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Post by cariad23 on Nov 10, 2022 13:37:52 GMT
hows your hand and shoulder Dennis, are you able to drive yet?
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Post by dennisn on Nov 10, 2022 15:05:24 GMT
My arm is improving slowly - I can move it quite a bit now. But my hand is still pretty much dead to the world - I can't grip much with it. I went out last weekend to give the van a try - I'd had the grandson move it across our drive to leave space for visitors to park alongside it (but nobody ever did!) - that was three months ago. He's into power lifting and gym and stuff, so he applied the handbrake "firmly" and I couldn't release it. His dad visited on Saturday and I got him to release it. Day before yesterday I tried it, got the handbrake off with help from my right hand, then pulled out of the drive across the road and reversed back to the centre of the drive. So in theory I can do the handbrake and change gears, but neither of them with any degree of properfulnessity, so No, I can't drive yet. Over three months now and my business income is already down by some £5,000 (before tax, so it's bad, but not just for me, for the taxman too). And (although you won't understand, but the boys will) it's impossible to wee with one hand without dropping my trousers round my ankles which makes public toilets undesirable, to name but one of the problems and impossible to pull trousers up with one hand, which makes it undesirable to take Vera into a public toilet with me, to name another of the problems. BUT after thirteen weeks, I managed to move my arm enough to let me wash my own face with both hands instead of a flannel - hooray! And I can now with great difficulty load my putter-onner with socks - it takes longer to dress myself, but at least I'm doing that myself without crawling to Vera every morning.
One benefit - I have learned how to walk. Other unbenefits, I have learned to hate bus services and rain and footpath dog droppings.
It is imperative that I get driving soon, preferably by our latest revised booking for weekend to Wales (I've changed the booking every month since August, latest incarnation is 9th December) or absolute latest annual family booking to CenterParcs 6th January.
Typed with one finger on one hand as opposed to normally one finger on each hand.
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Post by dennisn on Nov 10, 2022 15:22:45 GMT
State of my left hand three months after the event (compared with right hand) .
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Post by cariad23 on Nov 10, 2022 18:11:52 GMT
Sorry to hear that. Photo looks awful very swollen, looks like fluid. Can they give you some physio? Try squeezing a rubber ball everyday to help strengthen hand.
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Post by dennisn on Nov 10, 2022 22:37:20 GMT
The ‘very swollen’ is just as it was 14 weeks ago, despite all the physio stuff I’ve been doing, although to be fair the only hand stuff is flex and try to close a fist, most of the physio has been aimed at the shoulder and arm. Even though I’ve been complaining about the hand ever since week six, telling them I need the hand and that my arm is coming along satisfactorily. The real thing about the hand is diagnosis thinks that the nerve/s are broken and hopefully they’ll heal themselves in time, but with no forecast of how long. They suggested they’ll insert probe things/electrodes to try and fire the nerves to see whether they are connected, but didn’t forecast when they might do that - next consultant visit should be some time in December. I wonder how I’ll be affected by the NHS situation?
So, whilst following the physio instructions, I am ‘assisted’ by the advice of family and friends, which amounts to ‘hold your hand up for the swelling to go down’ and ‘squeeze a rubber ball’. A raised arm hasn’t made the slightest difference and I (STILL) can’t pick up the rubber ball. Both these are repeated regularly and are accompanied by accusations that I don’t want to get better because I’m not doing them well enough. Hurtful really, considering that two months ago I broke down in tears at the thought that it wasn’t going to get better. I got over that after a few days when I was told during consultant appointment that it would take four months if I’m lucky, which I interpreted as optimism. Plus I’m learning to fiddle the hand into getting stuff done without gripping.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Nov 11, 2022 7:32:49 GMT
Wow! Amazing how one injury has such a knock-on effect.
I hope the improvement both continues and accelerates.
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Post by cariad23 on Nov 11, 2022 12:27:41 GMT
if they are talking of an emg they attach electrodes and see how the nerves are transmitting signals, we have a 15-20 weeks wait at our hospital for that, after the consultant requests it. It has to be done in clinical science lab not general dept. Write a nice letter to santa and ask for a cure for xmas. It must be so frustrating
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Post by balddave on Nov 14, 2022 16:58:45 GMT
You haven’t had the best of luck health wise, both yourself and Vera have suffered over the past few years, I appreciate it’s difficult to stay positive at times , but hopefully the healing process will speed up. Whatever Dennis never lose your sense of humour, your dry wit is greatly appreciated by many on this forum
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Post by kevb on Nov 16, 2022 13:34:27 GMT
Really sorry to hear things are going so slowly Dennis, just got to hang in there and let nature take it's course plus any physio that's recommended for you.
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Post by dennisn on Nov 16, 2022 14:01:04 GMT
Well nice coincidence, yesterday I got a letter with EMG appointment 6th December. Should be quite a trip, hour and 24 minutes by bus. Appointment is 3:15pm and they say normally 30 to 60 minutes all being well, so with luck I should get home that day!
No matter what the outcome, I am 99.9% intending doing our Wales weekend on the 9th (for “doing” read “driving”!).
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Post by cariad23 on Nov 17, 2022 10:55:47 GMT
great news, dont stress yourself get a taxi home from the hospital. Can,t one of your relatives take you with them to wales ? or are you like me terrible passenger, very few drivers i can relax with. I am currently sitting here watching pouring rain trying to get inspiration for xmas present list, and 3 xmas birthdays,hopefully all done on line.
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Post by dennisn on Nov 17, 2022 23:18:10 GMT
Cariad, the Wales trip is just the two of us, not family, just me driving. But I’ll say that having been the sole driver for the latest 23 years, none of the drivers I have travelled with during the last three months are any good, I travel with my bum clenched all the time - they drive too fast, they brake too hard and they corner on the edges of G force. Sadly for the time being my alternative is walking which isn’t an option for journeys not coverable by public transport. I don’t need to get a taxi home from hospital appointment, because there’s a bus directly from the hospital front door to my home town - OK, it takes a fairly long time, because as a bus it wanders all over the place, but it will be convenient enough - AND FREE with my bus pass - when I used taxis for the other hospital it cost a fortune!
Christmas presents are not a problem - for the last twenty years or more, we have taken three villas at CenterParcs for a weekend in (cheaper) January instead of presents for all the family. We ask them each year and they all prefer it to presents.
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Post by cariad23 on Nov 18, 2022 8:59:42 GMT
good idea center parcs. about 10years ago my father in law had big birthday instead of a party, he took me husband sister and brother in law on a nile cruise, as all our birthdays are in november december, it was our joint presents, it was also a celebration of my mother in law discharged from hospital having been given the all clear after two cancer ops. Her dream had been to see valley of the kings etc for many years. I,m pleased to say is still alive and well
One of our best holidays ever.
I get the hospiyal hopper for the last part of my journey to work, (only two half days a week now) free for hospital staff and can use the bus lanes avoiding the awful congestion and ridiculous one way systems in Leicester.
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Post by cariad23 on Dec 8, 2022 16:58:34 GMT
how did your nerve conduction rest go Dennis, are you able to drive to wales tomorrow
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Post by balddave on Dec 9, 2022 19:40:39 GMT
Dennis I hope your recovery is progressing ok, I and I’m certain others would like an update of your situation, not cynical but general concern and support.
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