30 Days of being left handed

Back in Sepetember 2009 I was having a problem with fireworks going off in my right arm. At any given time the nerves from my shoulder to my hand would explode with a sensation of an electrical shock that would tingle as it disapated. The only way I could describe it to my doctor was that it was like the 4th of July and the extravaganza of fireworks were going off inside my arm. He sent me to for nerve testing and a consulation with an orthapedic surgeon. The nerve testing didn't explain the fireworks, but it did show that I had severe carpal syndrome. I could have told them that...numb hands have been going on with me for several years now. Since that test didn't answer the problem, I had an MRI. There it was! A bulging disc in my cervical collar (C4) was pressing on the nerves in my right arm. Okay--- it's now November by the time all the back and forth with appointments and tests are done and my good insurance is due to expire on December 31. My orthapedist suggested having a cortisone shot in my spine for the bulging disc so I went ahead with that. What do you know--- not only did it almost immediately releive the electrifying sensations, but I got to feel like Superwoman for a week following. WOW! Cortisone is some good stuff!! My skin was glowing like being sun kissed from a day at the beach and my body temperature was running high a werewolf from Twilight which was super nice in the cold weather of November. Seriously, I said it was good stuff! If cortisone could be bought over the counter I would totally be an addict.

With problem number one fixed we moved on to problem number 2: carpal tunnel. Again, with the clock ticking away on the good insurance my doctor agreed to schedule right hand surgery for the week of Christmas. I figured why not? I've got the time off and might as well get something out of the insurance I've been paying dearly for but haven't really used beyond just check-ups and perscription benefits. When the surgery was scheduled I had six days to get everything ready for Christmas and finish up anything that needed to be done with my right or both hands. I had lots to do!!!

I have no memory of the surgery itself because I told the anesthiologist to knock me out and by golly he did before I was even wheeled into the procedure room (my mom was awake and could feel the incision being made when she had her hands dones a couple years ago...NO THANKS!). Thirty minutes later I was back in recovery and could not feel my right arm at all. OH MY WORD nerve blocks are CRAZY! It felt like someone took all the bones out of my right arm because it would just hang there if not in the sling. No really, imagine having your arm removed and being replaced by an arm lenth salami attached at your shoulder and no matter how hard you concentrated on moving that attachment all it did was dangle. It was the weirdst, creepiest feeling I've ever had. About fifteen hours later most of the feeling was restored in my arm which meant that I could now feel pain. Oh joy. More Lortabs, please! Keep'em coming!! As far as being incapacitated, I very quickly adapted to being totally left handed and could function quite well by myself. Of course, my days were limited to eating, sleeping, watching TV, and wiggling my fingers so claiming to be a great left- hander is not exactly news worthy.

It's now a month after surgery and life's getting back to normal. The first two weeks post-op were do-nothing weeks. At the two week mark the stiches were removed and I could start massaging the scar and using my right hand a little more. At three weeks I had a set-back and developed a large purple bruise on my wrist from irritating the surgical site by overusing my hand. Oops. Learned my lesson there. Now, at week four I'm starting to do strengthening exercisies with my stress ball and Silly Putty. Weight lifting (1 lb...woooo), and grip strengthening starts next week. Woo hoo! Rightie is going to be pumping iron soon and leftie can have a break.

I didn't have a stress ball laying around the house so I got a squishy ball from Walmart. Bonus! It lights up when I grip it hard enough. Yeah, my gimp hand is cool like a rave party.