tzonoqua Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 hello all well, after attempts at physio, "symptom management" and a long wait, i finally had carpal tunnel release surgery. it went well, worst part was the giant needle they give you first with the local anesthetic in it, that hurt like @!%!! now means i'm off work for a while, and very bored and frustrated with having only one working hand. has given me new insight to being disabled. dr said my hand will take months to get back to where it was fitness wise and they did explain that i would lose strength in my hand but it's still a shock to have it rendered useless with a 6cm slice up it. had a good lecture from surgeon and nurses, and my family about taking it easy and not trying to get back to work to quickly. so am reading just about every post on here cause ive got time on my hands but cant post too much cause im doing 1 finger typing with my left hand!! would be interested in hearing of anyone else's ct recovery too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Hopfinger Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hoping you have a speedy, and thorough, recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 The big thing I learned(too late) was to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.Don`t overdo it when you go back to work after healing,you are now more prone to this type of injury. Good luck healing up and pay attention to your DR`s instructions.If you don`t you`ll end up with more of those scars and they`ll be MUCH bigger.I speak from experience,6 surgeries so far to right hand,arm and shoulder. PM me if you want any recovery tips.I`e posted most of them here but am having good luck with some new herbal approaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 I'll say a prayer for your speedy recovery Coleen. CT can be a real bummer and the surgery can seem worse but it usually isn't. While taking it easy do the PT. While I don't have personal experience with CT I do have with Physical Therapy and it makes a world of difference. Once a problem or damage has been corrected you need to build it back and train it properly. This is what PT is all about. All the best Darlin, Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 thanks guys am doing my exercises. had surgery on thurs and today is first day i can touch my thumb to my baby finger- just. small steps eh. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Nothing wrong with small steps just keep going. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calala Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hi all, I had CT surgery on my right hand Jan' 2010, I have been left with my middle & ring finger being numb and with pins & needles all the time. I have been told it will take 6 to 18 months to get better, so my use of my right hand is very limited and gets sore if I jar it, not the result I expected. At this stage I'm not getting my left hand done. cheers John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Creek Blacksmith Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Yes take your time recovering, I had surgery to my right hand was suppose to be out of work for 6 weeks and went back at 4 weeks. I was a carpenter at the time. It was winter and had to pay bills so the doctor let me go back and he wasn't to happy about it. First day on the job I ended up falling in the crawl space smacking my hand on the deck, hitting ice in the crawl space and ended up on my back. That hurt..... ended up going home early that day. Plus its really hard hanging on to the hammer with a freshly healed cut on the hand. So take it slow and don't over do it. Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted October 12, 2010 Author Share Posted October 12, 2010 John, im sorry to hear about that. dr did warn me that that is a risk, but is usually more likely if it's been left untreated for years, but the risk is there, for permanent nerve damage none the less. i was extremely apprehensive before because of this, but felt the risks were worth the end result. Hofi advised me not to have the surgery, but i went ahead because all attempts at physio were unsuccessful, and i was advised the longer its left the more chance of permanent nerve damage. i think i'm prone to it, had it when i was pregnant just due to natural fluid retention, i had been not doing any forge work for just under a year previous, so that was definitely not a factor, my mother had the same surgery also. i have work outstanding, railing job, sign and some door furniture and hooks, at least they have all said they're happy to wait, i told them it would be minimum 6 weeks maybe even three months before i could begin, so at least i dont feel pressure in that sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Best of luck Colleen. I was wondering if you tried active release therapy (ART) prior to your surgery? I have heard it helps CT quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted October 12, 2010 Author Share Posted October 12, 2010 no, mark, I did not try that brand of physio. I was assigned an nhs (national uk free healthcare) physiotherapist. who did identify specific issues including limited mobility in my wrist, and we corrected these with manipulation, stretching and exercises over 6 months, but that still did not eliminate the ct although it did marginally improve. where i live is fairly remote so as far as seeking alternative treatments like 'art' its just not realistic or practical. i'm happy so far with my nhs treatment. my surgeon told me immediately after he'd finished sewing me back up that the ligament was thickened and was really compressing the nerve. well, i hope that was the case lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 only just seen the thread colleen - really sorry you have got this thing and i hope you get a quick simple recovery - same advice as all the others take it real easy you know what to do! slow but steady and you will get there im sure - glad the op went well - really feel for you sat about bored, bet you will know these posts inside out! take care and heres to years more work when your hand is fit love beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 G'Day Colleen I know just the what your going through . 19 months ago i hurt my shulder badly . Wont go into the gory details of what doc did to my shoulder " freaks me out every time i think of it " 5 1/2 months since the operation , physio / pool work twice a week each . Physio has been doing Ultrasound therapy on me of late to help reduce pain & inflomation , seens to be working . Day time ( while i'm moving it around it feels ok ( unless i do something STUPID ) Nites are worst for me , rolling on it during the nite will keep me awake a few hrs till it settles down again . Check with your PT if that'll do you any good Dale Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Praying for quick recovery. I did some slicing to my right hand, that is sure a wake up! You just don't realize how much you do with your dominate hand until you have to NOT use it for week. You have a time zipping and unzipping your pants, buckling your belt, eating, drinking, combing your hair, just try signing your name, well it isn't fun so heal quickly and do you PT. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Hey Colleen, We just saw this thread - all our hopes for a good recovery - stay diligent on your PT, it'll make all the difference for the future! Neil & Lauren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted October 13, 2010 Author Share Posted October 13, 2010 thanks beth, dale, 'bentiron' and neil and lauren. well its been exactly a week since the surgery, movement in my hand is slowly coming back, but still no strength, i still cannot use it for those everyday tasks, good thing the kids and my man have been helping me out. its the little things though that are frustrating. i cant even imagine picking up a hammer at this point. stitches come out tomorrow, glad of that cause its a real ugly frankenstein-ish wound!! its been a wake up call to say the least, i'm moving in a few weeks to the south coast of england, so when i get there i plan to do all those things to help me that i cant do here- like yoga classes and going swimming, gently getting back to where i was because, i love my job, creating stuff out of steel and i want to keep doing it. i see this thread has been moved to the prayers section, thank you for the sentiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 hey colleen where abouts you moving to? im in glos which as you prob know is not on the coast but its not too far - maybe we will meet on one of johns guild courses - you will be near enough to attend! hang in there with the hand :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawtiron Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Take great care Colleen. There is only one of you, in this world. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted October 14, 2010 Author Share Posted October 14, 2010 thanks jason. beth, i'll be in weymouth, dorset in a few weeks and that sounds like a great idea to meet for a course sometime! (give me a few months til i can, tho!) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Hey Colleen, Sorry to hear that you had surgery. First and most important is that you are in my prayers. Our house is no stranger to surgeries and I can tell you from experience with my wife, do as the Drs tell you. Don't push the work or the time to heal. Listed to your physical therapist. One of the biggest blessings that someone can get is to help another person. So when people offer to help you, do not rob them of being able to help you. My wife is one that would rather do it herself and that usually has adverse effects on her healings. So take it easy, let others help you, heal quickly. Mark<>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrispy Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Hi Colleen, All the best for a speedy recovery. But remember to take everyones advice on taking it easy. Look on the bright side of things, now you can sit back and be pampered, sketch book in hand and draw up all the things you think about making in the future. More beautiful work as usual. Take Special Care. Chrispy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrispy Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hi Colleen, All the best for a speedy recovery. But remember to take everyones advice on taking it easy. Look on the bright side of things, now you can sit back and be pampered, sketch book in hand and draw up all the things you think about making in the future. More beautiful work as usual. Take Special Care. Chrispy. Hey Colleen, Hows the recovery going? must be about 4 months now. Keen to see more of your beautiful work. I hear it's snowing up there this time of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted December 6, 2010 Author Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hi Chrispy, Thanks for your sentiments. It's been about 8 weeks now, and my hand is still not right. I was told I could go back to work after 6 weeks, but I still find it difficult to do things like chop vegetables or hold a full kettle, ie. there is not a lot of strength in my hand. I have not gone back to work yet, I'm too afraid I'm going to damage my hand further, but I start physio on Wednesday so hoping it will improve with that. They did tell me it would be a long slow recovery but I didn't realize how long and how slow it would feel!!!! I'm itching to get back to work but I've planned to have off until January, so I'll update ya then!! ON the positive side it's given me lots of time to draw up some new ideas, and I've been doing all the other stuff that gets neglected when busy in the workshop, redesigning my website, still not done that yet, but it's almost there!! I've now moved to the south coast of England, so not so much snow here, makes a nice change!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Hi Colleen. Well, it's been another month since you last posted an update. I'm hoping that the PT is helping you. Pray that you are well on the road back. Good luck. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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