Jim and I took my hand for its one week post operative check up yesterday. We had to wait for a while but when I was called I saw a hospital intern, a nurse, a surgeon who popped in to see what was going on, the surgeon who did the operation and another nurse who cleaned and re-dressed the wounds on my hand. Once again everyone called me by my name and only the intern didn't tell me his name and what his role was. However, he was wearing a prominent ID tag so I could see who and what he was.
Everyone professed to be very pleased with how my hand was going. I have to say that so was I. I took a photo of the wound (which I am happy to show you on request 😊). The second nurse said that it looked as though it had been bitten by a shark, but I think it's been remarkably well done. The only area that concerned them was where the little finger joins the hand, which hasn't properly healed yet. That has extra padding under the dressing. Then I was sent to see a hand therapist who was very pleased that I had taken photos of my hand before surgery and of the wound. It made her assessments easier. She has made a splint to keep my fingers straight, to be worn as needed during the day, but absolutely all night. No actual therapy yet, not until the last wound has healed.
My hand gradually swelled up over the course of the day and the bruising, which must have been contained by the bandages, has spread down my arm a bit. The hand itself is very bruised. But I am beginning to be able to use my hand a bit and I can lie it almost flat on the table.
I go back next Thursday for another assessment in the Plastics clinic. Then I am hoping to be discharged to the hand clinic.
I weighed myself yesterday morning before we went to the hospital and again this morning. Assuming no actual change in my body weight in 24 hours, the plaster boat and bandaging weighed a little over 1kg. No wonder my arm ached from time to time!
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