Thread: Carpal Tunnel

Tweet

I note you're due to visit your doctor in a day or two, and will find out if there's steel in your wrist.
I hope for your sake that there's not.
Fifty years ago I badly damaged my right hand by crushing it under a 3ft concrete culvert pipe, and finished up with several stainless rods in two fingers.
They're a bloody nuisance at airport security as I can set off the metal detector alarm bells.
Also: when working outside over winter months, the cold shrinks the steel. Only by a very minute amount; but the pain is intense, and can sometimes cause me to say some very naughty words.

It's something you can do without...believe me.

Good luck, and recuperate quickly.

Thanks everybody. So far so good. I went off the pain killers last week. Good news is I went to the Dr yesterday and went from this


H1 by M Patterson, on Flickr


to this



H2 by M Patterson, on Flickr



I found out they did put one "very small" (whatever that means) piece of metal in. Probably start physical therapy this week and a follow up in Tucson in 2 weeks. The constant ache in my wrist is gone so that's a win, and now just wait and see how much strength I'll get back. According to the Dr it will be about 2 months before I'll be able to do ANY lifting of squeezing with the hand....I'm OK with that and will be following all the rules. Much as I will grumble some stuff will just get put off or if I have to I'll have someone else do it.

.

Originally Posted by Mike P

Thanks everybody. So far so good. I went off the pain killers last week. Good news is I went to the Dr yesterday and went from this


H1 by M Patterson, on Flickr


to this



H2 by M Patterson, on Flickr



I found out they did put one "very small" (whatever that means) piece of metal in. Probably start physical therapy this week and a follow up in Tucson in 2 weeks. The constant ache in my wrist is gone so that's a win, and now just wait and see how much strength I'll get back. According to the Dr it will be about 2 months before I'll be able to do ANY lifting of squeezing with the hand....I'm OK with that and will be following all the rules. Much as I will grumble some stuff will just get put off or if I have to I'll have someone else do it.

.

Follow the rules and stick with the therapy! Mine was done better then 30 years ago and so far has remained trouble free other then the occasional onslaught of an arthritis flare up occasionally. Good luck to you, Mike!

Yep mine were both done 29 years ago and no problems since. As Dave said old Arthur comes calling once in awhile but I can deal with him

Had a follow up at the Dr yesterday. She's pretty happy with the healing and progress on mobility and cleared me to start doing light stuff......"but for gods sake don't go trying to lift 20 pounds or anything" (guess the 60 pound cylinder heads and 45 pound steering gear are currently out of the question). She also said it will probably be another 4 months before I can really start doing anything with it.

I see the occupational therapist in a couple of weeks and should start on strengthening exercises then.

I'm being good and following orders in spite of a pretty good case of cabin fever. I keep reminding myself that of all the projects backing up nothing is on a critical time schedule to get done. I don't need a setback in the healing that would put me further behind or not being able to do anything at all.


.

That last sentence only took a few decades to learn if you're like me. Some of that "wisdom of the ages" stuff. Heal well.

Yeah you're right on that Bob.

My last few years in the Army was when I did the "It will be fine" thing. Only problem was it wasn't fine (degenerative arthritis). Even after I was out and I got older when I found things I could no longer do it's been hard to admit. But you just grit your teeth and get used to the new normal.


.

I'm glad to hear you're healing up well Mike. This reminds me I need to send you something that is within your weight limit to lift.

.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

That last sentence only took a few decades to learn if you're like me. Some of that "wisdom of the ages" stuff. Heal well.

I still fight this daily. I had a 98 Dodge I had to pull the head on this morning. The fine pos wouldn't start so I just pulled it where it sat. I really didn't give much thought to pulling the head up and picking it up over the radiator support in the snow and ice.... (It's a 12v cummins. The heads are around 180lbs or so) More genius ideas I guess?

Originally Posted by Mike P

But you just grit your teeth and get used to the new normal
.

I'm gritting my teeth but refusing to accept it. (My back) I try to get a little better each day, and push the limits as best I can.

I'm all the time getting a better understanding of Grandpa's favorite saying, "Getting old ain't for [kittens]"

Well, you get the jest of it.

Glad your getting better Mike. A lady in our church once said, God made us get old over time cause if it happened overnight, It would kill you !

Went to the physical therapist last week and am making some progress. Right hand is at about 75% of the flexibility of the left but only about 25% of the strength.

As long as I wear the wrist brace at least I can drive the 57 and Ram 50 with the manual transmissions a little. I don't have a problem shifting but both have manual steering and that can a bit of a pain. It did feel good to get the 57 out yesterday though.



.

Glad to hear it's healing up well, Mike. Think of all the money you'll save by not working in the garage for a few months. Of course your wife is probably used to having you out there so she may boot you out of the house and make you find something to do out there if you start getting on her nerves.

I drove 53 miles this morning to a VA center in Tuskegee.

I'll be getting a TEMs unit and a heating pad, and was given a list of stretches.

What's the difference between a doctor and a physical therapist?

Patient:"it hurts when I do this "

Doctor: "don't do that"

Physical therapist: "we'll be doing that a lot."

"........Patient:"it hurts when I do this ......"

"........Physical therapist: "we'll be doing that a lot. ......"


Your therapist went to the same school mine did




.