cast removal and for everything looking good. Will keep hoping for a speedy and complete recovery.
You have been missed around here.
How did I miss the "gittin' yerself CYBORGED (I keep typing "cyborked"--new favourite word)" update?
I'm very glad the surgery went well, though.
Sending healing vibes ~~~~~~~>you
Thanks! (*makes half-assed almost-fist of triumph.)
It is kind of freaky how fast your body can 'forget' how to do something. The exercises do help though, so don't give up on them. You'll see progress quickly. :)
Good luck recovering your hand's mobility, that must suck. My arthritis and fibromyalgia cause me enough problems that I can definitely understand that part. It's so frustrating to not have complete control of one's hands. You don't realize exactly how crucial they are until you can't use them properly anymore.
Here's hoping it's one of the kind that picks up pop music from lizard bands. They generally rock out.