Hand Update, Again

Today I’m at 7 weeks post-op. I’m still going to therapy twice a week. Today was the first day that my spouse took the camera (he still comes with me, as I can’t drive yet). Amy, my OT, suggested that I bring my knitting needles with me today so she could watch me knit in order to determine if it was safe to try it yet. Ever thinking of my blog readers, I had John take pictures to document the event. I knew you guys would not want to miss this.

The most fun thing I do in therapy is the corn husk machine. It is filled with ground up corn husks, and is heated. After you stick your arms in it, the fan comes on and blows the corn around your hands while you do exercises. It feels really good, and enables me to do a lot more with my fingers than I can do without it. I think it’s partly the heat, and partly the tactile stimulus of the husks that helps. Here is a picture of me in the machine.

And a closeup of the corn.

After my splint came off at six weeks, I noticed that my hand is extremely hypersensitive. This is partly from having it in a splint for that long, with the resulting sensory deprivation, and I suspect partly from having all the skin peel off my entire hand about a month into this. It’s getting better as I am able to use it more, but the weird sensation in that hand has been very disconcerting. Amy assures me that this is normal and that using it will help.

I’ve started doing manual tasks with my hand. She has told me that it is OK to type, though my hand is very awkward, and I can’t type for long without getting very tired. Here’s the other gadget that I started using this week at OT.

I have to pick up the pegs, turn them over in my hand, and put them back in, while curling my wayward fingers around the peg. It’s harder than it looks. Here’s another view, with Amy supervising and cheerleading.

And now the picture that you have all been waiting for.

I’M KNITTING!!! After carefully watching me knit a whole row, Amy said “Those are just the movements I want you to be working on”. I showed her how I could knit continental style to take the work off my index finger, and she said that she would rather I use that right hand so I start getting some dexterity back. (This is a very good thing, as I am a thrower by nature, not a picker.)

HOORAY!!

I had some serious doubts the past several weeks whether I would ever be posting knitting pictures again on this blog. Here’s a closeup of what I’m making.

The color is actually more amethyst , more like the first picture. I started this before my injury; it will be a simple 1X1 rib scarf.  The yarn is Beaverslide Dry Goods fisherman weight, in a color named Prairie Aster. I intended this to be for the Dulaan project, started by Ryan, of Mossy Cottage Knits. Ryan, this might not get done by the deadline, but it WILL get done and sent eventually! I’m not going to win any speed races any time soon, but I’M KNITTING!! Did I already mention that?

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!

50 thoughts on “Hand Update, Again”

  3. That is the most awesome news. It is hard to think of my life without knitting. It’s wonderful that the movement of knitting is just right for your therapy. The one man in our Knitting Guild had a bad hand injury and that’s when he learned to knit (he is now a master knitter). Knit on through all crisis….as EZ says!!

  5. Yippie!!! SO glad you can knit again, I think I’d die if I couldn’t. Also, If I cut my hand like that… I’d be out of work for a long time. Hard to be a chiropractor with only one hand. 🙁
    Yeah for successful surgery and successful OT!

  8. Fantastic !
    You’re doing so well.It must be so nice to be getting dexterity back.Deep massage has been recommendd for my son’s hypersensitivity – he has cerebral palsy – ,is that too risky still ?

  11. Yippee Yahoooooo!! “Those are just the movements I want you to be working on” — didja wanna kiss her? I’m so happy for you and your great progress!

  14. Hooray!!! I think I’m almost as excited as you, with the emphasis on “almost”. It’s been a long, long seven weeks. Welcome back.

  16. Damn. I bet getting the OK to start knitting felt good. Maybe you should spear head the movement for knitting to be an official PT exercise! Congratulations.

  18. I read about your accident and I’m so glad to that you’re doing so well now. You’ve been so brave throughout, I guess doctors are brave about such things 🙂

  22. It is so wonderful to see you doing normal things again. Pain and PNS sensitization is a very strange thing. Nobody knows the dividing line between normal postinjury hyperaesthesia and CRPS.
    From watching many people pre and post op, I think the telelogic variables are 1. use the whole extremity 2. don’t focus on the noxiousness of the sensations. I think pain pathways are set up in an exaggerated manner by extremities at rest that are not brought back to function (?fear ?residual pain?). The bottom line is you will be fine, because you are doing all the right things at the right time.

  24. Oh, Lorette! I’m way late but Yay, Hooray for being able to knit again! Give that Amy doll, a kiss for us all! Whoopie!

  25. Yay for you! So glad you can get the needles in your hands – and it sounds like it will help with your therapy too – that sounds like a little bit of good luck coming your way.
    The corn husk machine is way cool. It’s amazing what medicine/science can come up with.
    Congratulations again – hope it’s a real speedy recovery from here on out!

  29. Looks like I’m late to the party! Congratulations, this is truly excellent news that you should celebrate with some wine in one of your new plastic glasses. 🙂

  32. It’s nice to know that once more, the world will not be safe for yarn now that you are knitting again. 🙂
    Seriously, best wishes for a speedy return to full operational status. -K.

  34. Wow. So amazing for me to read this because I just started back in OT after many years doing other things. Looks like you are in a state-of-the-art hand center and Amy’s got-it-goin’-on. I know this because she had you bring in your knitting. Very cool!

  36. What great news! I know you’ll value your knitting time all the more now since you have been anticipating this for so many weeks.

  39. Congratulations!! I just found your blog and I’m really glad for you. Can’t imagine my life without being able to knit.

  40. Woo hoo!!! Let the knitting begin!! By the way, isn’t that Beaverslide wool wonderful stuff? I just started a sweater with it and was amazed at the fondleablity.
    Now remember, Lorette, don’t overdo your therapy; listen to those physical terrorists. They do know best (even if their primary goal is pain…or so it seemed when my arm was being treated…).

  41. Glad to see you knitting again, I’d have hated the thought that we lost one from the ranks. As for that corn husk stuff – do they make that thing big enough to lie down in?

  42. THAT IS SO GREAT!!! YAAAY!!! I’m so glad to see how nicely you are recovering and that you CAN KNIT NOW!!!! WOOO!!!!!
    Oh, hrm… Maybe I should get crackin’ on my Rogue then, so I can catch up and we can knit along with our snowberry Rogues!!!! (I’m waaay behind, it’ll take me months to catch up, don’t worry 🙂 )

  45. Yes!! Back to the needles!! I knew you could do it! Every so often I get to worrying about over-using my hands and not being able to knit. I don’t get much time in anymore as it is.. I think I’d lose my mind!
    That machine seems cool. Reminds me of those massage machines I keep seeing in the mall..
    Take it easy but keep going!
    WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

  46. WOW!! I bet you happy to be knitting again!
    Take it slow though! Trust me, ask me how I know!!! Tendonitis, arthritis, DG, JJD 2 types and who knows what else, it amazes some that I knit at all! Remicade isn’t working for me anymore no many reactions! Splints boy can I relate oh all to well!
    It’s theapeutic !
    Happy knitting!

  47. Slowly, surely wins the race, one step… er, one stitch at a time. Congratulations on your recovery, and best wishes for many pain-free stitches in the future! (and plastic wineglasses are a GOOD thing.)

  49. Yippy! Best news all day. I wonder who came up with the idea to use corn?! Just goes to show – what ever your brain can think up, there is a place for it somewhere!
    I haven’t forgotten about the meme tag. I’m hoping to do it this weekend. I love that you sent me pictures of your books. I’m envious. We have such a small place, books have gotten pared down. What was even more fun for me was trying to guess titles from the binding color/patterns on your shelves! I’m such a nerd.

  50. Hi,
    I love your scarf and the Beaverslide yarn looks great. Also, I just love the Snowberry yarn you did your Rogue in. Did you finish it yet? I couldn’t find a picture in your finished items page. I’m making one for my daughter in purple and I’m on the hood right now and I agree – what’s up with that extra stitch. Very strange. Anyway I want to make one for me in the Snowberry color from Beaverslide yarn. If you have a picture, let me know I’d love to see it finished. Thanks.
    Lois

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