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

[Phill614]

I've posted a few new pictures to my medhelp profile page, not to brag but to show that you can move on and have fun and be productive at work after your wrist fusion.  I'm left handed and my left wrist is fused. Don't limit yourself don't make excuses. Good luck  Phill

[Blondie302002]

Hi Phil,  I have been on the move so I haven't posted.  I am almost five months post op.  Things seem to be going pretty good.  The pain in my wrist is better.  My hand especially in the knuckle area is very tender.  If I bumps my hand, I immediately get a puffy spot in the area.  I have numbness in the thumb, index and middle finger.  I am not able to bend the fingers or thumb.  I am working it but I believe  that is due to the external fixator.  There was some damage from that.  I am doing my own exercises at home due to the fact that pt tends to push way to hard.  It is definitely hard getting used to the stiffness but I deal with it and go on.  Day to day activities are a chore but it is getting easier.  I don't type as well as I used to.  I am down from 65 wpm quiet a bit.  I work out some but its more the yoga style but it does the job. I don't let the fact that my wrist doesn't work like it used to get me down.  If I have difficulty doing something I will find a new way to do it.  I love to play pool.  I have played since two weeks after my first surgery.  I go back for my six month check up in March.  I will post after my visit.    

[Phill614]

Osmossis,  for some reason I haven't been receiving any notification on this thread that I started over 4 years ago.  I'm sorry you have to go through the total wrist fusion.  I am left handed and my fusion was done to my primary hand.  Before the fusion I was heavily involved in sports, to day I play no sports and that's my choice. I don't what to chance at screwing up my other hand.  What kind of activities are you talking about? I do just about anything I want, I still lift somewhat light weights at the gym, I have learned to do push ups with a closed fist and not flat handed like I us to do. I live on over 10 acres so I operate chainsaws, weed eaters, heavy brush cutters, I do some of my own auto maintenance (I hate working on cars), Last night at work I worked on a Boeing 767-300 jet engine with another mechanic, the job was very difficult with very little space to fit your hands to connect hoses, ducts,bolts and nuts. Yes I have problems at times because I can't bend my wrist but that's ok I ask the other person if they can take care of it, but I give it  my all before I ask someone else to help out.  My fused wrist has had an impact on things I can and cannot do but do my very best not limit myself what I can do.  I have a problem using a hammer now but maybe I wouldn't if I was forced to use it everyday and teach myself to swing the hammer differently.  I've always wondered how i would roll a bowling ball down the lane, because my wrist is fused in an angle that it looks like the bowling would come easy. I used to be a 170's-180's bowler. I just have enough going on in my life that I haven't got around to bowling yet. Osmossis If you give yourself the excuse that you can't do something before giving it your every effort then your going to let this fused wrist get the best of you.  I did go through a period of "poor me" and I just sat around gaining weight and becoming very lazy but I finally go over it.  I'm enjoying life to the best of my ability without making excuses for my wrist.  Keep a positive and give it your ALL.  All I ask you is that you "do not use your wrist/hand before it's completely healed, you do not want to mess up the fusion.  the healing process should be like a broken bone healing maybe 6-10 weeks  but the doctor will then that time is. At first right after the fusion you need to practice moving and bending your fingers, my doctor said that was very important to do so but ask him.  Osmossis good luck with your fusion I hope this thread has helped you get some information to what you can expect. I you felt it was helpful it would be great if you can give updates to this same Total Wrist Fusion tread and let other know what your going through and experiences you've had that might help others.  again good luck on your fusion.  Phill

[Blondie302002]

I am not doing therapy yet. My doctor ask if I wanted to do therapy since my index finger and thumb are very limited in range of motion. Had a bad experience with pt before.  They pushed a little to hard and caused my plate to pop loose. My doctor knows I will work hard to get as much as I can without pushing to hard. I do have I
One spot that is not healing as quickly as the rest of the fusion so nothing to heavy for a while.

[jay1900]

11 weeks post op for me, Im starting back to work week monday so all good there, I still have a lot of numbness to the back of my hand and a bump half way down my scar feels boney its numb unless I bang it lol, my index finger doesnt bend as much as the others but a stress ball is helping, I wasnt given the option for physio apart from being told to keep the hand active I have a small swelling that come up then go down at the base of my thumb near to the wrist, my consultant doesnt seem concerned at this point but wants to see me again in 3 months, even though 3 months of work seems like forever I keep getting reminded that Its still a short time for the healing process and can take around 12 months, the wrist is pain free so I can handle the numbness just waiting to see how it will go in work, good luck with everyones recovery but so far Im glad I had this done.

[gsal]

Thanks for the continual updates Phil and congratulations on your progress! No doubt, your thread has given many, including me, insight, inspiration and hope throughout our operations and the healing process. Thank you and keep positive!