Positively Scarred

I’m not starting off 2012 so well as far as this blog goes. My intention was to make a post right after New Years recapping last year. But since it’s almost the end of the month I’ll just skip that since a majority of last year has been written about it and there’s no sense repeating things I’ve said twenty times already. So, instead I’ll just make this a life update and fill in the dead space between my last update and now.

I had a surgery on January 10th. My tenth or eleventh (I’ve lost count) on my left hand. I had a nerve graft and a bone fusion done. I have two pins currently in my left thumb; they’re about two inches long. They don’t bother me much. The area where the nerves were placed (right side of my palm, near my ring finger) is a little sore. I was elated to find out this past Tuesday that it worked and I can actually FEEL. I have sensation on the right side of my palm for the first time in 9 months. Which, in itself, is worth the pain that I’m in. Also part of the pain parade is my right leg from my ankle to midway up my calf. This was the site where the nerves for my palm were taken. It hurt to walk on at first; if I put any pressure on my foot I was in an immeasurable amount of pain. I somehow was able to walk a bit the day after surgery, but spent most of the few days after in bed with my leg propped up on pillow and I only got up to go to the bathroom or to get food.

Now, two weeks later, the pain in my leg has lessened but I do have a great deal of pain in my heel when I do walk and it’s caused me to limp. I’m going to question my doctor about whether or not this is normal when I revisit him next Wednesday. I’m sure it’s fine since, obviously, I have less nerves in this area than before. But I find it strange that it’s my heel that’s in pain and not my calf or any of the area surrounding the incisions.

Moving forward, I went back to physical therapy this past Tuesday. It was just an initial consultation and my hand therapist made me a new splint. It protects my thumb and wraps around my wrist. Don’t tell my doctors, but I’m not wearing it right now, as it’s hard to type with it on. (Prior to this splint, I had another, flatter splint that prevented use of my left hand at all—which is also another reason for the lack of updates.)

That pretty much sums up the beginning of my 2012 thus far. In coming weeks, I’ll be posting about my bucket list, maybe some secrets, a continuation of the music meme I haven’t finished, and my love/hate relationship with the Hallmark holiday that is Valentine’s Day.

As usual, any questions/comments/whatever can be posted in the comments section or be sent directly to mah box where I keep such pieces of communication or at any of the other places I’ve listed.

Hope this first month has been kind to you.

So here’s what’s been going on in the medical portion of my world:

I went a couple weeks ago for another follow up appointment at my doctor’s office in San Francisco. He seemed really excited and anxious for the next step. So we set up a plan to do my next surgery after the new year begins that way I can spend the holidays at home with my family and friends.

When I go for my surgery in January, I’m going to get basically a 3-for-1 deal. He’s going to do a nerve graft on the right side (or left side, depending on how you’re looking at it) of my hand because I have next to no sensation/feeling in my ring finger or the side of my hand at all. I’m also going to have a bone graft done (and possibly have a metal plate) in my middle finger. Lastly, he’s going to fuse my thumb so it’s straighter because as it is now, I don’t have any real strength behind it.

The nerve for the nerve graft will be taken from one of my feet, and the bone graft will come from my hip. I probably won’t be able to do much for about a week or so after the surgery and I’ll only be in the hospital two nights, which is awesome.

I’m not nervous or scared, but excited. I’m ready for the next step. I’ve been progressing well in my occupational therapy and I actually have a lot of use of my hand, despite the fact I’m missing a finger and can’t use two at all.

On the paperwork side of things: I’m playing hell trying to get medical coverage. I received a form in the mail from the Department of Social Services about a month ago. I filled it out and sent it off in the same day. A week ago I received the exact same form, but this time it had blue ink all over the place basically asking for clarification on what I already told them. It’s been 7 months now and nobody in my position, or with any medical need, should have to fight this hard for coverage.

Also, the person who has been handling my case at the county office (I’m only receiving coverage via the county right now) has not responded to my doctor’s office’s messages about my surgery. So basically there’s no authorization yet and that makes me nervous because the longer they take to authorize it, the longer I have to wait to get the surgery done.

So aside from fighting with the state to get some god damn medical coverage, things are going well.

It’s been a while since I’ve talked about my medical situation. There’s not been much to report, although I have made some exceptional gains in my motion. I’m pinching 6.5 pounds as of today… I’m moving pins with eight pound resistance onto a half-centimeter bar, and one, two, four, and six pound pins onto a one centimeter bar. I’m in the normal range as far as my speed. My measurements have drastically improved in just three weeks.

All in all, I’m beginning to feel normal again. I’m going back for surgery on the first of September. They’ll fix my hand to where I can extend my middle and fourth fingers and then I can start moving them as well.

The one thing I’m upset about is the fact that I have to miss my boyfriend’s birthday, as I’ll be in recovery. But it’s all for the sake of progress.