Back From Hand Surgery

[pianobabe_56]

May 11th I had surgery on my right hand to have bone chiseled out--it had been growing over a joint for about 4 years and got so painful that I chose to have it removed. I'm now back to typing and writing, and just about everything except heavy lifting, and playing the piano (I've cheated a little on the playing piano bit  )

Now my issue is this: it's been 4 weeks, my hand is still sore and easily tired. This is normal right? I'm very worried that once it's officially "healed," it still won't feel any better and that I'm stuck with pain for the rest of my life.

So if there's reassurance out there, I'd appreciate it. But my main point is this: I'm back!!! Yay!

[prometheus]

Well, even if there is a hard surgeon on this board, she or he will probably be wise enough not to comment on your hand since this person will not be able to examine it.

So wouldn't the perfect person to ask this question be your hand surgeon.


I mean, not only do I lack the years of education to be knowledgable on this subject, I also have not been cutting in your hand, let alone that I have ever seen it.


Well, if there is pain you should stop with what you are doing. With the healing you are probably referring to the cutting wound. If that wound is still not properly healed you just have to wait and then see how your hand is after the removal of some bone.
But really, as a general rule you stop unless a specialist tells you the pain will cause no harm. I have a friend who had some hand problems. They told him it was a nerve that was either damaged or misplaced, I don't remember, so continueing only caused pain and no damage. This is essential. If you have pain you need to make sure that someone looks at it and tells you it does no damage to continue.

But really, from the looks of your posts you seem to be impatient and you started playing too early. I know how it feels. Though I have never had a serious injury I did have some tendon irritation from overuseage. Yes, it is really hard to stop because playing music is so lovely, even addicting.

But good luck anyway, of course.

[pianistimo]

if it's any consolation - my doctor told me i'd need complete knee replacement surgery after two years because of how many fractures i had on the tibea plateau.  but, i really rested my knee and have not overstressed it that i know (except when i hit it getting into a car).  the only thing i can tell now - is when it's going to rain.  i do feel a little joint feeling more (not really pain) when the weather is humid or rainy.  other than that - i'm beating the odds - i think.  (even if it's in my head).

u will too.  mind over matter.  and there are many kinds of ways to take care of urself.  for one thing.  i started eating more bone marrow.  they have a restaurant here that makes onion soup with bone marrow in it.  i ate it every day quite regularly after my injury.  i don't know if gelatine works, too, but maybe it will help to heal the bone and muscle for u well.

as far as ligaments and tendons that might have been pushed around - u have to just let all the pains subside and rub it once in a while.  i truly think that massage is one of the best forms of letting things heal.  a gentle massage of ur hand when it's able to take it.  probably the more u exercise it by typing and all - wil only help to strengthen it and make it get better faster.  i was glad to bend my knee as soon as possible even though it hurt at first.  one time i fell a little bit - and it was funny - it kind of hurt and then it felt good.  like ur too scared to actually move it at firs t- and then it ends up being good to see how far it CAN move.

olive oil, bananas, dark greens can't hurt the diet either.  and, of course, prayer (first and not last).  it's just a normal thing to us to have something repair itself - but i think the process is actually a miracle in itself that the body can repair all this.

[pianistimo]

i'm wondering since the hands have smaller bones than the legs - if ur recuperation time would be much less.  probably is.  my leg took a good 8 months to fully heal.   some people accidentally fall down and break bones again - but for u, as long as u don't smash ur hand or do something bad to it - u will probably have good results from choosing surgery instead of dealing with the bone over the joint so much.

it felt so good, to me, to have my leg in warm water.  imagine ur hands probably enjoy a soaking now and then.  what does epsons salts do?  is it good after it's completely healed?  i don't really know.

[gyzzzmo]

please go to your surgeon or another expert and dont ask it here. Here you get lots of 'maybe's' and 'probably's '. Your hands are too important to ask these kind of questions to us dummy's.

[pianistimo]

yes.  hands and knees are quite different. the hands have such smaller bones and joints.  some people take those shark cartilage pills (forget what they are called) 'cacitrate' or something.  what u don't want is bone on bone, right?  so that's why i was suggesting the gelatine or bone marrow to get the cartilage repaired.  sorry i said it was for the bone.  really, i meant the cartilage that goes between all of this.

as gyzzmo and others say - u probably will only know from asking ur doctor how others have fared in ur situation.  unfortuantely, not everyone exercises or uses their joints in the same manner or has the same strength or lack of strength in their bones and cartilage.  even if u get what u think is bad news - just stay positive. 

[thalbergmad]

please go to your surgeon or another expert and dont ask it here. Here you get lots of 'maybe's' and 'probably's '. Your hands are too important to ask these kind of questions to us dummy's.

Most sensbile bit of advice i have seen on here for ages.

Thal