Saturday, April 18, 2015

My Hand Recovery - post op 12 weeks

Its been nearly 13 weeks since my accident and to be honest it has been a hard 13 weeks for me. I never thought getting up the January Sunday morning that I would start an odyssey of recovery like nothing I have gone through before. You truly don't know what life has in store and never in a million years would I thought I would ever be going through this.

I still vividly remember that beautiful day learning the new scooter. The fence planks still look brand new even though I think they have been fixed for awhile. I still occasionally have a nightmare where I am again slamming into the gate. It was the worst instant pain I have ever gone through. I am still amazed that I didn't break anything- actually a broken arm would have been a far quicker recovery than three cut tendons and surgery to repair.

I have been going through about 12 weeks on occupational therapy and likely more weeks to come still. My OT told me my tendons are now as strong as they were pre accident but they are still very tight but I have made huge leaps and bounds in getting my fingers and wrist moving again. I am near functionality level with my wrist both ways but I still have way more to go. 

I also still can't make a fist, it is more of a wrapping my hand around a pole. I can touch my inside hand after some stretching and a splint to pull at my fingers. I have had a total of 5 splints made for my hand. The first was a static one which I began to loathe because I wore in 24/7 for weeks. The only relief was when I started on the second splint- a dynamic one which started getting the fingers moving. It had a ton of pulleys and rubber bands. I cried after that was given to me because it hurt. 

I was finally allowed out of that one about two weeks ago even though I was already transitioning out gently. I also got a gentle splint to get my fingers moving and than a more aggressive one as well that bends my fingers for about an hour at a time. 


So this is that wonderful splint that I have to wear up to two hours a day. I usually last one hour, take break and than do another hour later in the day because I feel like my fingers are getting numb. 


This is the splint to get my wrist moving forward. I am able to move it back okay but now with this one, I can have way more mobility with my wrist. 


Finally here is my wrist as it has healed. I have been told that the scar will fade and shouldn't be that noticeable by next year. 

Its been a long road of recovery and still have some more to do. I can do more each and every day plus why would a bum hand stop me from doing the things I love to do I still craft a ton and even have sewn some. I don't have to wear a splint 24/7 any more and yes I get weird questions about my fuzzy nails (velcro for the splint). People ask about it and I tell the why. It makes me sound sort of like badass though if you know me, I am so far from that. 

Thans for stopping by!

1 comment:

  1. 12 weeks already?! Wow, we should never take our easy daily routines with normal mobility for granted. Praying for a good recovery. X

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