Total Wrist Fusion

[Phill614]

well today is the big day, it's 10:50am central time and i have to be at the surgery center by 1pm.  Today i'm having a total fusion of my dominate left hand, i have looked at all options and this is in my best option if i want to get on with my life as normal as possible if that makes any sense.  I've had three operations on my left hand apr 30, 2008, feb. 13 2009 and june 6 2009.  the orginal problem for the first surgery was a small tear in the TFCC ligament, that it.  i had extensive physical therapy after each surgery with only temporary relief and sometimes no relief of pain.  I went through the process to change doctors through workers comp. which went ok.  My new doctor reviewed my previous records and more checks and test and we (Doc. and I)  determined the best option due to the type of work i do and the very active life style i have is to have a TOTAL WRIST FUSION.  I plan keep everyone updated as often as possible, i want others to know what i'm going through and hopefully inform them what they will be going through.  Oh by the way the reason for the total wirist fusion is my cartlidge is totally destroyed, i have a legal matter going on so i can't mention the cause of the destroyed cartlidge.  Talk to ya'll later  Phill

[bexyv]

Wishing you all the best, will be watching this post ready for my full fusion two weeks today xx

Becki

[Phill614]

good morning Becki, the surgery went well according to the Doctor, the surgery  took 2 hrs. 20 min..  i woke up in hosp. room at 11:30pm hungry and having to to the bathroom (lol) never thought that would be an issue.  bone graph was taken from my left hip, doctor takes from the hip because theres plenty of bone to use for graphing.  the hip feels like a really bad charlie horse.  i feel like an old man walking around, it's a little difficult turning aroung in bed.  i've found stuffing 2 pillows into 1 pillow case works better 4 me to rest my arm,  last night i had a fever of 100.6, fingers very swollen, and exposed fore arm very red.  i called the Docs office around 7:30pm., i was really surprised that the answering service put him on the line.  he said it is not uncommon to get fever of up to 102, and redness and excessive swelling bothered him, doc did say total wrist fusions have an awful lot of swelling buts wants to see me before the weekend.  the only reason i'm up at this hour is waiting for the next pain pill  hydrocordone 10-500.  the meds say take every 4-6 hours, i need it every 4 hours there is quite a bit of pain in the wrist but a different kind of pain.  Docs says it's a must to keep moving fingers so they don't stiffen up.  well thats all the one handed typing for now and time to take Med.  i'll keep ya'll updated   Phill

[bexyv]

sounds increibly painful! thank you for keeping us posted. Im not having a bone graft apparently, think they may use some from forearm?

Ive heard sweeling is bad, did you stay overnight?

Wishing you a sppeedy recovery and thanks for keeping us up to date, its veryhandy (excuse the pun) to have people who are actualkly going through it.

Becki x

[Phill614]

today is 5 days since surgery.  well i went back to the doctors office they cut away the first dressings, no signs of infection, & normal swelling. 3 xrays were taken which showed the 6 in. long plate & 8 screws and where the bone graph was placed.  18 stiches close up the plate, pretty impressive.  it was rewrapped & i go back Mon. NOV. 16th.  the biggest problem i've had is Constapation and bad, today 5 days since last business was done, the pain killers every 4 hrs and the anastetic given in the hosp, yesterday morning i took drastic measures, i stopped the meds, i was already eating very little, quit anymore food,  i tried stool softners  no help, took the green bottle of magnesiumn citrus and 2 ES exlax,  no help.  this morning i took i again took 2 more exlax  and waited about 4 hours then i drank another green bottle,  by 5 this afternoon the problem was solved if you get my drift.  now i'm sure many of you did't need that added info. but no one yet has gone step by step what they went through.  i ate a lite dinner and took a much needed pain killer. the pain i'm having trouble with is the elbow to the forearm, it feel really knotted up. swelling has gone down in the fingers a little and i do move my fingers as i was told to.  thats all for now and i'll date in a couple days    Phill

[Phill614]

short arm 1/2 cast, i wish it was full arm, i'm left handed and my pea brain keeps telling me grab it, although i don't.  the pain is very different sometimes stabbing knife wrenching pain from wrist joint, sometimes in my forearm & above elbow like i lifted  weights the feeling of pulled and strained musles. then other times pain coming from my knuckles & thumb joint a long dull ache, i really know the pain when not taking meds when supposed to.  RB what has your pain been like and how long since surgery?  did bone graph come from hip?  hip doing much better each day, not really an issue except getting up and rolling over. thats it for now it took me 30 min to type this wrong handed   LOL    but thats ok  update is good   Phill

[Phill614]

7 DAYS SINCE TOTAL FUSION, just a short note.  the last 2 days i've been expierencing some extreem nerve and musle pain just below my shoulder to about 5 inches fwd of elbow where the arm bends.  pain meds not really helping this issue, i've just put Bio Freeze on this area and it's feels a hair better.  it appears i'm also starting having another bout with Constipation, this really s u c k s.  talk to yall later   Phill

[Phill614]

I posted a few new pics of my wrist, just click on my name & it will get you there.  Also today is day 8 post op, no more Constipation TG.  I'm having lots of shooting pain from elbow (funny bone area).  shooting to my pinky finger & knuckles, no pain today so far around fusion site just every else.   LOL    TTYL   Phill

[bexyv]

Hey Phil sorry for delay in replying, Thank you so much for keeping a blog if you like of your progress... they never really tell you what to expect. I am getting more nervous by the day for next wednesday. Really hope you get some releif soon

Becki x

[Phill614]

hi Becki, i forgot to mention that i also thought i was getting the bone graph from the forearm but at time of surgery i was enlightened that it was coming from the hip. as it turns out i'm glad it came from thhe hip caues i have enough going on with my wrist/arm. did you check out the pics.   Phill

[bexyv]

Hey Phil, yes i did, your swelling looks very painfu but the incision looks very tidy. I have very small wrists and they are concerned over the swelling and plate with tendons etc. How are you finding it in terms of the finger movemets?

Thanks for the updates its very useful. My graft is just coming from the arm and wrist area. :) Becki

[Phill614]

hI Becki your up early,my fingers move ok although i can't strighten them out yet, thet stay curled. Doc. said it was important to keep moving fingers, i use my other hand to streighten the fingers but no force is required.  i got a call yesterdat (Nov..12th 9 days post op) from a company thats sent me a bone graph graph stimulator device, it has to with ultra sound. the Rep said it just approved by workers comp and that it would be delivered today, i've never herd of such a device.  This Mon Nov 16th i have a follow up appt With Doctor and the Rep will be there to show me how to use the device, i was told "used 20 min daily it would speed up the bone growth in the area of the bone graph. this is proabably a good question for your doctor. i've woke up 3 times in last 5 hours, wrist hurts a little, more nagging than anything. i'm  gunna try and go back to sleep, i'll keep you and all thats interested posted    Phill

[Rhettsmom07]

Hey I was just checking on you to see how you are doing? How is the pain and how is the swelling? Will you need PT and when? I think PT would be more for your sensation back into your fingers rather then any kind of ROM in your wrist cause there wont be any. That's what mine was mostly for. Just make sure your therapist doesn't push all your scar tissue into one spot like mine did. I have a lump on my wrist of scar tissue. Any ways, let us know how things are going.

Oh yeah I had a few questions. Your original surgery for the small Tfcc but then you had more surgeries, what were those surgeries if you don't mind me asking?

[Phill614]

Hi Regina, i'm doing ok, i'm having muscle and nerve pain in elbow and forearm but i'm dealing with it. I got the stiches out yesterday all 18 of them, the doctor said all was looking good so far. i have to be very careful with everything i do so i don't cause a non-union of the bone graph. I asked whats next, i'm waiting for approval for PT but only limited (electrical stimulation) to the nerves or tendons that move my fingers.  yesterday i started ultra sound therapy that promotes bone growth, the ultra sound product name is EXOGEN Bone Healing,  workmans comp apporved the use and payment of this machine which tells me it must work also the doctor said it was medically necessary, i use it daily for 20 min., i go back to the Doc. every 2 weeks for recheck.  About my 2nd and 3rd surgeries well #2 i was still having considerable pain in the area of the TFCC and my R.O.M wasn't great, actually i was having several issues going on. he went in and again cleaned out my whole wrist joint and this time put a stich in the TFCC. surgery #3 i was still having pain at the TFCC and the stich from last surgery, also a ganglion cyst formed around the TFCC repair causing a large lump on the pinky side of the wrist.  2 months had gone by and still having lots of pain, Doctor sent me to his buddy another hand Doc. which told me he could take care of the pain by total wrist fusion.  Went back to my Doc. and told him i wanted to be treated by another Doctor of my choosing, he released me from his care i left with a complete copy of med records.  I researched my current doctor for almost 2 months before selecting him, i also went to several hand PT's and asked who they thought was the best hand doctor, so thats where i am. thats all for now i'm tired of typing one handed.  Becki who has a post above is having total wrist fusion tomarrow Nov.18th) you might send her a note, i am  take care,,  Phill

[Phill614]

Becki, i hope all goes well with your wrist fusion today, i'll be thinking and praying for you. hope to hear from you soon.    Phill      p.s. and join the one anded typing crew

[Phill614]

Todays 16 days post op.  i actually got 7 hrs sleep last night without waking up with pain (amazing). no pain killers for 2 days now but i keep them close by.  I'm continuing bone growth ultra sound therapy at home (4th day doing this). i'm still  having muscle and nerve pain in elbow and forearm but not much in area of fusion. waiting on approval for a custom wrist brace.  I'll add more later     Phill         p.s.  i'm not using left hand for anything, i don't want to take any chances.

[bexyv]

Hi Phil

Just to let you know after waiting 10 hours on wednesday from 7.30 in the morning and even having pre med etc the operation was cancelled as my surgeon had a traumatic case before me and he was so tired he was worried he wasnt up to my operaton and as its major he didnt want to risk it. I am very gutted but we are hoping im being rescheduled for 2nd December. Unfortuntunately my pain medication was changed yetserday and as a result im feeling unwell today but back in work.

Ill get the definate date today.

Hope things are improving?

[Phill614]

Good morning, todays 21 days post op. still having muscle and nerve pain in forearm/elbow and it's not really improving yet. I'm sleeping a little better and longer without waking with pain. i'm still not using my wrist for "anything", i don't want to take a chance of a non-union of the bone graph. i've been doing daily ultra sound for 20 minutes at home thats suppose to stimulates bone growth, whatever it takes to get it right and back to work and being useful.  only using pain meds a couple times a week usually at bed time.  thats about it for now, i'll update in a couple days.    Phill

[Phill614]

good afternoon, todays 30 days post op.  i'm not having any pain in area of fusion, thats good.  i started having pain in my pinky and ring finger knuckles at top of hand 3 days ago, it comes and goes although not bad.  i still have a little muscle pain in my forearm, that pain i slowly going away. i'm still doing daily therapy with ultra sound in my home thats suppose to stimulate bone growth, i hope its working.  i'm still working streighting my fingers there getting pretty close to streight.  i was suppose to start psyical therapy at a clinic but i haven't herd any approval yet and thats been 2 weeks since last appt.  i have a 7:15am appt tomarrow, i'll update if i remember.   later  Phill    

[raulna]

Hi,
My surgion that did me a bunion and Looseninof a kid's fusion of the big toe and the one next to it, prescribed 'self help' phisiotherapy:    Massage the foot in warm as possible water  bend toes & foot, flex it in all directions . then put in ready bowl of cold water and follow the same procedure...do this continuously as often as possible till pain subsided completely....days months on end...depend on you...mine recover well , I became a better 'person', than I thought possible