Hello Customer (name blocked for privacy),
Assuming there are no problems that have been unforeseen during the surgical repair of your hand for your upcoming surgery, your long term success will probably be quite good. No doubt about it, the surgeon is correct in stating that the discomfort you currently feel will not only continue but quite possibly become worse, perhaps a lot worse, if you do not have the recommended surgery. Bone grafts (allografts) are commonplace and necessary in your case so as to help provide reinforced, optimal stability to your operative site. I need to mention here that occasionally bone grafts do not always "take" and by this I do not mean they don't "take" from an immunological stance, but rather bone grafts do not always adhere and grow nice and neatly into a given site. If this were to be a problem after a period of time the ortho believes to be appropriate in your individual case and his expereince with you surgically, there might be a chance that further surgery would be a possibility. Further, the good news is that with pin fixation being planned, the pins will provide additional stability to the operative site.
Basically, the suggested surgery that has been offered is what any prudent orthopaedic surgeon would suggest. When it comes down to orthopaedic surgery where an injury has been appreciable, there are no "quick fixes" and typically no "quick recoveries." It takes time for nerves, muscles, ligaments and tendons and bone to recover and when there has been injury to same, the area has been sufficiently traumatized and then undergoes the further trauma of surgical intervention. The critical aspect is for you to do exactly what your surgeon states as far as activities are concerned and during your rehabilitation with being vigilant with doing waht the physical therapist advises.
You mentioned having your other hand "fixed 3 days ago because of severe carpal tunnel syndrome?" (CTS) With CTS, it is absolutely CRITICAL that you follow surgeons' and PT's advice for taking care of your hand. You are NOT going to be able to do a heck of a lot of ANYTHING until both hands are fully recovered. Yes, it IS frustrating (I know way more than I care to detail here about the whole gamut of horrible wrists/hands/surgery and being alone managing it all!) However, the best thing you can possibly do for yourself is to be sure that you have HELP. You are going to need help with the most basic things like bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation and clean up, driving, etc.(A driver!.) You may well need help for managing bathroom needs. This is critically important--when a person doesn't have someone around to "lend a hand"-or TWO of them to help you, then this is where you get into trouble. Do NOT allow yourself to be without help for getting your day started and making sure somebody is around to take care of helping prepare meals, etc.
Following your upcoming surgery, you can expect some swelling and may well need to keep your arm held up, possibly even suspended for a brief amount of time until you can get through the "acute" stage of immediate post operative time period.
If you are already "bored" then check into getting a stash of books on tape from your public library just prior to having surgery. At least you can listen to books on tape and won't have to deal with the frustration of not being able to turn pages of books, etc. Also, many radio stations in local areas offer the daily news from the newspaper for people who are visually impaired. You may want to have a supply of DVD's on hand either borrowed from friends or perhaps rented from the videostore.
Best advice I can possibly offer to you is to PREPARE yourself and anticipate the frustrations of having not one but two hands which are "In recovery/rehabilitation" mode. As crazy as it seems to be writing the next statement--each time you are in a situation whereby you realize great frustration building, think in terms of "my HANDS" and think about the fact that this IS a temprary situation and things will get better....Think about the consequences of getting frustrated and perhaps harming the recovery and rehabilitation of your hand(s) in the process. Each time you find yourelf in a situation where the frustration is great, take a deep breath and think "It will get better, I am one day closer to getting better and becoming rehabilitated!" Nothing teaches patience like a person stricken with a serious and chronic illness....this is far worse than the person who WILL recover--but it is indeed very hard and incredibly frustrating when both much needed extremities are "on the blink!" Try hard to be patient. It will get better. Yes, it is a long recovery time. However, when you think about a few months+ of your life and the fact that you will hopefully have many, many years of hands which do not hurt and are functional, it will all be worth the hardships you have endured to get through what is now and what will be for you in another few weeks.
I should think that if you have adequate help lined up to help you begin and get through your day this is a major step and accomplishment. Be sure to have plenty of disposable paper goods on hand, plastic cups, things you do not have to worry about washing. Early on, you will probably need to have straws available to help enable you to drink and you will need to think about what can make things as easy as possible for you to manage when you are alone from time to time. If you belong to a church or a civic organization where you have a circle of friends there, ask that these people give you a hand. Perhaps a church circle or a circle of your personal friends canbe informed of your needs in advance and when turns are taken among a large group of friends and those in civic organizations, it does not make anything difficult for any one single person who provides assistance to you! Anticipitation of your needs for daily life is key to helping reduce frustration and getting your through these next weeks!
In closing, I think that from a surgical stance, the initial need for you is going to be doing as instructed to prevent infection into the surgical site, taking special care not to injure the operative site and protect the area, being enabled comfort measures to enable you to sleep comfortably from a positional stance so that your hand is also "protected," having adequate pain management.
Then, from a "functional" stance, unfortunately, it is a matter of having to wait things out and will require that you have adequate recovery and rehabilitation time. Try hard not to think in terms of "x" number of weeks ahead with "x" number of limitations along the way. But instead, try hard to think in terms of one day at a time and each new day means that you are one day closer to being better and regaining hand functions you are doing all this for--hand function and long term pain relief.
I certainly wish you all the best of luck. If you have further questions, please let me know, will try to help. I hope the information provided has been helpful. If so, PLEASE click on the GREEN ACCEPT button. Also, POSITIVE FEEDBACK is always appreciated and a BONUS consideration even better! Images available only to Customers.
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SUSIE S.
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