Carpal Tunnel Surgery

I was wondering today if carpal tunnel surgery would actually change your life line if you saw a palm reader. Perhaps that’s a strange idea but when you see the scars you might wonder too.

So here I am with 7 weeks behind me from the first time I knew that knife was cutting into my palm. My right wrist looks pretty good and it has been incredible to feel and see the difference each day makes. 

Surgery March 15/11

I’m still not picking up heavy loads with the right hand nor can I put pressure right on that scar. Eeeeek!

Now take a look at my left wrist -

Surgery April 26/11

It looks (kinda) neat, doesn’t it? You can see a bit of swelling just to the bottom left of the scar. It has been just 6 days from surgery.

As each surgeon is different – and boy was I lucky to get the plastic surgeon I did! – each surgeon has different techniques.

My girlfriend in Ontario had to keep her hand in a brace for 23 out of 24 hours of the day. She did exercises during that 1 hour.

My surgeon wrapped my hand in a tight tensor bandage over the gauze and I left that on for 48 hours. Then I changed that to a bandage and I will wash, then put polysporin on the scar and a bandage over that until I get the stitches out 14 days from the surgery.

Even before I got up off the table, my surgeon had me making a fist and opening it over and over again. He told me the best thing I could do was to exercise it in this manner – and – type!

Today everything works wonderfully and any pains in the site can be controlled with ibuprofen. Eventually I’ll be right back to normal – no numbness or pins and needles and strength once more in my hands. How I look forward to that!

As for the surgery part? It took my surgeon 5 minutes for the surgery and an intern took almost as long to sew me up. I was in and out within 20 minutes.

The worst part? Probably the needle they put in your wrist to freeze everything. But you all know how I’ve been practising with needles in my back – hip – and knee. They do say practise, practise, practise!

And when I go to get the stitches removed, my doctor checks his work by shaking my hand.

How perfect!

Snow Daze!

Yesterday I tried to capture what kind of day we were having here in central Alberta. Please remember the date is – April 14, 2011.

These first set of pictures were taken around 7:40am

These next set of pictures were taken around 10:55am

The following were taken around 1:30pm. As you can see – some of the snow has melted as the temperature rose a few degrees.

And lastly – pictures from around 4:10pm.

Forecast for today?

Currently –6C with thundershowers this afternoon followed by snow this evening and for the next two days.

We Call It – The Grimm Ride!

Last weekend we spent out at Otterville (as we call it) helping my brother (the Otter) with various jobs. This is what we do in the two months before white water rafting begins.

During a much needed break we enjoyed the slightly warmer weather and played with our housemate’s dogs – well – Sam played with his dog Grimm while little Gypsy tried to get in our trailer.

Always ready to try something new, Sam attached his helmet camera to Grimm’s harness.

It’s quite a ride – please enjoy!

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sometimes you just have to open your mind and really ‘see’ what is streaming in to your brain through your eyes.

There are so many beautiful things that we take for granted because we have ‘seen’ them an umpteen millionth time. Yet if we really pay attention then suddenly the beauty that is before you can take your breath away.

I have windows that face east and west and I am blessed with the beauty of each sunrise and sunset. Either one comes to me shining through trees – an image that I can’t describe to do it justice.

I let these colours inspire me and I came up with this wrap bracelet. These are the colours I see before the sunrise and sunset turn to that rosy colour and then on into darker copper…….

(Please click to enlarge – it does make everything look that much nicer!)

  $26

Taking The Time

Sometimes you must take the time to be happy – to force yourself to shrug off that dark cloud that sits on your shoulder and put a smile on your face.

I looked in the mirror the other day and wondered who the person was with the ‘frowning  face’? You know the type – the people whose line of their mouth carries on down towards their chin – a permanent extended frown. The biggest upside down smile you can imagine.

I know I didn’t look like this before I took on the battle of the permanent pain thing these last couple of years. So I’ve set myself a goal – to turn that frown upside down. I’m just going to add that onto my goal list and work on it.

I find it odd that I have this upside down smile because I work hard at being in a happy mood every day. However sometimes the body is more powerful than the mind, but I’m not going to give up on my mind (again)!

Way back when beating Aims seemed to be the best game around for 3 decades, I always smiled to cover up the pain, both physical and emotional. I am not the only person who did/does that either.

These days I go every Friday to the hospital and get my bladder injected. There are three of us who have made friends and who cheer each other on. One comes from quite a distance away and with her illness can’t drive so her husband usually brings her. One day I met a beautiful woman who had driven my friend. Not only was she very pretty, but more importantly I felt a kindness that surrounded me when I spoke with her – like wings or a big blanket.  She made my day with her smiles and good wishes.

When she didn’t drive my friend the next time I learned that she has breast cancer. My heart sank and that instant fear all us women feel for each other took over. Now this morning I have learned that her partner is a Beater. I wanted to cry. I wanted to go defend her with such anger that I’m afraid of what I might do.

The BASTARD!

I hear she is safe – hidden away from him for a week. I’m hoping she isn’t thinking that a week will change him. I’m hoping she knows she has to keep running, she has to keep strong for herself twice over!

How angry this makes me! I often don’t understand how people can do this. Where is compassion? Where is love?

This wonderful woman took the time out from the horror of her life and made a couple of us gals feel better. I think her wings are made of gold.

Please take the time today to smile at a stranger and to read some of these stories. We all need support and a smile from a stranger.

It’s time to make a change.

I’m Positive Spring is Coming – or Am I?

My beloved brother’s birthday falls on April 2. Not a hard date to remember is it.

This year Mother Nature gave him a lovely present.

Here’s looking out his back window (that trailer belongs to a guide).

See all that beautiful fresh snow! It will eventually turn into lovely raging white water this summer. Hmmm – white snow – white water.

Of course it does make for extra work when you are trying to get out of your own driveway!

(David’s drive)

We live a 40 minute drive from my brother and we got a bit of snow too, but only enough to dampen the grass!

You have to love living here. Truly!

Happy Birthday David!

(click to enlarge)

Tea is Good at Any Time

I just checked our weather forecast and see that at present they have described our weather as ‘fog depositing ice’. I could have told them that by looking outside myself. It was something I noticed last night as I wandered the halls at 3am and again at 6:30am. The fog is so thick at present that I can’t see the houses across the road.

“Rhett! Rhett! Where are you? Rhett come back!”

Fog always make me think of Gone With The Wind and Scarlett as she ran down the sidewalks in the swirling fog and that gorgeous dress! Perhaps that is the reason I love the fog so much – I’m a hopeless and lost romantic at heart!

What has all of this to do with tea?

Have you ever noticed how tea is always perfect at any time of the day and in any circumstance? There is nothing like a good cup of tea to take away the chills and stop the sniffles. When situations get really tense ‘Would anyone like a cup of tea?’ seems to always break the tension. Or perhaps when things get rather tricky, the excuse to make a pot of tea is always handy. And of course – just to make one feel relaxed and content – a cup of tea will always do it.

I made this bracelet for all those reasons! It has a heavy chain that not only carries a number of different teapots but also a couple of tea cups so that a ‘spot of tea’ could be shared. I also dangled hearts everywhere to show how much tea is universally loved and then threw in a couple of chocolate bars – well – you know why.

Tea Anyone?

$45