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As you all know 7 weeks ago i got out of control and severed the tendon and really in general screwed myself UP
So with the Grace of knowing a good hand surgeon i find that while i be going to PT a while yet it is healing much faster than expected and responding to the PT needed to regain the full range of motion
And who says that a good marine body filler is only useful above the waterline? A little bit of wet sanding and compounding, and that scar's gonna be absolutely invisible! You won't even have to paint!
All kidding aside Tom, that's great news. The PT will suck a little (it always does) but those folks are usually miracle workers.
Well the PT is brutal as the issue is the severed tendon and your thumb become ONE during the 6 weeks it in the cast not to mention your wrist is NOT really thrilled that it stay in one place for 6 weeks
Now you have to get things moving again WITHOUT tearing anything as at 6 weeks its just strong enough to move gently
So every two to three hours all day long you rub the scar and thumb to break lose the tissue and reduce the Edema in the thumb
Then you go through a crazy azz series of stretching that hurts and takes about 15 minutes
BUT it works and i have about 1/3 of the range of motion back in 10 days BUT the other 2/3 is gonna be rough
An oposing digit is not over rated...
Tough to do most anything just using 4 fingers, except pick yer nose.
I cut the tendon in my thumb and have permenant sutures in place now. I feel your pain.
Keep up with the PT and good luck
I meant to make a post on this thread the first time around and forgot. I used to work in the greenhouse industry and an illegal alien worker at a customers place took a fall and gouged his arm just below the shoulder. It was quite bad and certainly needed a bunch of stitches, but he was adamant that he wasn't going to a doctor, and he spoke no English. I sent someone out to get the largest BandAid Advanced Healing pad (In a metallic colored box) and they came back with one about 3" x 4". I had someone translate to him that he needed to put it on and press his hand against for at least two full minutes to set the adhesive from body heat. Then I instructed him not to remove it, leave it on until it started to come off on it's own in several days to a week. Pulling one off early can be really painful! I told him that the bandage swells up and turns white, which is normal. However he needs to watch if the skin turns red around the bandage as that may be an infection, and then he really needs to see a doctor!
A couple of weeks later I was back there and the guy come running over to me with this big wooden box. He rolls up his sleeve and shows me a nicely healed scar. Then he hands me the box. It was a present, I didn't know they made wine bottles that big! I'd bet it was at least 2 gallons. I didn't have the heart to tell him I don't drink, I gave it to a friend.
I've used the smaller versions of these Advanced Healing BandAids. If that was my thumb and I was out on the boat away from medical help it would be my first choice to hold everthing together. I've avoided taking time to get stitches a few times using them. The big secret to get them to stick properly is holding your hand over it for at least one to two full minutes.
Gary H. Lucas
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