back on Dec.27, when Molly decided to suddenly lurch to the left...
[having seen another dog]pulling the leash around my left hand...
and subsequently dislocating my middle left finger...
in two places, rupturing a tendon and tearing ligaments...
it was only the beginning of a long period of adjustment for me...
I am a cancer survivor[9 years in March...]
melanoma under my right thumb nail resulted in...
"a partial distal amputation of the right thumb"...
[they cut off the top joint of my thumb to save my life...]
getting used to having a very sensitive half a right thumb was tricky...
fortunately, I am ambidextrous...
and during "recovery", I even wrote with my left hand...
this time, things were quite different...
having a "disabled" left hand...
as well as a right hand with half a thumb...
and a sensitive neuroma[inflamed nerve bundle]...
on the end of that...
made "doing" for myself, difficult...
to say the least...
the first orthopaedic specialist I was referred to...
pretty much blew me off...
"...you'll be fine when the swelling goes down"...
"there's no damage...just use it as normal..."
"after all, at your age, you probably won't regain much function..."
happily for me, "circumstances"...
allowed me to go to a hand specialist...
who over 5 weeks after the initial injury...
almost instantly saw that the injury was real...
that there was tissue damage...
and that the need for surgery was "acute"...
3 days later...I had a steel wire in my finger...
as well as 8-10 stitches...and a white gauze bandage...
which I have covered with the "no-hurt" wrap to keep clean...
since the surgery, it's been changed twice...
the incision is dry & healing...
and the wrap keeps it clean...
it does, however, get cold...
[having the steel in it in this weather, doesn't help...]
and when it's cold, it hurts...aches mostly...
but uncomfortable, none the less...
I discovered that the fingerless gloves I have, really helped...
but as it heals, the aching has become more acute...
as the nerves "wake up"... and the sore muscles are "heard"...
I went through this after my thumb amputation too...
at least I don't have "phantom pain" like then...
[the amputated part of my thumb felt like it was still there...
and it hurt like crazy...]
so after listening to me complain for a while...
today, before church, Miz Minka gave me a lovely finger cozy...
that she had knit for me...
she had mentioned the idea...
even taken measurements...
but knowing how full her plate is...
I am quite pleased that she made the time...
to do this for me...
I put it on...it fit perfectly...
I haven't had it off yet...
and though my finger has hurt somewhat...
[especially when I don't take my Excedrin on time...]
I haven't had the almost nauseating ache I have had...
from it being "cold"...
the fact that it's purple...
& goes with my coat...
is a bonus...
it's also very liturgical...
Lent coming up, & all...
and I really like the wrist loop that helps keep it in place...
thanks Miz Minka...!
my finger & I thank you...!
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