"Trigger Finger" Anyone?

[West R Lee]

Man, that sounds just brutal. Best wishes sent your way for a total and rapid recovery.

Thank you Richard. Honestly, not too brutal. It has been aggravating, but also a bit scary. Not scary in the sense that I have been really worried about the condition itself, but VERY concerning while uneducated about the condition and it's treatment and thinking this is the end of maybe my two favorite hobbies.........that part did indeed have me really down for a while and got in my head.

So far, as some here have said, the surgery is really a piece of cake. I'd mentioned earlier about getting something "to relax me" while being prepped, but my wife and I were talking earlier, and I remember being high as a kite while being wheeled into the OR, but don't even remember entering the OR at all. We arrived at the clinic, A Scott and white facility at 11:30 this morning, and I remember looking at the clock in my wife's truck coming home at 2:15, and 30 minutes of that time was spent doing paper work when we got there. another 45 minutes or so in surgery prep, and 30 minutes or o in recovery........so if you do the math, the surgery took no time. Right now I'm having a bit of trouble typing with number fingers, and am supposed to be keeping it elevated........which I've done much of the day.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Here's my hero of the day! Tremendous physician and man. Very enlightening to watch his video.

https://azaleaortho.com/doctor/carey-clark-iii-md

West

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Ow! Instead of working your finger harder, how about going easy on it to let it heel?

I've had bad left-forefinger pain off and on over the years. I always called it tendonitis, but I've never gone to a doc for a diagnosis. The only things that ever worked were over-the-counter pain pills and using it less.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

PS:

My advice: Quit golf!

 

[West R Lee]

PS:

My advice: Quit golf!

That would be every bit as bad as quitting guitar Charlie, maybe worse. Those hobbies that take me outside are my favorite. That probably comes from having worked all of my life outside.

West

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

That would be every bit as bad as quitting guitar Charlie, maybe worse. . . .

Just shooting for a laugh. Keep on swingin'!

 

[West R Lee]

Just shooting for a laugh. Keep on swingin'!

That's my time with the guys I worked with all my life. We're all retired now and we travel each week to a central location and meet at the course, so it's how I stay in touch with my best ol' buddies. Then on Fridays I play with my younger (62) brother who still works, but is off on Friday afternoons. It'd be pretty devastating to have to throw in the towel on all of that.

Yes sir, I will. And I actually got in there and played guitar a few minutes this afternoon. I can actually make a 4 fingered "G" chord again, with my index finger on the B string. I haven't been able to do that comfortably in a few months. Absolutely zero pain today, but with the stitches, I'm not going to push it.

West

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . I actually got in there and played guitar a few minutes this afternoon. I can actually make a 4 fingered "G" chord again, with my index finger on the high E string. I haven't been able to do that comfortably in a few months. Absolutely zero pain today, but with the stitches, I'm not going to push it.

West

This, too, shall pass!

 

[Rocky]

That's my time with the guys I worked with all my life. We're all retired now and we travel each week to a central location and meet at the course, so it's how I stay in touch with my best ol' buddies. Then on Fridays I play with my younger (62) brother who still works, but is off on Friday afternoons. It'd be pretty devastating to have to throw in the towel on all of that.

Yes sir, I will. And I actually got in there and played guitar a few minutes this afternoon. I can actually make a 4 fingered "G" chord again, with my index finger on the B string. I haven't been able to do that comfortably in a few months. Absolutely zero pain today, but with the stitches, I'm not going to push it.

West

So, how's the hand 25 days in? Had surgery two days ago. Bandages off tomorrow, stitches to be removed next week. Just noticeable levels of pain, but I'm taking NSAIDs to keep the inflammation down.

 

[West R Lee]

So, how's the hand 25 days in? Had surgery two days ago. Bandages off tomorrow, stitches to be removed next week. Just noticeable levels of pain, but I'm taking NSAIDs to keep the inflammation down.

Still doing post surgical therapy Rock. it's still sore and a bit stiff, but not nearly as sore and stiff as it was pre surgery. I'm playing guitar again without real pain, with the only pain there being that my incision contacts the sharp edge of the fretboard with some chords.......really any chords I have to reach across the fretboard to form, like a G. I've got the most stiffness in my big knuckle on my index. Those are the things therapy is trying to address........the scar itself, and the stiffness. They heat me, or I heat myself here at the house, then stretch all the joints in my index finger. At therapy, they do ultrasound and other techniques to break down the scar tissue. Here at the house, along with the stretching, I message the scar with cocoa butter and vitamin E.

Slowly it coming around. I definitely was not one that came out of surgery feeling like I was 100% good to go. Surgery was Dec. 9, Stitches out Dec. 19, so I'm almost a month past surgery. I'm going to attempt golf on Friday.

Thank you for asking.

West

 

[West R Lee]

So, how's the hand 25 days in? Had surgery two days ago. Bandages off tomorrow, stitches to be removed next week. Just noticeable levels of pain, but I'm taking NSAIDs to keep the inflammation down.

Same deal though Rock? Trigger finger?

West

 

[Rocky]

Same deal though Rock? Trigger finger?

West

Yep. Left middle finger. Cortisone helped, but it kept coming back.

 

[Uke]

Still doing post surgical therapy Rock. it's still sore and a bit stiff, but not nearly as sore and stiff as it was pre surgery. I'm playing guitar again without real pain, with the only pain there being that my incision contacts the sharp edge of the fretboard with some chords.......really any chords I have to reach across the fretboard to form, like a G. I've got the most stiffness in my big knuckle on my index. Those are the things therapy is trying to address........the scar itself, and the stiffness. They heat me, or I heat myself here at the house, then stretch all the joints in my index finger. At therapy, they do ultrasound and other techniques to break down the scar tissue. Here at the house, along with the stretching, I message the scar with cocoa butter and vitamin E.

Slowly it coming around. I definitely was not one that came out of surgery feeling like I was 100% good to go. Surgery was Dec. 9, Stitches out Dec. 19, so I'm almost a month past surgery. I'm going to attempt golf on Friday.

Thank you for asking.

West

I'm curious: is playing the guitar considered therapeutic by the medical folks you're working with?

 

[West R Lee]

Yep. Left middle finger. Cortisone helped, but it kept coming back.

How are you doing today?

West

 

[Rocky]

I'm curious: is playing the guitar considered therapeutic by the medical folks you're working with?

I wouldn't say it helps the untreated condition, but the Ortho said it was good therapy for healing.

 

[Rocky]

How are you doing today?

West

Not bad. Dressings are still on, so mobility is limited. Very little pain. I can't straighten the fingers completely. I can't tell about bending because the bandages are in the way.

 

[West R Lee]

I'm curious: is playing the guitar considered therapeutic by the medical folks you're working with?

Yes, post surgery, my therapists have told me to play and that it wouldn't do anything but help. The Doc told me to do anything I like. Golf on Friday will be the real test. As far as playing, I'm almost able to play pain free while actually playing. In a couple of hours I'm sore and a bit stiff from playing though. I'm thinking it just takes a bit of time.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Not bad. Dressings are still on, so mobility is limited. Very little pain. I can't straighten the fingers completely. I can't tell about bending because the bandages are in the way.

Yea, you've got some swelling in there Rocky. But I was told to move those fingers, even the day of surgery right after. I had to keep that dressing on for 10 days. I'm guessing you're showering with a plastic bag over your hand? I feel your pain brother. It gets better.

West

 

[Rich Cohen]

A couple of years back the joint where my left thumb meets the hand began to hurt a lot. I bought a hand brace which allowed me to continue playing. After some time, with attention to limiting my playing finally resolved the problem.

Rich

 

[Rocky]

26 Guild amps and still no Thunderbird 2x12? cmon man, live a little

I'm guessing you're showering with a plastic bag over your hand?

No, it only needs to be on for 48 hours. For that, i just skipped a shower today.