Dr. Maschke Cleveland Clinic Hand Surgeon

[Pat Walter]

I just had hand surgery Dec 5 and am in a cast now.  Only my left hand to use. Had my right ringer fused since it was swollen almost twice it's normal size.  fused instead of joint replacement to make sure I get rid of all pain  Also a joint replacement might have to be revised down the road.  At 70, I am hoping to keep my revisions down.  Also had my carpal tunnel taken care of.  Hand goes numb too much.

Will get a splint on Dec 22 so I can use some of my other right fingers.

Not easy with only one hand.  My friend Harry is great. He has become cook and bottle washer and he can still smile and laugh.

Thought other joint surgeries are always interesting - especially when they are done to someone else.

My typing finger is getting tired.

Pat

[curtieman1]

Pat, best of luck in your recovery from your recent hand surgery. Can't say I can offer much advice on these surgeries & how to recover from them, so wishing you the best.Hope you are able to still enjoy the up coming Holiday season. Curt

[JHippy]

Good luck, Pat! Hoping for a great and quick recovery.

[moe]

Pat, here is hoping for a smooth recovery and best wishes. Take it easy.

moe

[evant]

Good luck with your recovery Pat.

[Pat Walter]

Update.  Got out of my half cast Wednesday.  Now have a little splint support on my ring finger and an Isotoner glove on my whole hand to give support.  Also a bunch of exercises for my finger and carpal tunnel.

Had all the stitches out - ouch ouch and ouch.      Can't believe a little finger could be that touchy!  Have bruising all over since I stayed on my warfrin because I had a-fib a couple days before surgery. 

This is nothing like hip surgery -  but it is very interesting to only have one good hand to use.  I am very blessed to have Harry's help and Dwayne's help.  The have made a lot of good meals for me.

Cleveland Clinic is sure BIG!  Living in a little city like Marietta and then going to the big city is a real experience.  Everyone at Cleveland Clinic is so friendly and helpful.  Hard to believe such a large place can be so friendly.

Have another follow up in Jan.  I am suppose to be able to do anything I want when I am in Florida for February.  I bought a older 5th wheeler and we are going to spend February in Navarre FL on the gulf of Mexico!  Yes, I have free internet at the campground!  So you all won't mind if I am sitting by the ocean checking your emails 

Getting better typing with one hand and one finger!!

Pat

[hernanu]

Good news and good luck Pat!

[Dannywayoflife]

Hope your feeling better for the festive period Pat! Gods speed

[toby]

Thanks for the update Pat and of course all your fantastic work for us hippies all around the world. Wishing you a full recovery
Toby
ps clearly when it comes to pain 'size doesn't matter' (I talking about body part!)!

[OtterDriver]

Hello Pat! 

Just saw this thread and can totally empathize with you.  As I mentioned in another thread...I too had a hand surgery recently.  Are you right handed?  One handed showers are pretty interesting!

Hope you are fairing well in your recovery!?  Thanks again for your crutch suggestion.

Bruce

[Pat Walter]

Thanks Bruce and everyone.

I missed my follow up last week due to snow.  Cleveland is about 3+ hours from Marietta and they called to tell me there was too much snow to keep my appointment.  I had x-rays taken here and sent up. 

The hand is starting to feel more normal.  Can't really use the finger yet, but can hold a fork rather awkwardly and also use a pen - sort of! Living with one hand is very interesting.  It is amazing what we do with our hands. The guys, Harry and Dwayne, are so good cutting my steak and meat.  I feel like a 90 year old.  Oh well, I can still eat.

Yes, I am right handed.  Most interesting problem is "wiping my bottom" with the left hand! It's called adapt, replace and revise everything I have done for 70 years with the right hand. Very funny in many cases!

I got good at typing with one hand and one finger. The scar looks good, but is still very sensitive. I massage it with cream.  I think fingers are very sensitive.  Even the neighboring fingers are also touchy and sensitive. The bruising is finally gone.  I was not able to get off my warfrin due to my afib. I think being nervous about surgery threw me into some afib.

You always wonder if you are doing the right thing to have surgery.  In the case of hips, you just can't be active without pain.  With a finger, you can work around it, but there is still a lot of pain and you can't do things normally. I had a choice of a joint replacement or fusing the joint.  The joint was almost already completely fused on it's own and was about twice the size of a normal joint.  The doctor said a joint replacement would not get rid of all the pain and would most likely need a revision at some point.  Finger joint replacements don't last as long as hips due to the different types of loads on our fingers.

That's the story of finger joint replacements.  Mine was caused by Rheumatoid arthritis.  The hand surgeon told me I had it and go to a Rheumatologist. So now I get to take more meds to try to keep my other joints from becoming so damaged.

It is amazing how medical technology can keep us going.  50 or 100 years ago we would be sitting in our rocking chairs using canes.  I am feeling bionic - a BHR hip, a bovine aortic valve replacement and now metal pins fusing my finger.  Yea for the wonderful surgeons and modern medical devices!

[OtterDriver]

We'll just have to start calling you "Jaime Sommers"!

[OtterDriver]

"The Bionic Woman"...for those who aren't old enough to remember!?