Dorcas Iris-TWR one week on. I'M back!

lavenderlady

pain? what pain?....at seven weeks post op it is that good already compared to how excruciatingly painful the wrist was pre-op. Wally best described as 'aching' rather than anything else and I get some 'spiky' pain up in the hand occasionally...but what a difference!

I so smiled when I read this, no pain what a real treat that will be I cannot wait to get to your stage of recovery, I know I wont be as able with my wrist after the op but no pain is worth it, I once asked my Dr to remove my hand and wrist I was in so much pain, I love reading about your ups and downs and the email you sent me is well read its next to my bed so I can reassure myself whats coming soon, well done for doing so well despite hiccups I love reading it , knowing some one else whos had the same op is so reassuring

skezier

Hi Iris,

Its ok I have let her back out and will have to iron her dress She is lucky to have natural perm, her hair shakes back into place quite well.......

Hey shin guards are a good idea actually! have to wear them at the back as I would see hi from the front or sides..... Tell you he will be on his way to you in Hopes tuck box if he doesn't stop this. Its impatience! It only happens when I am getting the food to put them to bed! I heard him tonight and retaliate before he could so many that will teach him for a bit...... it used to work with the goose.....

Got a cuppa as well for you and will get Hope back in the bucket in time for the morning.... she wants to know have we got escalators? xx

dorcas

Hey Cris...here's another wacky idea.......could you put a little bell on the rooster's leg so you hear him coming up behind you?
(you can tell I know absolutely nothing about cockerels or animal husbandry :roll: )

tell Hope...no escalators and only one train... not even a subway to go on; although the blindfold and ear muffs did work last time :!:

Iris x

skezier

Hi Iris,

Tween you and me I am thinking of fitting him with his very own hobbles!

Oh she will be disappointed at nothing to play on... but there are always the seats She is sill watching the sheep away day documentary to see how she should behave I shan't miss the ear muffs and the blindfold though Hate subways.....

We shall be with you tomorrow and leaving you another bowl of apples and dandelions. xx

Hi Lynn,

A couple of chew sticks for you a well as a handful of grass and dandi's. Hope your doing ok ad nice to see you. ((( ))) xx

dorcas

Hi Lynn
thanks!
Being honest with you.... two weeks after the op, when they took the PoP off and put the lightweight half shell splint on, I was scared stiff at the very thought of removing the splint and trying to move wally. :shock: :roll:
took me 3 days to remove it and only then because I knew I must...so I'm not brave either!

getting to this stage and being almost pain free with wally is just wonderful..and quick. if I can get him moving that'll be a bonus; but I'll settle for just being able to use the fingers more and have some flexibility in the wrist.

Cris is a whizz and it's a great idea you've had for her to provide a 'meals on wheels' service

Iris xxx

frogmorton

Morning All

Morning Iris

I go to see Cris tomorrow

Iris

You are doing wonderfully - lets hope the hand expert agrees with me

I would settle for less pain and some finger movement too If I were you

Catch you later

Love

Toni xx

ironic

Hi Iris, How did the hand therapy go today?

Hope you are not over doing things.
Have a good weekend. Have you got visitors to look after you?
It must be so good to be able to use Wally even a little bit.
Take care,

Lv, Ix

dorcas

Hi Ironic

I did see my therapist Mandy this afternoon. She hasn't received the letter from my surgeon yet so didn't know what he wanted her/ me to do with wally. if there's no letter in before next Wed (my next appt) then Mandy'll phone and speak to the Head Physio at the Western.

As wound not quite completely healed Mandy thought it best not to use wax treatment, hand massage and we didn't do some (most) of the exercises. Mandy did measurements of what wally can do now and said that, yes, we have had a big set back with the tilting exercise (flexion n extension) but that she saw an improvement in the pronation/ supination (turning hand over palm up and palm down) so that's good eh?

Mandy did some passive movements with wally.. which he definitely did not like... where she gently but firmly tilted the hand and wrist back. ooyahh!! I didn't much like it either!!. Even then wally wouldn't budge....obstinate or what!!

Mandy said that I'm doing all the right things with wally and to gradually build up using him. Because of the infection 'blip' she can't say we will get much more movement with the tilting or sideways moving (have very little of that too) but with having better palm up/ down it will give me some functionality and to remember that it's about having some use of the hand and being pain free. (familiar words)

so...wally's in a sulk, I'm aching..but otherwise Ok!

no visitors expected this weekend..family on holiday. Are you doing anything nice?? I know you're not having the best of time with arther just now..

Iris xxx

speedalong

Hi Iris, the palm up, palm down improvement despite everything that (you) and Wally have been through is great news as is the reduction in pain. Does he have more movement now than the fused wrist? Or will he potentially?

I saw an activity book on The Gruffalo today in the book shop and then just above it a "Where is Wally?" book it did make me think of you and chuckle.

Toni and Cris have a great time catching up at the weekend. Be careful won't you Toni - some of Cris's residents are cute are some are definitely less so ... think protective clothing ...

Speedy

skezier

Hi Iris,

Just wait and see how much tilt he will give you once he is all healed and been asked to do it a lot more.....You never know. Already you have more movement than you had before and I am glad you have got rid of the old one, it had given you so much trouble.

Wally might be persuaded to free up some more now? I remember them telling me so many things both my leg and my back wouldn't achieve..... Iris they were kinda wrong.

I got the escape committee back in and done a make shift.....Pop down and give me a hand tomorrow please?

You eat your greens up and we have left you some cake with cream and jam...... the real one got heaved to the chicken I shall do another one tomorrow......

Hope they will bring their shin pads ((( )))'s, dandelions, carrots and apples xxx

Its ok Speedy..... he is gong for dinner with Ironic Soup has to be on the menu at his age xx

frogmorton

Wishing Iris and Wally a good weekend

Those Wally books are used a lot in kids' wards ro distract the kids - great idea - me? they send me mental (ER??)

Speedy I will be careful and Will have me wellies on :shock:

Shin pads Cris.....

teher are soem hockey ones somewhere

Love

Toni xxx

dorcas

Morning speedy, cris and toni,

I'm not despondent about wally...in fact I slept without the splint on last night for the first time...and it was fine.

speedy...My grandsons love the 'Where's Wally' books...but they do make you cross eyed! xxxx
...forgot to answer your question about comparing the fusion with the replacement...the fused wrist can do the rotating palm up/ down no bother..but that's all the movement you get with a fusion as the wrist is fused with a long metal plate and bone grafts to the radius and all the way up onto the metacarpals. The plate which looks like a metal ruler on xray is fixed in place with screws to the radius and metacarpals. it is immobile but very strong .

cris...have sent the two loons down to help you with the 'round up' ...really good of me eh?

toni....remember to take the stock cubes with you as well as the shin guards.....so if all else fails you're prepared. Ironic's got the recipe!!! :shock:

hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Iris xx (who hoped to get into the garden but it's raining again )

skezier

Hi Iris,

That's interesting about the fused one I wasn't sure how they did it.

Glad you got a good night with Wally being free..... I am glad your not getting despondent. You still might be surprised Iris.....

Ta for the loan of the loons, they are also sworn to cockerill duty..... I so hope he will behave but he will cus its about food and they wont be carrying the feed bucket........ If he even looks like he might he will spend the day in a cage! then....... send him to dinner at I's!

Really hope your rain soon stops, we got some here as well again! Its meant to be dry tomorrow though and they ave agreed to come to the 'lovely' sale to help me... they must be mad

Greens, ((( )))'s, dandelions, apples, carrot and a bit of corn but don' let know you got it..... xxx

ironic

Hello Iris,
That was good going through the night without the splint. Another step forward for Wally. Odd that the palm movement was the one you were concerned about and now are the most improved. I still think that when the wound is fully cleared up you will be pleasantly surprised in what Wally is capable of. Everything crossed for you. How are the two loons? Still managing to side step the exit and entry onslaught?
Lv, Ix

marion1952

Hi Iris

That's another milestone reached (ie sleeping without the splint) - brilliant!.

I wonder how long it will take for the wound to 'fully heal.' ..I'll be glad for you when that happens.

How do you manage escalators?

I hadn't realised that was how they did the fusion - very clever..

It's a pretty miserable day here in Manchester (rain too) but I am taking both dogs out shortly - I have managed to take them together for the last few days (still using one crutch!) ... I have a lead where you put one dog at one end and the other dog at the other and yI hold it gently in the middle - so if they pull they tend to pull on each other rather than me... I've booked my dog walker again for the month of August, but she doesn't come at weekends..

Take care with/of Wally!

Marion

dreamdaisy

Hello dorcas. I hope things are well with you today. Take care. DD

speedalong

Well done Wally for a night not in the splint ... these little improvements just happen don't they - you try something and usually it works and if it doesn't wait a few weeks and try again.

Speaking of which, Marion, have you tried getting into trousers again yet?

I agree Iris, once Wally heals finally and you can start the physio with a vengeance - he may well surprise the medics with his progress - he won't have developed any more movement sat in a splint on "splint-arrest" will he?!

Interesting the mention of escalators - S struggles with the timing of getting on and off these (particularly on) and so I tend to arm him on and then he is fine. I have done this since the day I once stepped on and he didnt!!! And I had to travel to the top without him, tell him to wait for me, find the down escalator and then walk as quickly as possible to the bottom of the up one. The other weeked we couldn't manage it - me with a crutch, S and the timing issue; so we had to walk further and find a lift. Yesterday I went and had a practise solo and did ok - so will have
to try again with S this holiday...

It is very muggy and close here - we need a storm.

Have a lovely time Cris, Toni and co.

Speedy

skezier

Hi Marion,

Hope your hands are a little better and the dogs are behaving?

Escalates....... evil things.... I get vertigo and try so hard to avoid them but they crop up here and there with not choices...... hate them.... does it show? ((( ))) xx

Hi iris,

I agree with Speedy... he may surprise you yet.... You got the fight girl and you will use it.... hey want some very sickly cake and I got digestives (drum playing gorilla ones of course ) and some crunch ones...... ((( ))) and just for continuity... dandelions and turnips xxx

Hi Speedy,

They hit bad traffic and are coming down the very long way... They are in Devon so wont be too long now... bout an hour and half unless the A30 is clogged up.... and it might be......

I am with S and used to be scared of escalators but now I just hate them! Hope you have a good week end and we will cyber set you a pace for tea ((( ))) xx

speedalong

Ooh yes please Cris, let me know when tea is ready ... do you want me to bring any cyber food???

Speedy

dorcas

Hi speedy ...
if you're cyber dining with cris...remember your indigestion pills as she specialises in burnt cake and lumpy custard.

Cris..you know I'm kidding? yes?
but those digestives you sent me did make a great frizby for the loons. sorry :oops: can't help it! :P

Marion..wally almost healed..wee stubborn bit where the infection was that's holding on for dear life. :roll:

It is funny you mentioning escalators :!: the signs all say 'stand on the right' but that made it impossible for me to hold on with wally on one side and fusion on the other. I just had to stand really still and hope for the best....but getting on and off was a problem. (I can empathise with S speedy)

hope you had a good walk with your dogs...like the idea of the two prong leash...but knowing my two large loons I'd probably end up on the floor. I do miss taking them out and although they are getting one long walk..courtesy of a rotation of volunteers they are still like coiled up springs with weeks of suppressed energy.
Once I'm allowed to drive again life will be a lot easier that's for sure.!

Hi Ironic it surprised me too that the palm up/ down has improved despite the wrist being imprisoned.....but even with the splint on you can turn the hand/ forearm over so maybe, without knowing, I was doing some good after all! (or maybe things had just healed more in that time)

the loons are mad as ever...and yes 'running the gauntlet' of trying to get past them on the stairs takes enormous skill and determination on my part to avoid catastrophe!
hope you're feeling bit better today?

(((hugs))) all...hope you're having a good Saturday!

Iris xx

marion1952

Hi Iris

Glad to hear that the wound is almost healed now.

Be careful with those escalators - I got on one some weeks ago with just one crutch and I did 'jar' myself when I got off it.

Be careful with bugs on handrails and door handles too (my Microbiolgist friend has trained me very well in avoiding touching things when I am out and about!)


Hi Cris

Hope you are not too bad today - no more 'attacks' I hope? I must tell my 'Sussex chicken' friends about your cockerel - they would not cope with that!

The dogs have been doing quite a bit of 'play fighting' today over a new football. Poppy, of course, being the main culprit and Freya finding her very irritating.... they are half-sisters - same father but different mothers - and boy, can you tell, because their temperaments are very different... Anyway, they keep me busy and take my mind of things..


Hope you both (Iris and Cris) get a good night's sleep ..

Marion x

ironic

Hi Iris, did you manage another night with 'Free Wally'?

Wish the final bit of the wound would hurry up and heal for you.

Have a good Sunday.

Lv, Ix

skezier

Hi Iris

Hope Wally is behaving and you had a decent day? Hey the rain came in today... after I had set up... short and that's the plus side eh?! Hope the loons are ok and behaving as best as dogs can? He has been disgusting but thankfully no injuries so that's good eh?! Toni has just left ( well I actually ended up doing a bit of unscheduled armchair duties :oops: so its not exactly 'just'

Will go make us a cuppa and see what food I got left to go with it... nice bit of grass and dandelions for sure ((( ))) xx

Hi Marion,

Its cus of her name you know..... I got a Poppy as well and she is a bit of a madam! She is older now and a bit grumpy but will set the occasional 'trap' where she has a toy and asks the others if they would like it..... you can guess what comes next eh? She ha lost a leg so she isn't as conger like as she used to be but certainly play fighting is on her CV

Hope your hands are a bit better today? ((( ))) Cris xx

speedalong

Hi Iris,

hoping you have had a good day and that Wally is behaving.

Cris and Toni sounds like you had a good time and great Cris, that you had some help with the chores. Toni, bet your crew enjoyed it too.

Have to be careful with pets ... my cat always tries to race me to places and I have fallen over her in the past when I have tried to avoid/dodge her. She used to have a trick too where she always hid under the bed and used to try and grab my ankles as I got into bed ... I hated that game!!

Meant to be involving S in cooking the dinner ... I always have an energy dip at this time of day.

Speedy

dorcas

Hi Ironic, Marion, Cris n Speedy,

Marion....ooohh!!!! hadn't thought about all the bugs 'lurking' on handrails....can see me becoming totally obsessed about catching anything nasty :shock: remember Howard Hughes? eccentric ...but did leave a useful legacy behind.... :roll:

Ironic...nearly there with the healing...did try to give it a helping hand but that wasn't too clever of me :? as soon as it's healed I'm off to contact rheummy so's I can start on the infliximab!
how're your joints today?

Wally now not missing the splint overnight and probably 50/50 during the day. 'we' managed to blow dry my hair today with wally holding and turning the brush. (no more wurzel look for me now)
he's also learned how to butter bread and can hold an empty cup unaided.

Cris...thanks for the greens and the promise of tea and cake ..you still got some? we could all have 'my' ahem.. 'finest' white chocolate cake instead you know?
glad your visitors (and you) had a good time and that they escaped serious injury. what's with the unscheduled armchair? you feeling ok? is it that leg again?

Hi speedy... I have a 12yrs old ex feral cat who hasn't quite forgotten her roots! so I well remember the 'ambushes'
hope S is managing to help with the dinner... tea time is always the low energy time of day isn't it.

Toni...hope you and the bairns got home ok.

DD..if you look in...hope you's feeling a whole lot better now.

Iris x