My Last Post about My Wrist

I'm super excited to report that I have just been cleared!  This morning I went in for my last physical therapy appointment.  WOO HOO!!!

Here's what my hand looked like 2 months ago:

Here's what it looks like now:

Not bad, right?  There's still a little swelling and excess scar tissue, and that might stick around for 6 months or more.  My physical therapist, Julie, says that however thick my wrist is at the year mark, that's how I can expect it to be the rest of my life.  So I'm hoping that the swelling recedes even further.

Interesting side notes:
1 - I told Julie that the doctor wasn't impressed with my range of motion.  But Julie had always been so positive about my progress!  She said, "It's a good cop, bad cop routine."  She said it's common for the doctors to knock your ego down a few notches.  She said, "We like to say [to the doctors], 'We don't try to do surgery, don't try to do physical therapy.'"  Interesting.

2 - A few weeks ago, my palm up motion jumped about 20 degrees in a week.  Julie said, "Wow, you've been working hard."  But I couldn't really connect it to the physical therapy I was doing.  Pretty much one day I could move it an extra 20 degrees.

3 - My palm up before the jump was awful.  Julie was being nice about it, but later she admitted that she had been concerned about it.

4 - I do NOT need to wear a brace while playing soccer.  Hurray!  Julie said I could wear a soft brace, one that offers a little support, if I need a security blanket.  No security blanket for me.  I'm a big girl!

5 - I learned a few interesting things about anatomy and normal range of motion in the wrist area. 
First:  Your bicep is the muscle that controls your palm up.  Try it!  Put your arm up to the square, like you're going to flex your bicep.  Now turn your hand palm in and then palm out.  Fascinating, right?!
Second:  I can hyper-extend my wrists.  It's the "nodding your head" motion with your hand.  Try it!  Make a fist, then move your hand down, like you're imitating a nod.  Okay.  Most people can get their hand to 90 degrees.  I can take my hand past 90.  So, I keep thinking that my left wrist isn't doing well because my other wrist is an overachiever.

In general, I think it's fascinating how hurting one area of your body affects SO MUCH.  My back was in knots for weeks.  I couldn't sleep.  The constant low throb of pain was so disruptive.  I was a horrible mom and I found it impossible to manage everything, even easy things!  I couldn't imagine being out of pain or having my full range of motion back.  But now, just under 3 months after the break, I'm completely pain-free, and I can do anything and everything I want.  I'm even playing soccer again!  Amazing. 

Sometimes I am reminded that I ought to be more grateful.  More grateful that my body works.  More grateful for modern medicine.  More grateful to be alive and healthy.  More grateful that I'm not in constant pain.  More grateful that my family is so supportive.  More grateful that I find easy things easy.  More grateful that God doesn't force me into more difficult situations to remind me to be more grateful!

Amen.