h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

11 Mar 2005

Well, the appt. wasn't cancelled this time so along I went Both specialists were there &, if I may say, were complete gentlemen They both checked out my hands & arms, then discussed with me exactly what they think is going on & what they propose to do:
Left Hand:-
To operate on ring finger to release the tendon again (this was operated on some 12 years ago for trigger finger, but something wasn't quite right & I was left with my finger partially bent down with - according to the general orthopaedic surgeon - scar tissue, which he refused to go in again & clear out - I've been asking him every year since!). This was the main reason why I asked to see a hand/shoulder specialist, because sometimes the whole finger swells & is really painful to the extent where I want to chop it off . (Also I have had to wear my wedding ring on the other hand - as is done on the continent) They may have to go into the back of the hand, where there is swelling on the joint where the finger meets the hand, if they can't clear from the palmside. They said it wasn't just scar tissue & that something else was happening there
To operate on thumb, which is bent, swollen & painful - they reckon this is a mix of trigger finger (where the tendon gets stuck) and an arthritic joint.
Right Arm:-
While I'm under for the other ops, my right shoulder will have a cortisone injection & be manipulated - there is a slight difference of opinion as whether this is frozen shoulder or tendonitis in the rotator cuff. I had 3 cortisone jabs in my left shoulder a couple of years ago & the symptoms are very similar - the gen. ortho said then that it was tendonitis, but the specialist reckons this right shoulder is frozen Well ... whatever ... the treatment is the same only this time the jab will be when I'm
The swelling on the back of my right hand - in line with my little finger - is, they reckon, due to arthritis - nothing to be done as yet.

I mentioned about the lefthand carpal tunnel op site, where it is very tender - hit the roof if I knock it - they said that could be fixed at a later date too - although, as I told them, I'd had that for so many years now that it wasn't too important, but it would be nice to get rid of the feeling of a can of worms in my palm

The rheumatologist said that once the ops are done & recovered I should go back to see him & we'll take it from there. Basically I have arthritis, which has been underlying for many years - this would be part of the reason why I have a tendency to tendon problems, although it was brought on by repetitive movements. He said he doesn't want to put me on drugs, which can be toxic to other organs, etc., but try to treat any arthritic areas locally. I totally agreed

So far I've had over the past 17 years: carpal tunnel surgery to both hands, 4 trigger finger ops, 3 cortisone jabs to fingers when they started clicking (onset of trigger finger), 3 cortisone jabs to left shoulder; together with a multitude of different treatments: wax, electromagnetic therapy, physio - none of which have been of any use at all

Oooh, if only I'd had another occupation instead of keyboarding for most of the time, then maybe I wouldn't have had all this trouble. However, I had some very good bosses & interesting places of work so ... c'est la vie (... and I've been at home for my daughter while she was at secondary school )

Oh yes, today was my birthday too

Wow and double Wow. Each time you mentioned trigger finger I visualize you shooting some one for trying to take your dark. Now I realize you are not a violent person but it still pops in.

I think I know the frustration though of seeing doctors. Even though I haven't had the pain I have seen doctors most of my life due to my hearing. It is not always pleasant. Especially when they stick things up my nose and blow air and what ever else they felt like blowing up there. I have had several tubes plugged into my right ear and once they went in and cleaned the ear out by removing the outer ear section. Every time I go to get a hearing aid the people there give me a hard time and keep telling me to go back. But unless they are willing to do something besides stick lights in my ear canal I really do not see the sense of it. If I could afford a super specialist they might be able to go in and fix the ears. But none of the ear, nose and throat guys want to refer me or suggest that I do. At my age I really do not care anymore. The hearing is not getting worse and with hearing aids I get along pretty good. I got to get around to see if the right aid needs fixing or I need a new one. It went out about three months or so and I just haven't done anything about it yet.

Just want to say I am proud to know you. You have gone through a lot and still have courage. I've known some people who instead of fighting back became bitter and reclusive and in a couple of cases hard hitting alcoholics.

So ease off the trigger my friend and I hope these guys can do you some good. I'll see that you get your supply of dark.


MoFoLo

trigger finger does looks just like you're pulling a trigger - I've only ever done that once with a mock 17th century musket - that was enough!

They took your outer ear section off? Did they sew it back on again? Were you completely or did they do it when you were awake? How absolutely horrendous

Things up your nose - double

My daughter had hearing trouble (practically deaf) when she was a youngster - they took her in & removed her adenoids & then found wax deeply embedded in her ears (they reckoned she hadn't been cleaned out properly when she was a baby - not sure if that was the reason really though). They had been thinking about putting in grommets, but decided against it when they found & removed the wax. Even now though, if she gets a cold she gets partially deaf, so has to be real careful.

She's a taurean - their troubles are supposed to be around the head & neck area. Get this: she's had adenoids removed, tonsils (which are in a pickling jar somewhere in a hospital - they were so big for a kid of her age), then half way through school exam course work (aged 15) they took her thyroid gland away!! So there's nothing in the s, eh?

Nag: Now you just listen to me - with your good ear - go & get that hearing aid checked out. Supposing you were crossing a road & didn't hear a car that suddenly appeared & was coming from that side?

I'm proud to know you too, Mo. You have your fair share of troubles too, but if I nag you then you must take note

I have been through a bitter stage & still get really annoyed when I hear of people suing & getting vast amounts of money just because one finger is affected. I got this injury in the early days when people didn't understand exactly what was causing it & I had spoken to 3 different solicitors, but the places I had worked were very large companies, so none of them wanted to take it on. I do get Industrial Injury Benefit which has helped - it's not alot, but as you know every penny/cent counts.

By the by - I don't do all this typing in one go - I have rest breaks & stretches to enable me to carry on, otherwise my hands kindof claw down as the tendons are getting overused. I do have "Viavoice" (a speech recognition programme) installed on this computer, but it needs alot of training & I haven't got round to it yet - I will, but not at present: too busy typing

Now you know why I'm so excited about getting my first NEW kitchen

Yes It is quite understandable about the kitchen. If nothing more, the relief when it is complete will be humungous.

I guess it was a case of a hard luck momma having a hardluck daughter. I never heard of children having their thyroid being removed.

Mean while, a little to ease the anxiety. Just a little bet longer and it will be all over. Here try a little . Now relax. Think of blue skies, wide open green meadows surounded by banks of trees. Hear the s singing, the frogs are croaking, the crickets chirping,zzzzzzzzzz Oh where was I? Oh yeah, a little more ?

Catch you later,
Mo

I wouldn't say hardluck, more Que Sera Sera again At least we're both alive & ... kicking

The thyroid had gotten growths on them & they were really worried it was cancer. She actually went in for the op with the tail end of a cold, but the anaethnetist said not to worry about that. Usually, they won't operate with any signs of a cold - so that proved to me that they really thought it was cancer. Thank goodness it wasn't. They managed to leave behind the little calcium gland that is within the thyroid. She had an awful summer - really tired & lethargic until her hormone levels had stabilised so they knew what dosage of thyroxin to give her.

In the autumn she went back to school & managed to catch up on one whole term's work that she'd missed. The school wern't very helpful & wouldn't give her any individual help - so, she worked hard herself at home &, most importantly, some of her schoolfriends helped her too. Some kids are bad, but an awful lot are good

When she had her tonsils removed when she was younger - she actually haemorraghed (I sat by her collecting all the blood she coughing up & remaining for her sake, although inside I was like jelly. They'd ordered spare blood & people were running around. Then, suddenly, it stopped & she was OK As I said before, the surgeon asked me if I minded if they pickled her tonsils for "future reference" as they'd never seen such enlarged tonsils before!!! Of course, I agreed - Liz's one claim to fame

I've got a bottle of Baileys Irish Cream - I'm going to have just a little bit of that with my next - yum!

The reminds me of the time when I was about 19. I took on a job at the ketchup factory and had already commited to another one day job. I worked a twelve hour shift at the ketchup plant, went home for a couple of hours nap then went to the other job and worked about eight hours going door to door passing out goodies to advertize a new petrol station opening. Then I went back home and packed myself a lunch and a thermos of . I added a bit of Sloe Gin. I do not know how I made it through the next 12 hours. I was running the machine that glued the boxes after they were filled with ketchup bottles. That could have been a disater.

s,

Hallo again Shirps,you may think this a bit weird but I belong to a prayer group and we pray for those we know who are poorly, never for a cure but for easing of pain and peace of mind, for those who are suffering what ever way. You do not have to believe, we have enough belief for everyone we pray for. I will bring your name forward to the next meeting. It will certainly do no harm and we believe it may do good.We are of different faiths. I am a Christian and my best friend at the group is a Pagan so you see it has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with spiritual love.
Take care
Kif

Hiya Kif

I don't think it is "weird" at all - I have heard that mass prayer has done wonderful things - I wouldn't "knock" anything.

A neighbour used to be in a faith healing group & when I became diabetic he met me in the street & said his group were praying for me - OK, it didn't actually stop me having diabetes (I never really expected it would), but I did feel comforted that someone was trying to do something for me.

However, in this case when it is all written down in black & white it seems alot worse than I feel it is. I obviously have ups & downs, but on the whole I could be one whole heap worse, but I am prepared for getting older & I don't expect to be a hopping energetic 80 year old

I would ask you & your prayer group to PLEASE pray for ALL those suffering in the world - to pray that the governments & businessmen of the world cease to be greedy and selfish, but to think of humanity as a whole, not something to be "ripped off", but nurtured, healed & educated.

Don't pray for me, pray for all the miserable wretches that have to live in a world that we call civilised.

& PEACE

hello again
we have a theory that if we(meaning all who pray all over the world) were to stop, the chaos would be so much worse. Please accept my gift of prayer in the spirit it is offered. I believe that what you said is true. Knowing that some one has us in their thoughts in a prayerful way makes us feel better even if nothing physical changes.
Our prayers encompass the sick and suffering everywhere as well as those we know and name, we also, as a group, get 'out there' and do stuff. It is said 'faith without works is dead' In our group are the aged(like me) those unable to work for various reasons, and some who are rich enough not to need to work. However just sitting around meditating and praying ain't good enough to make things better so we try in a small way to give help when and where we find we are able to.We only know each other by a given name and try to do what we do quietly, but we all have a strong faith in something greater than ourselves which guides and helps us. We are not a cult or religion just a group of likeminded people fatehas brought together.
Just thought I'd say that

Hi Kif

I understand, admire & thank you & those like you.

It may not be a religious based thing (I think I am what is classed as agnostic, although I hate labels), but still is similar to the true Christian faith & many other faiths - you are doing what mankind, in the beginning, decided should be done.

Just wish I was fit enough to actually "do" something, but plod on as sec. to the art society - I s'pose I am doing something useful .

I'd wanted to go to London at Christmas to help the homeless, but my parents would never let me, same with the Sama****, but they thought I would get too emotional. Now I can't do anything! C'est la vie! Again!

Thank you again & enjoy the rest of your evening