Back in April I shared how Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) was affecting me, and how through an NHS referral I was offered an operation - a cancellation - on 10 June.
It’s now just over a month since my operation, and so I thought I’d share an update (spoiler: it’s all going well).
Ahead of my op
One of my biggest concerns ahead of the op was actually getting to the hospital for 7am, but it wasn’t anywhere near as problematic as I thought it would be. In fact we were the first people to arrive, and I soon learnt that my op was the first one of the day too, which was good news - much less time to worry, or even look worried.
I met my surgeon he confirmed my details, including which hand was to be operated on and then marked the area. I asked how long the operation would take, and was relieved to find that it would only take 5, maybe 6 minutes. We were led to the day room and looked after by the nurses doing the pre-op checks, none were that surprised that my blood pressure was a little higher than normal.
Now wearing my hospital gown I was off to theatre, that’s when it started to get real. Once there I had to hop up onto a trolley and ‘make myself comfortable’ - well, as much as you can. Whilst in the theatre area I wasn’t left on my own at all, even if the nurse who accompanied me was called elsewhere, another was called to replace her. This was both reassuring and slightly disconcerting, the latter because having got this far, I had no plans to escape or even to fall off the trolley.
During the operation
Once the local anaesthetic was doing its thing, and it was checked that it really was working, we were off. I felt nothing except for a slight twang at one point, not a painful twang at all, but similar to an elastic band pinging.
What struck me though was how the team in theatre worked like a well oiled machine, like a well practised dance with each playing their part. I couldn’t see what they were doing as the protective sheet I’d put my arm through was stiff enough to be arranged so that I couldn’t, and while I was curious, I was also grateful.
The bandage was on and I was in the recovery room, and once it had been established I was ok, quite soon back in my day room, where MOH had been very well looked after by the ward staff. He said he was just about to set off in search of coffee, when a head popped round the door and offered him a coffee. When I got back tea and biscuits arrived for me, and another coffee for him.
I wasn’t expecting the bandage to be quite so huge. In the pre-op phone call I’d been advised not to wear anything too tight fitting, but nothing more. It was like a comedy bandage, the sort you see in cartoons.
Nor was I expecting my hand to resemble an Oompah Loompah!
That was the iodine of course, which had been liberally applied in theatre. It comes off relatively easily with wet wipes, which was a blessing as I’d been instructed not to get this wet for two weeks.
Before I could leave I needed to see the physio who advised on some simple exercises to do every hour. So simple that I wouldn’t have usually classed them as exercises, but as the fortnight went on I realised these were showing quite clearly the movement and dexterity were returning, despite the huge comedy bandage.
Two weeks post-op
After two weeks I was back at the hospital to have my stitches out. The white bandage I’d left with was distinctly not so white when I returned. I’d not had stitches before, so I’d not had them out either. That was a whole new experience, and thankfully one that wasn’t painful either.
The nurse was very excited to see how well my wound was healing - she told me it was a nurse thing! There was some ‘canoeing’ but not much - this is, I think, when the wound is more open than is ideal, but it’s not a bad thing as such.
I left with steri strips on the wound, a dressing and wearing a tubigrip and with another for good measure. Which was just as well, as these were even harder to keep clean - especially as using my hand became so much easier (and because by this stage we knew our house move would likely take place quite soon).
Next I saw the consultant who was also pleased with my progress, and who wanted to talk about scheduling in some time for the operation for my left hand. Though after some discussion about the reduction of symptoms I’d had in my other hand since the operation, this was put on hold. While an operation may be needed at some point, I’m very much of the opinion that it should only happen then, and not just because it can. Thankfully my surgeon also agreed.
I’d been surprised that I’d experienced far fewer symptoms in my left hand since the operation. Whether that’s because it was being used more (I’m very right-handed) and so was getting stretched and more active naturally, or if because deep down it saw what happened and decided to behave. Who knows?!
Four weeks post-op
After another couple of weeks I was able to remove the steri strips. The nurses had told me how - get them wet in the shower, and gently rub them off - and what to expect. After being covered for a month my hand was dry, as was only to be expected. The nurses advised using vaseline or a plain hand cream to nourish it - and vaseline has been my choice, it works really well on rehydrating my hand.
I hadn’t realised that the skin on your hand is dead skin, and the top layers won’t heal as a cut on your arm would. It heals from the inside when the newer dead skin is at the surface, the things you learn.
On being out of action for two weeks
With the large comedy bandage driving wasn’t allowed, and in fact in the UK is illegal. Not that I wanted to drive, but not driving meant planning ahead, but it wasn’t impossible. The exercises to tap each fingertip to my thumb provided an immediate progress report, and by the end of the first week I was able to tap even my little finger to my thumb.
While the bandage did make normal, every day things tricky most of these were surmountable.
Washing my hair was impossible to start with, so a trip to the hairdressers for a wash and blow dry was just the job.
Eating was harder than I expected, and MOH needed to cut food up for me at times - though he cut things into pieces larger than I’d like. Food that was easiest to eat was anything I could pick up with my left hand, or stab with a fork. Fine dining it wasn’t, but nor was I hungry.
Dressing was ok, well everything except my bra. For the first week MOH was called on to help me dress, but gradually I was able to do this myself. One morning he went out for a cycle returning amazed to find me still not dressed, until I pointed the obvious out.
A sling helped with going out and about - not only acting as a visual clue for people to give me a wider berth than normal, but also because holding your hand above your heart while moving about, for an extended period is harder than you think. Really, it is.
Juggling everything one-handed - I use a cross body bag in any case, and this was helpful as it kept my hands free. As we were off to Gardeners’ World Live where I knew I’d be taking pictures, I also bought myself a cross-body phone holder - this was unbelievably brilliant, and I’m still using it now. In fact I’m tempted to get another one so that I can coordinate it with outfits, and my mum has also admired it. A simple thing, that I wasn’t sure would work, but it really did.
The surgeon advised that as my hand was healing I would naturally use it more. He was right, but I’m not sure he knew that our house move was so imminent, and to be fair when I had the op on 10 June, nor did we! I have gradually used my hand more, but packing our house in a short time span was a no from me, and a no you’re not doing that from MOH - which was totally the right decision.
As for typing, up until now I’ve kept my posts here short or posted those which I’d prepared in advance, but now that the bandages and steri strips are off, I’m much more comfortable and confident to use my hand pretty much as I did before the operation. What with this and our house move though, there hasn’t been much room for typing though now I’m both are getting more settled I’m hoping to work out a new blogging routine and show you more of our house and the area we’ve moved to!
There’s a couple of things which remain challenging, like putting my hands at right angles to my wrists as in a press-up position, but that’s something to work on. Lifting - or rather shifting - heavy boxes still requires MOH’s help, and not just because they are heavy, but because you move your hand naturally to adjust to picking a box up and down again and that dexterity isn’t there just yet. The other thing that’s challenging is the locks on our new house - they’re new to me and generally just new, so are a bit stiffer than in our previous house, but really that’s not so much of an issue.
What’s next
I’m moisturising the wound with vaseline regularly, at least a couple of times a day, and have started massaging Bio Oil into the scar to help reduce that. Though it really is quite small, the whole incision area is about 2.5cm and about 1.5cm of that is more pronounced, though I expect once it’s healed it could easily pass for one of the lines on my hand.
I’m really pleased with how everything has gone so far, but I do want to check out some videos for exercises and massage tips to further speed up my healing. I also pleased that my left hand is continuing to behave, and even more so that I haven’t worn the splints since my operation.
The operation is more common than I knew, since I’ve had mine I’ve become more aware of other people who’ve gone through the same.
And really, my surgeon was right, it’s nothing to worry about at all. Phew.
