The Wrist Treatment

I finally had an appointment with the Orthopedic Dr today. He knew immediately what was wrong with my wrists. In fact, his wife had the same problem with her pregnancies & births. Has to do with water retention through tiny little tunnels causing inflammation. Because they are constantly in use it creates a vicious cycle that makes it very difficult to heal.

The treatment...a cortisone shot in each wrist; which incidentally was hell-a painful. As he was preparing, he told me that when he did this to his wife she called him all kinds of names. He said that it was OK if I did the same. I said, "So, you are telling me that this is going to be painful." Which as before mentioned, it was. The shot wasn't too bad, but the medicine going in was awful. Especially because it was so inflamed that it didn't actually go down my wrist but instead up into my hand making it swell. It made me so dizzy.

In addition, I will be wearing splints for at least a week. It sure is hard to pick up a baby with both wrists in splints. (This typing is not easy either.) But then I have been doing those things all along with great discomfort. So, despite the pain of the treatment, the inconvenience of wearing splints and all of my complaining and whining I am actually relieved and excited. I'm going to heal! I am so excited to to be able to pick up Max without pain dampening any of the fun and joy. And the countless other things like writing, typing, cleaning, pumping, cooking, etc. that are part of daily life and cannot be avoided. It is a roundabout sort of blessing to have the opportunity to recognize how important one part of my body is; how much I rely on it without consciously thinking about it.

James was so great! He took the day off to drive me around and pretty much played single dad for the day to give me the chance to adjust. Yesterday he said something that brought tears to my eyes...He said that he does notice all of the things I do, that I think he doesn't know I do, because he is sleeping while I am doing them. It was so nice to know that he is aware.