Saturday, March 24, 2012

Post Surgery

Well, I had my wrist surgery on Monday, October 17th. It wasn't quite as painful as I had feared it would be. I had been dreading the surgery, based on what Dr. Burke had told me. He said it would be necessary to cut the ulna, the bone that connects the wrist at the outer side of the hand, and then install a metal plate to hold the cut bone in place while it heals. Then he would have to stitch the torn ligament, and attach it to the wrist with screws.


He told me that this would actually require three surgeries; one to stitch and screw the torn ligaments as well as cut the ulna and install a metal plate. The second surgery would come in 4 to 6 weeks to remove the screws in the wrist only. The third surgery would then happen in 9 months to remove the plate in the arm. Full recovery could take up to 9-12 months, with several months of physical therapy.

I was terrified while he described this, although I remained calm. After he left the office, I was alone for a few minutes while the medical assistant left to get a schedule for surgery. I tried hard, but could not hold back the tears, and when she came back into the office I broke down. All I could think about was the pain and how long the recovery would be. And of course, how could I possibly function only with my left hand for several months??

She seemed surprised to see me crying. She said "you looked like you were so calm." I told her I wasn't. I was actually terrified. Then she asked me when I wanted to schedule the surgery, but I told her I wanted to wait until the fall. Going through a very hot summer with a cast on my arm, was not appealing to me. So I told her I would let her know and get back to her.

As I was getting ready to leave, I saw Dr. Burke in the hallway, and asked him what the chances were of the wrist healing by itself. His expression did not look encouraging; the frown on his face spoke volumes. He said it was possible, but not likely. I then asked him if it was necessary to have surgery. He said "if you can live with this, you won't need surgery." I told him I would like to wait a few months, then make a decision. He was okay with that.

After researching this particular procedure online, I was even more apprehensive. What he had described would be a major surgery, not a simple fix. I was not expecting that in order to correct this problem, it would be necessary to cut a perfectly healthy bone, install a metal plate in the arm, install screws and then have two more surgeries afterward. No, could not be happening!

I decided to give it some time; wait and see if the wrist would heal itself. It seemed the logical first step. But after living with several months of increasing pain and limited use of my wrist, I made the tough decision to proceed with the surgery. However, I owed it to myself to get a second opinion, so I began looking online through our insurance provider's website for a different surgeon.

In order to find a surgeon not affiliated with Dr. Burke's group, I had to widen the search range to 25 miles. By doing this, I found Dr. Paul Shapiro, located in Southfield. I was told to bring the MRI CD with me. Dr. Shapiro looked at my MRI and explained the arthroscopic procedure. I'm so glad I got the 2nd. opinion!!

He said it was not necessary to cut the ulna bone, which is call an ulnar shortening. When I asked him why Dr. Burke felt it was necessary to cut the bone, he said that many older doctors do not use the latest arthroscopic procedures. Those doctors tend to do more traditional procedures which are more invasive.

With his procedure, my recovery time would be much faster. I asked him, (thinking about the 9 to 12 months recovery time Dr. Burke had given me), how long would my recovery be? He said, "from start to finish, approximately 2 months." This had definitely put me at ease. I had made the right choice by choosing this doctor.

It grinds me that I got this injury on a failed trip out west earlier this year, which I refer to as my "vacation from hell," to which I have dedicated a separate blog. But this blog is not about that. It's about recovery from my surgery and the daily challenges I face by being temporarily left-handed, which is not easy, considering I am naturally right-handed.

It's been necessary to be very creative on how I do things. But I've discovered that there are some things that I simply can't do with only my left hand, i. e. , tie shoes, pull up a zipper, use nail clippers, and open a large jar of mayonnaise. For those things, I improvise.

Yesterday I had to go out and buy a pair of shoes (darn!) that didn't require tying. I found a nice pair of Keds that have a zipper on the top. I even got them on sale! Shoe problem solved.

For the other things, I either wait until I get help, or figure out another way to do it. Somehow I manage to do the most necessary things, but I'd be lying if I said it was easy. It's not. Each day presents a new activity, which brings with it, new challenges. Not until I have to do something, do I figure out that I either can't do it, or have to devise a different way to do it.

And of course there are other complications; such as associated fears in relationship to my wrist surgery. Since my spinal fusion in 2007, I have been unstable on my feet due to a condition called "drop foot." This condition occurs when there is permanent damage to the sciatic nerve. As a result of my spinal fusion, I have permanent nerve damage in my right foot, which has left me with permanent numbness and tingling in my toes.

The condition in itself isn't life-threatening, of course, however someone with this condition is at a higher risk of falling. A person's reflex to falling forward, is to put their hands in front of them to catch their fall.

My "drop foot" makes it necessary to be overly conscious of every step I take, because my toes sometimes don't completely clear the ground when I walk and tend to drag, thus tripping and stumbling for me is more common then another person.

I have stumbled numerous times, just by normal walking, and had actually fallen down too, but I have to be extra careful on steps, going both up or down. Steps are particularly treacherous for me. I've fallen down (or up) stairs, as a result of my foot not quite clearing the step. And of course, my reaction was to put my hands forward, catching myself. Exactly what I cannot do now!!

My most recent bad encounter with stairs, was this past summer. I was talking to my husband (who was in the basement) while standing on the landing. I thought I was on the bottom step, but I wasn't. Before I knew what was happening, I had slipped and landed hard, on the landing, no pun intended, on my entire left side. I was very fortunate I didn't break my hip or elbow. But boy was I bruised!! And it hurt like hell.

Now, with my primary hand being out of commission, my fear of falling has intensified. I simply can't afford to fall, possibly injuring my right hand even more, hurting my left hand, or injuring something else. I really do not need that aggravation! I just want to make it through this recovery in one-piece and come out ahead.

Maybe the next blog will be about tips and techniques for converting from your right hand to your left!

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