...a "boutonniere deformity/injury reconstruction"

this...

is what it is supposed to look like...



this [bottom picture] is what has happened to my poor finger...

the tendon was ruptured in the dislocation...
[the top 2 joints were "sideways..."]
because the first doctor didn't diagnose the torn tendon/lateral band...
the lateral bands[ligaments] have slipped down[volar migration...]
causing "boutonniere disability" ...
[aka "mallet finger", (like "hammer toe")]

my finger will not straighten out & it will become permanent...



in this picture, you can see the extreme redness...
of the joint where the "central slip disruption" occurred...
[why can't they just say,"ruptured tendon" ?]



it also has been peeling, like a sunburn[from the swelling...]
and has little "nerve bumps", on both sides...
also from the swelling...[the "volar migration " didn't help...]



this kind of problem often results from rheumatoid arthritis...
as well as a hyper-extension injury, with torque like mine...



if diagnosed early... complete immobilization...
might have kept it from the volar migration...
until the central slip disruption could heal...
the "migration" will only get more pronounced...
until my finger is curled into claw...
totally unusable...


at this point, it is an acute injury and surgery is needed,asap...

after filling out my medical history, several times...
and having the orthopaedist's office gain insurance authorization...
they sent me to UnklePhil's hospital's admissions office...
where I filled out the same forms again...
had 2 interviews, one with an admitting nurse...
& one with the anesthesiologist...

then they did the pre-op tests[blood & EKG...]
I was out of there by 12:30...
I dropped by my local, neighborhood pharmacy...
and filled the prescription for codine/Tylanol...
for post surgery pain...[that doesn't sound good...]

on Wednesday, Square Peg will drop me off at UP's hospital...
around 8 AM [it is an "out-patient" procedure...]
they will "prep me"...[IV, etc...]
the doctor explained that it will be an "awake sedation"...
[like with the colonoscophy...]...
and the surgery will only take about 20 minutes...

he will make an incision, find and suture the torn tendon...
putting the ligaments back in place in the process...
then insert a pin into my finger[which will be removed later...]
to keep it straight & immobile during healing...

that's probably the reason for the codine...

then I will wear a splint for at least a month...
I'll probably get to go home around noon...

I don't know what my insurance deductible/co-pay is...
but I need 2 hands... so I'll just have to pay it...

what is good about this insurance, is that I didn't have to play games...
to get the surgery "authorized"...

I haven't seen the post-op instructions yet...
but I have some experience with hand surgeries...
and I'll be pretty helpless for a couple of days...
& in case you think I can take a couple of days off to recover...

sometime this week, the final tile/grout seal needs to happen...
and the shower door may be installed Thursday or Friday or...

but for me, any normal activity requiring manual dexterity...
[ie washing my hair, showering, dishes, cat boxes...
getting dressed, opening cans, laundry or cooking...]
won't be too easy, or even possible for a few days...

besides having a large splint on my finger that can't get wet...
[now I'm sorry I never get "plastic"...]
I won't be allowed to lift anything heavy [more than 5-10 lbs...]
as a result, I'll be trying to get "ahead" today & tomorrow...
'cause starting Wednesday...I'm not going to be able to do them...

but eventually... I'll have 2 hands again...
and be pain free !
and those are very good things...