For the past few weeks I've been having a "clicking" feeling and sound in my right thumb when I bend it. It sort of sounded like it was popping in and out of socket every time I had to write, wash dishes, unlock a door, etc. It didn't really hurt, but was noticeable and uncomfortable, so I let it ride.
Flash forward to a couple of weeks ago. I woke up with a lot of pain and unable to bend my thumb at all. It is literally stuck in a straight motion. Even though I didn't injure it, I thought it was broken. I called my regular doctor, who I really hate - he's always as ineffective as he can be - but he's cheap and we are part of the uninsured who have to pay cash for doctor's visits. His nurse told me to go to the emergency room (!) to get an x-ray and call them back if it wasn't broken. OK!
The emergency room doctor said my thumb isn't broken, but that I have De Quervain's Tenosynovitis, otherwise known as "trigger finger." I hate calling it that since I'm very anti-gun (but that's a whole different kind of post). Hmmm . . . . maybe I have "Windex trigger finger," I do use a lot of Windex.
Anywho . . . basically it's a repetitive motion injury. The ER doctor gave me a cortisone shot, some anti-inflammatory pills, some pain pills, and wrapped me in a splint while telling me to stop using my right hand for a couple of weeks.
Flash-Flash-Forward to last week. My injection has worn off, I'm out of all my medication, my hand is still hurting like Hades, so I have to go back to Dr. Good-for-Nothing and let him tell me to stop using my hand some more. Which is exactly what he did. He prescribed me another round of anti-inflammatory pills and told me to wrap my hand back up and continue to stop using it.
*SIGH* I'm right handed. I'm a student. I'm a Mom. I'm a wife. It's very difficult to stop using my right hand. I have homework to do. I have ceramics projects to complete (photos forthcoming . . . I'm simply dreadful, LOL).
So all that back story was basically to garner sympathy. My hand hurts. A LOT! I need to get things done and I can't hardly use my hand. I spent over two hours yesterday messing around with some voice recognition software on my computer, and I can't figure out how to get it to work . . . so I'm pluck-typing. It is not fun. I normally type over 100 words per minute. In one of my former lives, I used to be a word-for-word transcriber for the deaf and hard-of-hearing . . . Pluck-typing is not cutting it. At all.
OK, sorry, pity party over. I think I'm going to be all right.
The weather is lovely here, even though it's already hovering around 95 - 100 degrees. But it's not over 100 yet, which, in Central Texas, is a good thing. Small victories, people.
Have a great weekend, Everyone!
Until next time . . . 
Elfies
3 days ago
9 comments:
Hmmm... Isn't sympathy how we get somebody else to do the Windexing for us? ;)
Hope there's a way to make it better and not hurt!
*HUGS* I've had similar issues with my arm and neck. They always ask "Do you use that area alot?" It's like Ummm...YEAH!! I have to children, a telephone, and a computer!! LOL. But it's no fun and the pills hardly help. At least they didn't tell you what they told me the first time I went in: "You need to excerise more that will help". *sigh* Doctors!
Have you explained the issue to your teachers? They may allow you to submit written assignments via tape. Or come up with alternative assignments for you.
Good luck!! And put the Windex down. LOL. ;)
I say let Baby Boy play with the Windex, and you rest your thumb.
There seem to be a lot of Dr. good-for-nothings these days, :(
If it goes on for a really long time (and I really hope it doesn't!), you might be able to try a one-handed keyboard. Several of my clients with amputations - in my previous life as a voc. rehab. counselor - used to use them. Here's one example, but there are dozens of different brands and setups: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2001/01/41001
Well hell.
So sorry.
And it seems to me that things like that should always happen to one's middle finger so you can hold it up to show people.
Dang girl...the medical list just keeps piling up!! I love your description of the trigger finger that you have now named the "windex" finger. Yeah, me and Windex go way back...LOL!!
I hope you are feeling better soon.
Oh, yeah, isn't there some kind of program that you talk into and it types for you?! I think its called Dargon? Something like that, maybe that would help you. Anyhoo, hang in there and keep your head up.
Ouch! Hope it gets better soon!
Hope you're starting to improve now? It's a really good thing that you and Baby Boy are taking the summer off. Hopefully all the rest, relaxation and fun will help heal things up a bit!
Oh that does not sound fun. :-(
I've been having a lot of carpal tunnel like symptoms because I like to crochet. Getting older is such a drag isn't it?
Maybe you need to ice it. My recommendation is to hold onto several milkshakes, Frappuccinos,etc. (Couldn't hurt - right?) ;-)
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