can't use right hand for a while

[tctrek]

if typing looks funny it's because i finally went and had the trigger finger surgery on my right hand and can only use left hand. braking and shifting with right hand had become so painful, i really needed to have it done. still, now i cannot use my right hand at all for a while. the surgery was pretty easy, and as long as i keep my hand elevated i have no pain at all. but the bandage is huge (to protect it), so there's nothing i can do with right hand.

suddenly, you realize that you can't open a bottle or put your hair in a ponytail or hook you bra or open a can of cat food! luckily, dh works from home and is helping me with the trivial things.

its pouring rain today as though to tell me "you can't ride anyway"... so trying to read a book and not get too depressed. i have a new respect for girls having shoulder and knee surgery... it's tough to think about recovering and keeping optimism.

ideas for staying upbeat for 3 weeks?

[tulip]

I'm in a similar situation, without the surgery part thankfully. I can't use my right hand because of tendonitis in my wrist and elbow.

I am slowing down alot and deciding what is really important as I move through my day. For exercise, that means Pilates and tai-chi. Yoga's mostly out. I also got a trainer and do two short rides per day, adapted to not hurt my wrist and elbow. For work, same thing--what is most important to get done? Let the other stuff go. I've found it very useful and it's good to focus like that. I've become quite adept at using the computer mouse with my left hand. I will continue that because bad right mousing got me to this point.

Hairdryer is not being used. Dog gets walked on my left.

Things take longer. That's okay.

[OakLeaf]

Just be careful - when I had one hand immobilized for several weeks, I wound up with tendinitis and a lot of trigger points in the other elbow and forearm, not only from general overuse, but from doing so many things upside down.

Hope you heal up quick!

[tctrek]

i could see my left side getting hurt.. i am soooooooo right-handed! everything is clumsy and "upside down" with left. i've figured out that my right elbow can hold on to things.. like hold down a piece of mail while i hack at it with my left hand. my left hand is ridiculously weak.

[lph]

hmmm - keep a log of all the things you can do with one hand? Don't let people help you unless you really need it, but give it a shot and see if you can figure out a way of doing it yourself?

There's nothing wrong with dependent on other people for a short while, but it's a lot more fun and keeps your mind busy figuring out how to do things in a different way.

And don't forget that the rest of your body works fine, and a bout of endorphins is good for what ails you - go out there and walk, or go spinning, or whatever!

This helped me through some weeks with a cast anyway.

[OakLeaf]

One thing's for sure, it helps if you're not shy about doing things with your teeth (I never have been ).

[Raindrop]

I will probably end up having surgery on my trigger thumb early next year. What was the timeline for recovery? I was hoping to only be out of work for about a week.

[malkin]

Oh kindred spirits!
I'm doing tendonitis in the right wrist too! I think it started after a long stint at the computer in a cold room.

Things that don't work so well now:

• Cycling (big mucky storm right now anyway)
• Rolling out cookie dough
• Cookie decorating with pastry bag
• Piano playing (I'm no good anyway, but now it's worse.)
• Keyboard and mouse (Must limit online shopping!)

Things I've learned:

• Tensing my shoulders does not improve my wrist
• My left hand can roll out a tidy ACE wrap with a tiny assist from my chin
• ACE wrap keeps wrist warm and compressed and feels good & generates sympathy.
• The left hand of Bach Invention 8 is not exactly impossible
• Drop cookies are perfectly acceptable, even in December
• Online purchases can be completed without browsing every item available worldwide

I can survive this for a little while longer.

[tulip]

I've gotten very good at mousing with my left hand. I still mostly type with my left hand, very slowly. I have my first PT appointment tomorrow.

Icing helps, compression feels good, I have to be careful about doing things like bringing firewood into the house.

I really want the PT to help me out so that I can ride my bike outside again. The trainer is a bore.

[malkin]

When you mouse left handed, do you move the mousepad to the left of the keyboard or do you reach across?

[NadiaMac]

Move the mouse to the left of the keyboard. This works better ergonomically if you do not have a number pad on the left of the keyboard. you can buy keyboards that lack the number pad, or get a plug in number pad to position elsewhere than left of the keyboard ( i have a goldstar keyboard that I like a lot)

I am a rightie but started mousing on the left further to a sprained thumb about ten years ago and never went back. as a small bonus, I can mouse with one hand and take notes w/ my right hand

further to the adaptation conversation above, after my hand injury, i became very adept at doing things with the fingertips of my right middle, ring and pinkie fingers which protruded about 1/2 inch from my cast. After my cast was removed, I could not use my thumb for about 6 months and became adept at using my index and middle finger to do things where I formerly used my thumb and index finger. I still find myself holding things between the index and middle finger sometimes

[malkin]

Thanks.
I think I'll switch my work computer around.

[tulip]

My mouse is now on the left. It took a very patient week to get to the point of feeling remotely comfortable with it. And another week to get proficient. Now I reach for the left even when using a friend's computer that has the mouse on the right. I don't think I'll go back to the right-hand mouse.

My physical therapy is going well. I have massage and stretches that really help, plus I wear a splint on my right hand and also a strap just below my elbow (I have also developed tennis elbow from this. I do not play tennis!)

[tctrek]

Well, I had the surgery on 12/1. They made two incisions on my right hand- one below the middle finger and one below the ring finger. Each about 1.5 inches.

I had the stitches out on Tuesday, 12/15 and even though I tried to keep them moving since the surgery, they were pretty locked up. So, started physical therapy. I am having trouble both straightening my fingers as well as making a fist. They want to stay in the shape of a parenthesis. There's also a good deal of swelling which they say could stay for 4-6 months.

It's just important to keep moving, keep trying. The good news is, I was able to get back to spinning class about a week ago, and I actually took a weight class today. It's incredible how fast you lose fitness, so I'm working my way back.