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On Monday, I saw my dentist and got new x-rays. On Wednesday, they pulled out two of my molars. On Friday, my face looked like I'd taken up boxing. I'm really grateful for the weekend.
The pre-op schedule continues. I'm supposed to bank three units of blood before surgery, starting last Wednesday. It turns out that you can't donate blood right after dental work, even to yourself; there's too much bacteria and antibiotics and other garbage in the bloodstream. This puts me a week behind for donating blood, which kind of stinks. I can't make it any faster.
I also had a physical, a meeting with my orthotics maker, and an appointment with a hand therapist last week.
I wear orthotics every day. I can't walk more than half a block without them. The bones in my ankles are worn down like rocks in a river, and the compression cuts off the blood flow to and from the feet. The orthotics somehow compensate for that. I don't know how they work; I suspect magic.
Anyway, every few years, I drive out to the burbs to see my orthotics maker for a new pair. I got lucky this time: she can rebuild my old orthotics instead of having to make new ones. I heartily approve. I get them back in two weeks.
I had never seen a hand therapist. I'm dutifully wearing the elbow sleeve she gave me. It's a tube sock with a big gel pad sewn into it. It's supposed to protect my ulnar nerve, which runs between the bones at the elbow and leads to the outside of the hand. My ulnar nerves are inflamed, probably because of my habit of lying on my side and propping myself up on my elbow. The other option is sitting upright, which makes my hips hurt, so you understand why the elbows keep losing the toss.
I didn't plan to talk about my elbow with the hand therapist. She checked each arm for pain, using gentle massage and finger taps. She tapped the ulnar nerve at the elbow and oops, there it is. And so I wear my elbow sock and think of her when the nerve pain kicks in.
My main goal in hand therapy is to find out how to use crutches without destroying my hands and wrists in the process. The therapist recommended platform crutches almost immediately. They're made for people who can't put much weight on their hands. If my PT agrees, we'll try them.
The therapist will also make thumb splints for me on my next visit. This could be fun to watch. There's a workbench in the middle of the hand therapy room with assorted gadgets and heaters on it for molding the splint material. My thumbs are hopeful.
Right now, I'm resting and waiting to take another Vicodin. The bruises are fading, but the pain is not, really, so far. One more night of soup for dinner.
The pre-op schedule continues. I'm supposed to bank three units of blood before surgery, starting last Wednesday. It turns out that you can't donate blood right after dental work, even to yourself; there's too much bacteria and antibiotics and other garbage in the bloodstream. This puts me a week behind for donating blood, which kind of stinks. I can't make it any faster.
I also had a physical, a meeting with my orthotics maker, and an appointment with a hand therapist last week.
I wear orthotics every day. I can't walk more than half a block without them. The bones in my ankles are worn down like rocks in a river, and the compression cuts off the blood flow to and from the feet. The orthotics somehow compensate for that. I don't know how they work; I suspect magic.
Anyway, every few years, I drive out to the burbs to see my orthotics maker for a new pair. I got lucky this time: she can rebuild my old orthotics instead of having to make new ones. I heartily approve. I get them back in two weeks.
I had never seen a hand therapist. I'm dutifully wearing the elbow sleeve she gave me. It's a tube sock with a big gel pad sewn into it. It's supposed to protect my ulnar nerve, which runs between the bones at the elbow and leads to the outside of the hand. My ulnar nerves are inflamed, probably because of my habit of lying on my side and propping myself up on my elbow. The other option is sitting upright, which makes my hips hurt, so you understand why the elbows keep losing the toss.
I didn't plan to talk about my elbow with the hand therapist. She checked each arm for pain, using gentle massage and finger taps. She tapped the ulnar nerve at the elbow and oops, there it is. And so I wear my elbow sock and think of her when the nerve pain kicks in.
My main goal in hand therapy is to find out how to use crutches without destroying my hands and wrists in the process. The therapist recommended platform crutches almost immediately. They're made for people who can't put much weight on their hands. If my PT agrees, we'll try them.
The therapist will also make thumb splints for me on my next visit. This could be fun to watch. There's a workbench in the middle of the hand therapy room with assorted gadgets and heaters on it for molding the splint material. My thumbs are hopeful.
Right now, I'm resting and waiting to take another Vicodin. The bruises are fading, but the pain is not, really, so far. One more night of soup for dinner.
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