Thumb Was Fused Yesterday

lindalegs

HI everyone,

I had my left thumb fused yesterday. This is for those who may need the same operation.

I had a regional block because I can’t have a General Anesthetic due to arthritis in my neck. From the ward I was taken in a wheelchair to the theaters. In the anesthetic room there was a Consultant Anesthetist and a Trainee Anesthetist plus a lovely Male Nurse who did the best job by holding my hand all the way through. I found the Consultant Anesthetist a little rushed whereas the Trainee, who did the nerve blocking, was very gentle.

Once I had the canula in the back of my hand I had the sedative which was offered. The regional block was inserted between my neck and shoulder joint by use of an ultra sound scan so they can locate the right branches of nerves to deaden with the needle. (They can do this under your arm but you have to be able to lift your arm above your head.) This all takes about 15 minutes. Another nerve block was put in my arm so my thumb and fingers would be numb till today. They then put something warm and heavy onto my stomach which was my own arm. :shock: :shock: I could not move it at this point as it didn’t feel part of me. They wheeled me into theatre where a team was waiting. They put antibiotics into my canula and also gave me some more sedation. An electric tourniquet was applied to the top of my arm so it would be a bloodless procedure. My arm was screened off so I couldn’t see anything. I could hear the surgeons talking, as the Consultant Surgeon was guiding a Registrar through the operation. I could also hear drilling but it was no louder than a dentist drill and was like Mr Legs doing DIY at home without the cussing. It didn’t bother me because I could feel nothing at all. The operation took 45 minutes.

My arm is in plaster and I am wearing a sponge sling to keep my hand raised and protected. The numbness has gone today and been replaced by a dull ache in my new thumb and wrist which I am controlling with painkillers at regular intervals.

Everything went according to plan and I feel fine.

I hope you find this useful.

Luv,

Slosh

Glad to hear all went well. Wishing you a good recovery

lindalegs

Thank you Slosh ....just typing one-handed, which is a mean feat. it's okay till I need punctuation above the numbers :shock: ....thank goodness for emoticons

Love,

dreamdaisy

Ooooh Legs, I don't envy you that but at least it's done and I hope it makes things better/ easier / less painful. I wish you well. DD

GraceB

Firstly it's good to know that the operation went well.

I'm impressed with the length of your post bearing in mind you'll have been doing this one handed. I'm a trained touch typist and you've done absolutely brilliantly with your posts.

Hope the plaster doesn't drive you bonkers and you manage to keep yourself amused without over doing things.

Hope you make a speedy recovery. Take care,
GraceB

barbara12

Hello Linda ..so glad it went well.and you had a nice male nurse holding your hand..I will be having the little bone at the base of the thumb removed when the pain get to much...I amhoping it fuses itself...I had to laugh at the warm thing they put on your tummy.....you did well girl and I do wish you a speedy recovery...xx

stickywicket

Glad it went well. I suspect I, too, will be having no more generals owing to the neck. I scared my anaesthetist last time. He said it'd taken him 20 minutes to get the tube in and he was worried he might have damaged my throat. (Lovely young guy. I would have forgiven him )

Useful info for others having the same op.

I suspect the heavy thing on your tummy was really one of them sitting on you in an effort to shut you up :sunny:

lindalegs

dreamdaisy wrote:

Ooooh Legs, I don't envy you that but at least it's done and I hope it makes things better/ easier / less painful. I wish you well. DD

Hi Dreamdaisy and thank you. I had the operation done to give my thumb structure and strength because before the op it was as limp as a flaccid .......... :shock: (complete sentence as appropriate )

Only time will tell whether it's successful.

Love,

lindalegs

GraceB wrote:

Firstly it's good to know that the operation went well.

I'm impressed with the length of your post bearing in mind you'll have been doing this one handed. I'm a trained touch typist and you've done absolutely brilliantly with your posts.

Hope the plaster doesn't drive you bonkers and you manage to keep yourself amused without over doing things.

Hope you make a speedy recovery. Take care,
GraceB

I'm glad I've impressed you Grace I, too, was trained to touch type and therefore know my way around the keyboard. The marvelous thing is I discovered how to turn on 'Sticky Keys' which enables me to just press 'Caps' without having to hold it down so I can now access all punctuation one handed!

The plaster is fine ATM though I am struggling feeding myself so I have to rely on Mr Legs kindness! I just hope we don't have a row or I might starve to death :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Love,

lindalegs

barbara12 wrote:

Hello Linda ..so glad it went well.and you had a nice male nurse holding your hand..I will be having the little bone at the base of the thumb removed when the pain get to much...I amhoping it fuses itself...I had to laugh at the warm thing they put on your tummy.....you did well girl and I do wish you a speedy recovery...xx

Barbara you should have seen him and there I was all 'glam' in my hospital gown and surgery socks :shock: He had warm soft hands with enough pressure just to be reassuring. I shall send him over if you have to have your thumb done but make sure you return him for my next op

Love,

lindalegs

stickywicket wrote:

I suspect the heavy thing on your tummy was really one of them sitting on you in an effort to shut you up :sunny:

Correct SW re the neck thing. I'm down as 'known difficult intubation' ....I think we might be sisters separated at birth as we have almost the same problems with our anatomies

PS: Despite what you might think I wasn't talking out of my navel at the time ....so they should have sat on my face and made things really interesting Sorry, I'm lowering the tone again aren't I ....don't answer that!

Love,

dreamdaisy

Hello Legs, we're a few days on now and I hope all is going as well as possible. DD

PS I too have sticky keys, I must clean my keyboard.

mig

Hows is it now ? Mig

lindalegs

Hello Dreamdaisy and Mig,

I had to go to see the doc on Wednesday after a rough night when it kept nagging plus my plaster cast felt tight. (The problem with the fused thumb op is that the wound is covered so you can't see what's happening unlike knees where you can keep a check.) It is fine and he thought doing well for straight after surgery. As well as paracetamol and codeine phosphate he has also given me 500mg Naproxen to take twice a day. This has been the turning point because now the thumb has settled down and I'm back to normal.

I'm doing 'dry' chores and can feed myself once again. My next goal to to clean my own teeth because, for some unknown reason, I always get the giggles when Mr Legs does it for me!

Hope everyone's okay?

Love,

dreamdaisy

I suppose some post-op swelling is to be expected and it sounds as though the nap has done the trick so that is pleasing. It can't be easy cleaning someone's teeth whilst they're giggling away but I can understand why the giggles are triggered!

Keep up the good work, Legs, and I hope you are soon restored to your usual self. DD

lindalegs

Breaking news is that I brushed my own teeth last night which was a sombre affair but more effective .......at least I know if I need a giggle I get Mr Legs to do it for me!


Love,

stickywicket

Are you potty trained yet

lindalegs

stickywicket wrote:

Are you potty trained yet

Nope Sticky ....potties go on the floor :shock: and me and the floor are no longer on speaking terms

I am toilet trained once again though ......as long as I'm wearing the right clothes or no clothes at all :shock: :oops:

Love,

barbara12

Oh Linda you do make me laugh..sorry I suspect you still have pain but the thoughts of Mr Legs trying to brush your teeth in between giggles glad you can now do your own....and toilet trained you are doing well girl..when will the plaster come off..x

lindalegs

barbara12 wrote:

Oh Linda you do make me laugh..sorry I suspect you still have pain but the thoughts of Mr Legs trying to brush your teeth in between giggles glad you can now do your own....and toilet trained you are doing well girl..when will the plaster come off..x

Hi Barbara,

My plaster comes off on 2nd September when it will be replaced by an OT plaster for a further 4 weeks.

These are photos of my thumb and left-hand before the operations.





Hopefully if the surgery is a success I shall be able to show more functional hands.

Love,

Slosh

Hope all continues to go well.

stickywicket

This is getting uncanny. When did you nick my hands? As kids, my sons used to love the way I could, without trying, point in three directions at once. I think I'll leave my wiggly thumbs though as their base joints across my palms provide my only grip. I hope yours continues to improve.

lindalegs

Thanks Slosh all is well

Sticky I've told you before we are identical twins separated at birth ......just fancy two of me or two of you ......it's enough to strike terror into the minds of young children :shock: :shock:

Love,

stickywicket

And husbands

barbara12

Linda I remember my Aunt having hands like yours..suppose it shows to the younger generation that the meds are working..I do hope the op is a great success for you..x

lindalegs

You are so right Barbara, I do think those people just diagnosed with rheumatoid might be worried by that state of my hand pictures but I started with RA nearly 30 years ago when the medication wasn't as good as it is now. They should really look at my hands and realise that modern medication should prevent this from happening to them.

I'm really looking forward to having my plaster off on 2nd September so that I can see what my new thumb looks and functions like. It'll be like opening a present on the end of my arm


Love,