Basal thumb arthroplasty with tendon interposition

49 days post surgery

Looking much better than last time! Massaging with oil 4 -5 times a day. Exercises are painful, but giving me more movement slowly. I cannot bend backwards/upwards at the wrist. the thumb is moving a bit. The photo below shows how flat I can have my hand thus far. I cannot lay my hand flat on a surface.

Extreme wrist pain during the night -- I am back to wearing my full length splint for sleeping and the smaller splint during the day. Still pain in the wrist during the day as well. Physio is having me work on not wearing a splint at all during the day - one hour of no splinting added each day.

Since the pin has come out, I am not having those "zapping" pains. The surgeon said it was from the nerve hitting the pin when I moved my thumb a certain way.

Typing is painful with the left hand. I hunt and peck with my dominant hand, which is exhausting. Reading is fine as long as I don't have to hold the book with my left hand. Thus internet with right hand clicking is easy.

Physio has said I need to start using the left hand. It's limited though to very light things [like a sheet of paper, or my eyeglasses]. I cannot hold utensils or grip a glass. There is no way I can pull the bed sheet over me without squealing! Chef is still helping me pull my pants up. I cannot pinch my thumb to all of my fingers. I can only reach [with much shaking] to the middle finger. I am VERY excited about that as I couldn't even do that last week!

I can almost make a fist! Mind you, I don't think I would ever be able to follow through with a punch! My fingers are extremely stiff.

I took a shower BY MYSELF today! Very exciting! Though I still have trouble with shaving my right armpit with my left hand. I'll pretend I did a great job! Who says you have to be totally dry before you get dressed? Chef has not said anything about me being wet when he helps pull my pants up! LOL I think he doesn't want to crush my enthusiasm about any of my independent efforts! Chef still needs to help me with my antiperspirant on the right side and taking off the cap first as I can't grip it. It's these simple things that are so frustrating. I still rely on him to brush my hair into a pony tail. I can't grip anything in my left hand, and that includes my hair! He's become an expert now! I am so grateful to him. He has been a trooper through all of this Like I said...simple...I can cut the nails on my left hand, but Chef has to do my right. Forget tying shoes! Every top I own is slipped over my head, so that's pretty easy.

Going out... anywhere, is limited to an hour and half. After that I have to come home and elevate my hand and ice. Hopefully that will get better in time!

I am back to physio tomorrow. Hopefully Vanessa will be pleased with my progress.

That's it for the update! It has taken me well over an hour to do this, so I am off once again to do my exercises and then ice!

Happy Quilting Everyone! Thanks for all your email well wishes! The Youngest should be posting shortly!

Margo

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update Sept 3/15
Had physio today. extreme swelling and lots of pain.
Switched into short compression type splint with solid molded area to keep thumb in position.
Still to wear long night splint.
Concerns over the persistent wrist pain I have. I cannot rotate my wrist or bend at the wrist upwards. Back to see surgeon next week. Possibly to have an injection to the wrist. I came home and had a cry.
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update Sept 1/15
only using a compression glove - Tommie Copper - comfortable
still have swelling and pain - now upped the T3's to 3 times a day as per surgeon's recommendations
Surgeon is concerned I may have developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - 5 more weeks of physio and then he will be sending me for an MRI if there is no improvement
Working hard on physio - my therapist Vanessa is pleased with my progress
Not one hour without pain, so it's very discouraging!
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update Sept 27/15
worst night since surgery. Was up in excruciating pain until 4 a.m. Two T3's didn't touch the pain. Sat sitting up with hand elevated and ice on my thumb - helped a bit.
Swelling to the thumb area only - don't know what is going on.
Still doing my physio, but cut down to 3x a day. Have been working with therapy putty. Did I overdo it?
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Oct 22/15
I am at 15 weeks with the anchovy procedure. I am now having wrist pain and had a cortisone shot in the wrist yesterday and am in a wrist brace. I also ended up with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - so I am doing physio exercises for 45 minutes 2-3 times a day. I still have the grip issues and cannot do basic things like opening jars, door knobs, even pulling up my pants on putting on deodorant are painful. I also have had major swelling so ice and elevation have resulted in shoulder issues. So tired of this. Yesterday I told the surgeon to chop my hand off. So discouraging, but yet again, everyone on here sounds happy at the end of it all. There are times where my hand doesn't feel like my hand, if that makes sense.