What Life Has Become

Getting (seriously) excited over being able to do these things with my left hand:

-opening a tea bag after struggling with it
-holding a full 16oz water bottle without dropping it
-plucking a cherry stem off a cherry successfully
-lifting a salad plate (nothing on it) with no problems
-opening a door
-picking up towels off the floor (bath mat and lighter only!)
-pulling on clothes
-putting my contacts in, in under 3 minutes (I could do it in 15 seconds before)
-twisting off the bottle top to my water bottle

So......yeah......if you can't tell, my left hand is extremely weak, the range of motion is limited and it feels as stiff as a 2x4.


I am supposed to start moving it and using it as much as I can now but it HURTS to move it!! I can see why the doctor wanted me to start moving this sucker so soon (it has been 13 days since surgery) because it IS so stiff so soon. In fact it's SO stiff that I'd rather not even use it at all!

On that note, my right hand keeps trying to take over the various projects I am trying to accomplish and I have to step back and make my left hand do it. My right hand is a bugger now because it's been in charge since April 30th just about!! It has a mind of its own at this point. Plus I want to get stuff done fast and doing stuff with my left certainly isn't going to accomplish THAT. And since I have a broken left wrist too it makes it challenging for me to challenge my left hand! Doing what I can though...

I also have exercises that hurt like hell and I have to do them everyday. I hate it when the time comes that I have to do them because they are so painful!!! I will just grin and bear it though because the more I do now the better I will be later on and I want to get this show on the road so I can ride outside again! But I can type again at least now using both hands. That is a way nice change of pace!.

I have a ways to go therapy wise though:

Spreading my hand out to the fullest extent:


Making a fist (or not!):


Trying to get the tips of my fingers to lay on my palm like the right does:


When I do these exercises I want to scream although they are getting easier to do with every day that passes. I am doing exactly what the doctor said to do which I hope will bring good things sooner!