3 Weeks Down,

Only 9 more to go. This week has been about maintaining my sense of humor. The first two weeks I was all gung ho, with an “I can lick this” attitude. I think the reality hit this week. I’m better now, but at the beginning of this week I wasn’t a happy camper about any part of this experience. Then to add insult to injury, I was in my surgeon’s office yesterday morning. He looked at my hand and said “you’re missing one of the stones from your ring”. This would be my wedding ring he was referring to, and neither I or John had noticed it. The ring has one larger diamond in the center with a smaller one on each side, and it was one of the smaller ones that was gone.

I managed to keep it together until we got to the car and then burst into tears, crying all the way home. I figured we’d look all over and never find it. I reached down to unhook the seat belt, and whacked my hand yet again on the center console, as I have been doing every time because it’s so f-ing awkward to do the seat belt with your left hand. Just for the heck of it I looked down between the seats to see if by some miracle it was there, and it WAS. So now the ring is at the jeweler’s to get fixed, and I’ve got three weeks of this under my belt, and I feel much better, thank you.

After this week, if all is going well with the tendons, I get to start doing what Amy my OT calls “baby bird” exercises. It apparently goes something like this: I passively move my fingers into my palm, then let them go and pretend like I’m holding a baby bird. I have to hold tight enough to cradle the bird in my hand, but not hard enough to squish it. I’ve never been so excited to start an exercise program in my life. Not this week though. That would be next week, if all goes well. This week is still another of the boring passive-range-of-motion-exercises weeks.

I can’t thank all of you enough for the kind words of support. Ryan, of Mossy Cottage Knits, and Margene, of Zeneedle, think I’m an inspiration. And Dorothy of Missouri Star fame sent me this after I whined about having trouble holding paperback books open.

Very cool. And it works amazingly well! Thanks, Dorothy! This might mean no more books lobbed across the room in frustration.

 

 

Author: Lorette

My name is Lorette. I learned to knit in 1999, and took up spinning in 2009. I'm a physician specializing in internal medicine, and live in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy my blog!

16 thoughts on “3 Weeks Down,”

  1. being sick or incapacitated for any length of time can be frustrating. so whenever you are feeling down – just write a post if you can…we’ll all do our very best to make silly faces, tell jokes and generally cheer you up!

  2. I would be going stir crazy! Is there anything else you need? What would make you just deliriously happy (besides, of course, the use of your hand)?
    I’m so sorry – I can’t imagine how frustrating this must be for you. I’m so glad you found your diamond – I would’ve lost it as well.
    Hope your weather is nice and cheery – is it spring yet where you are?

  3. Thinking about you, wishing health and healing to your hand. I’m so glad you found your diamond too!
    Hang in there, shout out if you need *anything.* I can usually come up with a cute puppy picture, if nothing else. 🙂

  4. My Grandmother gave me her wedding band minus the diamonds. I begged her for it. She had lost the diamonds at her job, making candy at Peerless Maid in Chicago. One by one, the three small diamonds were lost. WE replaced the diamonds and were married with that ring. I still adore it.

  5. So glad the book holder is working! I was a little concerned about you being able to manipulate it with one hand. I’ve lost a diamond out of my engagement ring and I was devastated – and I wasn’t undergoing the frustrations you are! I’m so glad you found it. Hang in there. This is character building, you know. (smile!)

  6. The book holder was such a great gift! I agree with jacqueline, as long as you can keep posting, we will do our best to cheer you up and make the time go by faster.
    Thinking of you!

  7. Hang in there. I know nine weeks still sounds ridiculously long, but it will go faster than you think–a blink of the eye in a lifetime–just try to be patient. I know it’s not easy, but TRY. Consider that finding that diamond (!) is a sign–something small and meaningful that you thought you’d lost, but showed up when you needed it. It just needs a little repair work and it will be good as new, but with a little extra emotion and relief for recovering something precious that was almost lost. Your hand WILL be back, it’s just hard hard hard to wait for it!

  8. You can dooooooo eeeeeet!
    I know it is frustrating, but intellectually, you know that you have to be compliant to have a good outcome. You need your hands. You are a healer. On yeah, and a knitter.
    OK – so, how about I want to use up my current stash; so, I can build up another one. Does that sit better with you? (wink)
    Prayers for healing and strength…

  9. You do get more adapt at doing things one-handed after awhile. When I was one handed, I was at least able to use the hand to a small degree since my problem was my shoulder. I was knitting right before surgury and the next morning. But not being able toknit would drive me crazy. Having a good therapist helps. You will be back to knitting before you know it.

  10. Hey, since we are up here in seattle, give a holler if you need anything! I think you are doing a great job healing, although I am sure that it doesn’t seem like it.

  11. I’m keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. You bring me such laughter through your some of your posts, I wish I could do something to cheer you up.
    I, too, lost a stone from my engagement ring (a saphire, not a diamond) and it is surprising how emotional I got over that. It was just so sentimental. I am so glad you found the stone. You don’t need any other traumas right now!
    Many blessings to you!!!!

  12. Hi,
    I haven’t read your blog in a while so this is the 1st that I’ve heard of your accident. I hope you’ll heal up quick.
    I was going to recommend k1r2 for you, but noticed that you already have the button on your blog.
    I hope the time goes by fast and that you’ll be back to knitting soon!
    Anne

  13. more power to you on this. You are taking it so much better than I would have!
    and can I say I am jealous of the book holder. Now off to try and find who made it and where ever that one was gotten from to get me one 🙂

  14. It almost makes me want to hack a book up for you, so you can read page by page without dealing with the pesky binding. Since you haven’t resorted to that yet, I’m guessing it doesn’t sound like a great option for you. It doesn’t for me either, but it makes me sad to think of even reading getting frustrating.
    I’m thinking of you lots!

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