I finally got to have the stitches removed from my thumb. When I complained that my thumb was still hurting the PA explained that yes indeedy I have lots of arthritis in the base of my hand and thumb. It may have been aggravated by the surgery..duh? It may get better all by itself..it may get worse..I can have as many cortisone shots as necessary to keep me comfortable..or I can have a very painful long to recover from surgery where they take out some of the bone…NOT.
Right now I am just waiting for it to get better..there are certain things I cannot do. WELL I can do them..but the motion sends shooting pains up my arm all the way to my shoulder..and that pain is exhausting. Some things are simple motions..pulling on my boots..so I switch and do it with my left hand. The one that I cannot seem to retrain myself to do occurs in my sleep..grasping the quilt and pulling it up..I am instantly awake. Any grasping with my thumb will cause pain. I will just have to be inventive and learn to do things differently.
Yesterday I suffered through emptying the paper shredder.. twice..it has a very heavy top and it requires two good thumbs to empty it. I was very busy cleaning out some old files..ALL BY MYSELF. Someone who will remain nameless complained the day before that anyone that is a compulsive shredder should empty the shredder once in awhile. That someone then emptied it..and got shred all over the floor.
I can finally do my own hair again..no more Far Guy hair styles. Far Guy offered to make it all easier for me..he would shave my head and we would match. He was grinning from ear to ear..a kind of evil smile.
This is the snow stick..it is at 21. Steve (next door neighbor) asked last night what it was at..Far Guy and I both though it was at 23..nope it is still at 21. Many people in our area say that we got way over a foot of snow in the last two snowstorms..our stick says eleven inches. It may not be a good indicator of the entire area..it is just meant to show us what is on the ground in our yard.
I took this on January 03, 2011. It is a photo of a sundog that was visible through the clouds. We get them in the winter..usually on really cold days.
I can still use my camera..but I am thankful that it isn’t any heavier or larger than it is:)
Concerning sundogs, my mother swore by the following:
ReplyDeleteSundog to the south - fair weather ahead
Sundog to the north - an approaching storm
Hi Connie, I am sorry your thumb/wrist are giving you trouble. I have similar pain in my right thumb/wrist - one thing that gives relief is heat from a moist heating wrap that can be microwaved. Also, they make a parafin "bath" that you can dip your hand in that is therapeutic. Just suggestions from someone that cares. Beautiful photo of the sundog. No more snow for us but I keep my two inch measure ready just in case! Feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope that recovery is more simple than he says. I am a school today and using a laptop and the keyboard is straining my whole hand. That is a lot of snow.
ReplyDeleteOH!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THE SUNDOG!!! A winter rainbow of sorts. But I Do NOT like what it means....bitter cold weather.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for you thumb...I, too, am fighting arthritis, complete with shots as I need them. I do understand somewhat...hugs. You need at least two.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
By the way, can I link your old photo blog to another blog I am just now starting to manage?
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/
Linda, Sure! That looks like an interesting project you have begun! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad ya got those stinkin' stitches out they can sure pull and aggravate after awhile. Hopefully you'll heal up quickly now. Ewwww, remove bone...let's just pray it doesn't come to that.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard the term 'sundog' in a very long time.
Take care sweetie and God bless ya!!!
Glad those stitches are gone finally, and I hope your thumb heals well and is pain free.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of snow. We were supposed to get it yesterday, but got a lot of rain instead. If it had been snow it would have been at least a foot, which is fun at first but gets old really quick!
Really sorry to hear you're in such pain. If you can afford them, the shot(s) may be the best way to go. My husband gets occasional bursitis in his shoulder and when he does, cortisone is the only thing that helps.
ReplyDeleteMy mom gets really bad arthritis in her back. When she gets her shot, then she can bend over and do stuff more normally.
I hope you heal quickly!
Glad your stitches are out (at last!) and pleased you can do your own hair again - I can't imagine how mine would look if someone else did it! Well, I can... Lovely bike photos - I played safe on 4 wheels and bought a crazy British Sports car when my midlife crisis hit - beautiful but horribly expensive to maintain :-) It's currently in storage awaiting an engine rebuild next year, I hope!
ReplyDeleteI sure its sooner rather than later that your thumb gets better! Sorry, had to smile at the Far guy hair do;-) Love that last picture of the sun dog! Very pretty!
ReplyDeleteGosh it is tough doing everything without the thumb. Seems that digit is very important. If dogs had thumbs we wouldn't have to do anything for them.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I hope that bad old thumb gets better soon and quits sending you pain!!! I know how you like to be active so it must be very difficult to wait through this recovery!!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear you are still having pain. I hope it eases on its own so you don't have to have an injection. That sounds worse than the surgery to me. Isn't it just like a guy to have an evil grin suggesting a woman shave her head. Far Guy really is an ornery devil:)
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful sundog picture. The colors are extraordinary.
That paraffin bath sounds really nice to me. I'll have to check into it. So sorry to hear about the pain from the thumb, but I am glad to know the stitches are finally out. Does warmth make it feel better? I'm with Rae about the shot, but some people feel they really help. Thanks for the update, oh and for the great sundog shot!
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrecked my thumb the worst thing was doing up my jeans.
ReplyDeleteI have used the paraffin bath to me it only feels good for short time. Get the shots, why be in pain.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you are having so much pain in your thumb. Hopefully it will heal soon!
ReplyDeleteWhat a bummer. It such a helpless feeling when you can' get dressed, lift or even tie shoes. Total empathy here as my shoulder tear and inoperative arthritic left thumb basically make the left arm useless. Who said these were the "golden years?"
ReplyDeleteMy husband has that same arthritis in his left hand at the base of the thumb. I have watched him get the shots and it makes me want to pass out. Did they recommend a thumb-stabilizer brace (wrap)? Bill got his from the orthopedist and I am sure it cost much more than the exact one I saw at Wal-Mart. It hopefully would relieve some of the pain. The bummer about surgery is we want it to give us the promised results but sometimes it just causes more problems. My thought is find a good physical therapist and see if they have any suggestions.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be snowy tomorrow in this zone....Nice pictures !
ReplyDeleteSo glad the stitches are out. I hope it heals up good as new. Then you could "thumb" your nose at those naysayers! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself :)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard the expression "sundog". Neither has my husband. What is it? I looked at the picture carefully and all I could see was the sun peeking through the clouds. Is that what you call a sundog? Am I the only one here that has never heard of this??? Hmmmm.
Emma Sends kisses for everyone!
The Duchess
Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions..I will just give it some more time to heal from the surgery.
ReplyDeleteEmma Rose a sundog is like a small rainbow..the sun is off to the right of the photo and the sundog is nearly in the center of the photo. It is just a colored patch of light sometimes it is on both side of the sun..that day it was cloudy so only one side was showing up so I concentrated on it and the sun:)
That darn thumb - you just need it to heal now! I've enjoyed the last few days of sunshine - hope you have too!
ReplyDeleteHi I'm blog-hopping to ease another kind of pain, and have decided to follow you.
ReplyDeleteHope the thumb heals quickly.
I've been dreamin' (for quite sometime) of a new camera. But you've convinced me I need two. A mondo heavy killer-lenses one and a light weight one but with a bit more umph than the pocket one I have.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope your thumb settles down soon, pain is not good company.
Sending your thumb healing thoughts. And thank goodness you can still use your camera! :-)
ReplyDeleteAvoid the bone removal as long as you can ... take from me, who has been that way - twice on one thumb! Recovery, therapy and pain are hard .. but I will admit it was worth it in the long (long) run. Try a brace - that helps my other thumb! I'm hoping to avoid surgery on the left one but am afraid it will happen sooner than later.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the healing - thumbs are SO important.
Pretty sunset.
ReplyDelete