heal my hand

I can shuffle cards now, so I’m calling it done.

Still don’t have perfect range of motion, but really, how often do you NEED to make a perfect fist?

I’m really close to calling this done. I’ve already kicked the $200/visit bi-weekly checkups with the hand surgeon. I told him I’m good enough. I’m out of danger of re-injure and I have enough flexibility to do just about everything I need to do.

The only thing I’ve found that I’m still unable to do is shuffle cards. And my knuckle is still somewhat tender. Every few days I manage to bang it on something and am shocked by the pain.

So someone else has to shuffle for me, and I can’t get a manicure because I’m afraid of the pain of someone man-handling my hands. That’s it. That’s pretty damn close to healed in my book.

My finger is healing well and starting to bend again.

The doctor says I’m in the clear and shouldn’t need to go back or go to physical therapy or anything.

I’m still keeping it buddy taped for sports and yoga for another 5 weeks, and I have another week of no “fingertips” in yoga (I put my palm on a block instead) or pinching anything hard (which I have to do sometimes with the equipment I use in my work). After that it should be strong enough to use it as normal without risking further injury. If I don’t have a significant improvement in range of motion by the end of October I’ll go back and talk about physical therapy again, but they way things are going that shouldn’t be needed.

My fingertip is still all weird feeling. Everything feels like sandpaper to that one finger. Doctor says it could stay that way long-term.

Doctor visit very reassuring.

My hand is getting stronger. None of the immobilization is from the nerve damage. It’s all a matter of scar tissue now. I just have to gently start working on stretching it so I can regain full motion.

And surgery is now completely ruled out as all tendons are attached.

Look how far I can bend my second knuckle! Huge huge progress over just one day! This could be the beginning of real progress.

1. I have range of motion back in my wrist. I can now get into standard “push up” or plank position without nerve pain.
2. I can now hold a pencil with the correct fingers with my brace off, although not exactly in the correct position. Somehow by the time I’m ready to fill in the 3rd cross word answer I find I’m holding the pencil wrong again.

1a. I still have random nerve pain when stretching or reaching.
2a. I still can’t really bend my finger to speak of.

The doctor thinks my hand will heal on it’s own. That’s a relief, but its going to take months.

until my consultation with the hand surgeon.

I’m scared to death.