This is not pleasant. Puffy fingers and knuckles. Deep ache in thumb and forearm. I've eliminated the hydrocodone acetaminophen, because it just makes me uneasy to take an abusable medication for very long. So, except for one at night, if I need it, I'm relying on Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and take the edge off the pain. That plus elevation and cold pack on inner elbow. Have to admit that I took my scissors to the bandage edge along the knuckles and cut two slits to relieve pressure of the bandage on the top of my hand. That made the dressing a bit more comfortable.
I'm glad to still have use of my dominant hand, but still, maneuvering through daily life is difficult. It's easy to do too much, because accidents sneak up on you when you least expect it. I violently jarred my bandaged hand a couple of times while attempting normal activities. Yesterday, finishing up in the bathroom--- doesn't get more ordinary than that--- having successfully wrestled my pants up, I was struggling to free my shirt hem while reaching for the door with the bandaged hand. This mishap occurred so quickly, I'm not even sure exactly what happened. Somehow, the bandage caught on the door while my body momentum was pulling the opposite way. The massive jerk elicited sharp pain in my thumb and arm... lots of swearing... ice. Good thing the bandage is so secure. The second mishap, just this morning, involved laundry. In the process of a one-handed attempt to put a rayon top on a clothes hanger to dry, the hanger slipped. In that split second, my bandaged hand shot out to catch it, slamming into the bathroom towel bar in the process. The take-away? Let someone else do your laundry!
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