thumbs up

[podunklander]

The surgery went great! My surgeon was ahead is schedule so I was in the OR at 2:15. Was discharged at 4:30. Sorry -typing is an issue right now. Using the mouse is tricky.

So the cysts have been removed and my surgeon told me he also had to do work on bone spurs on both thumbs.

I was also told there was an issue with the anesthesia -had wore off while my right thumb was being operated on and I was thrashing around. They had to reinforce my IV and tie me down then had to give me local anesthesia to continue on. I have no memory of this.

I had no problem dressing myself but couldn't get my bandaged hands through the cuffs of my jacket. Not too cold out so this wasn't hardly an issue.

haha the running issue that the nurses were most concerned about was how I was going to, uh attend to bathroom duties. I said that if I had to, I could drip dry haha (tmi but I can manage w/tp ). And then they said they weren't referring to THAT haha. I hadn't given THAT too much thought!

We made a short visit w/my uncle on the way home and he suggested that I use velcro and attach a roll of toliet paper :rolleyes:.

T he only pain I have is an occasiona' twinge of pain on the joint of the right thmb. aand my index finger is numb from the give. The nurse said thisis from the local but it still hasn't subsided. I'm keeping an eye on it because it feels like my circulation is cut off or something and it's red and swollen. Not really bad though.

So I had to drive home from my uncle's because my son has never really driven during rush hour traffic. He was doing just fine but there were a few ya-hoosies out there. I couldn't turn the ignition or connect my seat belt so my son had to do that. Couldn't turn the key in the doorknob at home so again, my son had to do this.

Brushing my teeth aught to be fun :biggrin:. Oh well I get to take the bulky bandages of Sunday afternoon so it won't be too long like this. Stitches come out in 10 days.

lol had my son take a couple of pics so I can show you guys!

[Nightingale]

Hi Pam :)

I just came over to leave you a thought or two and to wish you well on your recovery and here I find a post from you...lol.
I can't believe that you are typing with those bandages and right after surgery.

I am impressed :)

I am so glad it went well for you and that it's over. I can imagine that you will have some issues with doing certain things but at least you are in the healing mode and it won't be long till you are better.

That sounds a little scary that your anesthetic wore off before they were done. Eeekk! Kind of sounds like a horror movie.

Hey, really glad it's over and I am thinking of you. Hope your life can get back to normal soon. Take care :)
Anne

[Yuri]

Yikes! How the heck are you going to hitch-hike with those mitts??
....and, more importantly, how do you hold your guitar pick?
Have a speedy recover Pam!;)
Yuri

[geodeticman.5]

Pam - I have to confess that I didn't know you were going under the knife. I get tunnel-brain lately - login and just look at lyrics quizzer and do a catchup on it; and then too often I don't stop and smell the roses so to speak - looking at other posts. Today I reminded myself of that which I missed very much.

I'm glad the op went well save for the anesthesia being insufficient. I 'spect you're glad you do not remember that !

Isn't it amazing how much one doesn't realize how much they use (or bear weight) on a certain part of the body until its severely injured, or operated on ? I sympathize very much on not only the main surgical issue at hand (no pun intended), but the post op pain, and the ...er....uhm...personal issues you referred to.

I, out of the 9 ops I have had thus far since the mountaineeering accident and car accident (don't ask which order they occurred in lol) have had to deal with some seemingly small issues to doctors/others, but really can be a pain in the ...well never mind lol. Had some large issues too - the docs did not explain how to accomplish. One was 'soak my calf from foot to knee in betadine solution ($10/8 oz fill a basin? - ayeeeeee) - fortunately my nurses at home called and got the real skinny from the RN's - who seem much more knowledgable and sympathetic on practical home care matters - and they explained it was to be a diliuted solution - i.e. 1/3 bottle/24 qts of hot water.

Whew ! $$$$ So we bought a brand new (who would buy a used one ?) plastic regular height kitchen garbage can, the in home nurses scrubbed it furiously clean, rinsed, filled with hot water, and per orders poured 1/3 bottle of generic 'providone iodine'- generic. Then unravel my mummy-like bandaging on the leg, that process I will stop at , this thread is about you.

But...safe to say 'wet-to-dry' - tear-out dressings when dry to debride a large area prior to soaking, followed by what I had to do myself because no one could bear to do it to me- all 3 nurse....nope... the surgeon sent home 8" giant q-tips to (vigorously clean the inside of my leg out) I'll stop there as I did then. The first few times I passed out. And I screamed so much even my Dad had to go out on the deck to 'get some air'.... I better stop there for reals. OK

I sure hope all goes well and recovery is fast ! Could a large-size latex glove (like a thin 'exam glove' )fit over that ? I could not really tell in the pictures. Best of luck, with much sympathy..

I did have a practical thought for you from similar difficulties, but when I saw how much in your thumbnails the degree of bandaging you are enduring.
In order to avoid embarrassment, I'll remain clinical and frank about it, we're all adults - so we know the 'tee-hee's' are for the kids, or ones who've never been indisposed by post-op difficulties. The main challenge I had when similar issues arose as you write about was the 'order' from the Doc's to keep the bandaging dry in my case , & the tissue under it.

In my case I was able to put on grocery-store or Walgreen's-grade latex gloves from the 1st-aid dep't. But putting those on over your bandaging looks a little unlikely. I can't tell what a help those were - to keep the bandaging dry and effectively attend to personal matters. I am at a loss beyond that. The 'non-sterile drug-store variety of latex (the non-latex are worthless) exam gloves, size large, are truly stretchy - and I could in my case get 'em on over light bandaging, and save a a wet-to-dry dressing change - I'd of sold my mother to avoid that...wel...maybe not that...lol

Hope your recovery goes well. Hang in there 'podunk' ;)

[SilverHeels]

Blimey - anesthesia wearing off early gave ME a nasty twinge and I wasnt even there! Wishing you a swift recovery inspite of those ultra stylish mitts. You could start a new trend. ;)

[charlene]

wow-that was quick!
Hope all goes smoothly from here on in..take it easy tho..

[fezo]

If we knew they were going to have to tie you down we would have come up and helped! ;)

Glad to hear it went well. I can't imagine your time without thumbs but that will no doubt be brief.

Whoa, geodeticman.5! 9 operations?? As wacky as my situation is they still haven't cut on me at all. i grant you that if they do it will be a doozy!

Not remembering anesthesia episodes is a good thing. it's my favorite thing about it - well, maybe except for the sleep...

[podunklander]

Yikes! How the heck are you going to hitch-hike with those mitts??
....and, more importantly, how do you hold your guitar pick?
Have a speedy recover Pam!;)
Yuri

hehe LMAO thanks, Yuri :)

[podunklander]

wow-that was quick!
Hope all goes smoothly from here on in..take it easy tho..

tyty yeah I'm glad it was quick, little if any pain too! Just a minor annoyance for the time being. thanks char

[podunklander]

If we knew they were going to have to tie you down we would have come up and helped! ;)

Glad to hear it went well. I can't imagine your time without thumbs but that will no doubt be brief.

Whoa, geodeticman.5! 9 operations?? As wacky as my situation is they still haven't cut on me at all. i grant you that if they do it will be a doozy!

Not remembering anesthesia episodes is a good thing. it's my favorite thing about it - well, maybe except for the sleep...

thanks Fezo! The way I see it, my thumbs have been an issue since early Nov., so this is a minor inconvenience while awaiting a most likely benefit.

[RM]

Medic !!!!

"Bless you all and keep you on the road to better things"

[Dream Street Rose]

Dear podunklander,

I am very happy to hear you are doing well but am a little confussed(as always). :biggrin: What are you going to do with the alcohol? Drink it or put it in your wounds?

I miss you.

DSR

[fezo]

Yikes!

I didn't know about the reaction to anesthesia. No wonder your reluctance! I've had two seizures (thankfully all under control these days) and I understand they are quite the experience for those watching. I wouldn't know. Was just in one place and suddenly another several hours later. Not the slightest idea of what happened in the interim until people told me.

I'll ask this as calmly as possible..... how the heck are you getting out to buy anything?

Keep healing. It'll be over before long and you'll have working thumbs again.

[Auburn Annie]

Hope you're a fast healer! When my daughter had her wrist in a cast we used the long plastic sleeves that our newspapers came in to keep it dry (fasten with rubber bands at the top - if you can!)

So sorry to hear about the anesthesia. The only time I had a problem was during delivery of my second child when the nurse anesthetist gave me Stadol in my IV to reduce pain. I didn't even know I was getting it. My first indication of trouble was en route to recovery when I felt myself "graying out" and handed our daughter to my husband, saying "I think I'm going to pass out." They thought I was hemorrhaging internally or something because my blood pressure - never high anyway - dropped like a rock. I have vague memories of my mother standing in the doorway and I was told (after the fact, thank goodness) that our parish priest stopped by as well. It took about 8 hours for it to clear out. I found out later that at least 2 of my sisters have similar anesthesia issues. Needless to say ALL my doctors know not to use Stadol for anything.

[podunklander]

Dear podunklander,

I am very happy to hear you are doing well but am a little confussed(as always). :biggrin: What are you going to do with the alcohol? Drink it or put it in your wounds?

I miss you.

DSR

lol when you put it like that, I fail to see the difference :p

[Auburn Annie]

I was fine once the Stadol wore off (about 8 hours later) but I did NOT like the fuzzy-brained feeling. Fortunately I haven't been inside an OR since, almost 20 years. I made it through a colonoscopy 7 years ago with a half-and-half mix of versed and darvon. I think that's the combo - I was pleasantly amnesiac throughout what felt like 10 minutes but lasted about 30. Good luck with the thumbs!