It's been exactly two weeks today since my two surgeries... keep in mind I was only expecting one surgery, and I am finally back to work; well, at least back to work online.
I've been slowly doing some minor household and homestead tasks, but not having the full use of my left arm and hand has been trying most times. Frustrating really.
Even though I am right hand dominate, I never truly appreciated, or realized, how much I use my left hand for every day tasks, chores and living.
When I got to the hospital on January 9, I was expecting a cubital tunnel and nerve transposition, but what I got was a two-for-one surgery deal.
I also had carpal tunnel surgery. While the orthopaedic surgeon was hopeful that the cubital tunnel surgery would help the carpal tunnel self repair, he didn't want to take the chance that it wouldn't.
Yeah me!!!
Yesterday I had all the stitches removed from both incisions (something I have never experienced before) and it wasn't too bad; only one stitch of the eleven pinched a little. But my left arm is still in a sling to keep my elbow at a certain angle (degree) for the next two weeks to help aid in the healing process. I can handle the sling most days, but when I want to eat, type on the laptop or even just carry a plate of food as well as my glass of water to being able to eat, I have to make two trips.
Grrr! Extra steps, wasted time and quite irritating!
The other day, while Mr Golden D was at work, I had the weird craving to eat a tuna fish sandwich... but I couldn't. I had no way to open the can. We don't have an electric can opener; only a hand twisting one.
So no tuna fish sandwich for me that day.
See my left hand has little strength. My pinkie and ring fingers don't move too well. I cannot make a fist with my left hand. Those two fingers just kind of stay straight and have very little movement. While I can somewhat squeeze my other three fingers, the grasp just isn't there.
My doctor said it will take a good three months for the strength to return to my hand and fingers. No muscle damage is done, but nerve repair can take months to heal. In the meantime I have learned some new ways to do regular, ordinary chores.
I'm not usually a patient person or someone who asks for help, but this surgery has knocked me down a few pegs in the patience and in need of help departments of life. I can't open jars, pill bottles (with the safety childproof seals), take hot pans out of the oven or even wash my hair the right way. This has been very humbling to me in every day life. And with Mr Golden D still working 12 hour days, seven days a week, I am left to my own devices of figuring things out.
I started typing out this post at 5:32AM EST, and it is now 7:21AM. Back two months ago I could have typed this post in the matter of minutes... but alas, the recovery has won. ALMOST TWO HOURS! Oh good grief!
I think most of the time has been spent doing spell check as I am mainly typing one handed: which is weird in itself. So please excuse ANY mis-spellings, punctuation errors... appreciated!
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