Bum Thumb/ First Day Of Winter

Well welcome Winter! It finally got here..now we can get on with getting it over.   It is snowing here..so the lunar eclipse was not observed or the meteor showers either..both events I was looking forward to. Instead I got this. This was taken yesterday just as the snow was beginning..there is lots more snow now..

I have been treating myself for a trigger thumb.  I don’t quite know what happened. Perhaps I reached the maximum amount of thumb bends, or I am getting old and my body is falling apart bit by bit, piece by piece, part by part..until I am all worn out.  Anyway my thumb was sticky, and it kept sticking  and then the joint would dislocate and jump and stick and it hurt like when you hit it with a hammer, sometimes it just made me say swear word, swear word..other times it hurts so bad it makes me bawl.  So I have been resting it. I got a bunch of red and blue veterinarian tape (which is half the price of people tape) and I tape the joint so it cannot move ..in effect resting the joint and the tendon that is causing the problem.

I have been resting it for a long time..since October.  Lots of people ask me “What did you do to your thumb?”  Some assume since I am a woodcarver and wield a sharp knife that I cut myself.  When in fact many carvers use the vet tape to prevent cuts to their thumbs.

Finally my new Doctor Who Is Fourteen(WIF) who is a GP and fresh out of medical school referred me to a surgeon..I need surgery.  
This was the reading material in the surgeons office.
I had my physical and passed and even had an EKG and X-rays and lots of blood tests. I did flunk the potassium level part..so I will be irritable and tired until I get that under control. The good news for me and the bad news for Far Guy is ..the surgeons assistant said that It will be two maybe three years until I can cook decently again.  When I told Doc WIF he just laughed and said “Really.”  The other good news is I kinda like Doc WIF.  I am cautious..but so far so good.

When I went to X-ray, I asked them if they wanted to X-ray it in or out of joint..they said “What..you can do that?”  Yup..it is up to you..they decided that they just wanted it normal.  I showed them anyway.. one gal said “You just made my day.”

For Christmas I am getting my bum thumb fixed..by Christmas I should be all better, and if not all better at least partially better. The surgery will take place later today..I am trying to be brave:)

Update at 10PM: The surgery went well, the pain is considerable but with a few handy dandy pain pills and ice bags it is tolerable.  I have slept most of the evening...we didn't get home till 4PM...Chance wants to lick my hand and make it all better:)