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Triggered

Taking a picture of my working hand with my non-working hand results in a photo like this, but it will give you the general idea of how the hand looks right now. I've done a lot of research on what is going on with my perpetually-dislocating ring finger, and found a new and pretty painful nodule in my palm directly under it. That means it's probably stenosing tenosynovitis, or trigger finger, which is one of the more delightful complications of arthritis. Believe it or not, that's the good news.

I'm going to talk to my doctor about it to confirm that's the cause, but evidently there's not a lot that can be done without surgery, which I want to avoid because I don't heal well anymore (thank you, diabetes.) I also don't want to go back on the shots because of the side effects. Sleeping with my finger in a splint might help ease the tendon inflammation, as will massages. As I theorized I need to avoid using or stressing it.

Having to cope with life with only three working fingers at the moment could be depressing, but I'm going to look at it as a challenge. I can definitely try to get more use out of the non-working hand, so I'll start exercising that one every day and practice doing things with it. So far I can use eating utensils with my left hand, and loosely hold things. That's progress.

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nightsmusic said…
Do the gloves, I can't remember what they're called...compression gloves help at all? Can you wear those during the day or overnight even? Has the doc given you exercises? Do you have exercise balls? You squeeze them several times a day, so many squeezes at a time. That seems to help a bit for me. And has the doc tried to drain that nodule? Maybe it's a cyst.
March 4, 2023 at 11:13 AM
Anonymous said…
Try as I might I could not get blogger to recognize my ID on my phone.
I have no internet so I'm piggybacking on a grocery store's wifi.

Anyway, I was going to say that your hands are so much prettier than mine. Mine look like an old bricklayer hands. I think you're stuck with surgery for what you have, but I understand not getting it done.
March 5, 2023 at 1:48 PM
the author said…
I have thought about getting the compression gloves, but I'm also worried about circulation with them, which is another issue for me now. I do have the exercise balls, but this is more like extreme tendonitis, so that will likely only make it worse. I can't afford the downtime that comes with a needle aspiration right now, but maybe this summer.
March 6, 2023 at 4:34 AM
the author said…
Hang in there, pal. A couple years ago I started using Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Hand Cream, which is expensive, but actually does heal chapping and small cuts, and keeps my hands looking better.
March 6, 2023 at 4:36 AM
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