solsetur has movedI did not realise that when you tear (even partially) a finger ligament, immobilisation for 3-6 weeks was really the only fix but
Well now immunity to flip the bird on everyone till next month!
Was trying to figure out when I sprained/tore my finger ligament and the earliest reference I can find is this toot from early March.. hmm
I find myself thinking that since I have the finger in a cast for a few days now this thing should be ok but no it isn’t and watch me screaming in pain every time I forget and bend my finger ha
Day 8: have to say it was a nuisance adjusting but now am kind of used to it and I also realise the finger is kind of now in a perpetual hyperflexed straightness, thanks to the finger splint..
Things hurt less on that finger though it still feels hurt; so I guess another 2 weeks indeed is required as prescribed.
But you try not being able to write and having to readjust other things like typing on a keyboard and brushing your teeth and only having one hand to shower. Hahahahaha
Day 20: we have come so far and tomorrow allegedly I can take off the splint but.. I seem to keep minor hurting my finger I AM NOT SURE IF I CAN DO THIS
Day 21 freedom (from finger splint) is terrifying so am using this ball to rebuild flexibility, strength and dexterity.
But otherwise am soft bandaging it haha.
Day 22: nope. Not recovered yet after all (knuckle was significantly swollen at end of day) so back to finger splint
Day 25: I have proven to myself multiple times now that this finger is still not ready for life without the splint. Which makes sense I guess I was warned it could be a 6 weeks recovery period depending on how bad the tear was… some things seem better (like I can shower without the splint and wash my hands without almost without incident) but I guess we just have to be patient.
Anyway made another appointment with therapist next Friday and I suspect this bump in my knuckle is permanent.
Day 27: why is my finger still stiff why is my finger apparently swollen?
Day 31: still doesn’t look great does it? (Also Musuko threw a grand tantrum at grandparents’ yesterday and kicked it)
Day 32: great I broke the splint and my finger doesn’t seem better still.
Day 36: back into a new finger splint. Therapist is puzzled at the lack of improvement so.. new splint and also a referral to hand specialist now (and maybe MRI). Decided to just go for it since I have company insurance coverage.
Day 40: not cool at all. Specialist checked and said the ligament aren’t healing so I probably need surgery (there was mention of a wire sticking out during recovery ARGHHH) anyway here is the pic I took when waiting for MRI
MRI was a cosmic joke. It is a finger you think but this entails stripping down like all other MRI, lying on tummy with right arm extended overhead and held in a vice grip. And I practically had to go in headfirst this way (the noise was probably the worst AI music ever)
Day 41: I have refreshed the laboratory app a hundred times now waiting to see the horrors of my finger unfold in MRI, but no. They have yet to be uploaded.
Solsetur(yes I moved to a new instance among the madness of today’s errands, hello!)
Day 42: had follow up with the hand surgeon and if insurance comes through will probably be operating on the finger next Thursday… isn’t great but the finger had 6 weeks to heal and I am being told that by now it should be doing better.
MRI report says it is a “low-grade partial tear”, surgeon said MRI may not show the full picture; but anyway for some reason the copy of MRI shared with me does not work 
Day 43: watching the specialist clinic potentially botch up the letter of guarantee request and wondering if to let them be… so that I have more time/excuses to decide if I really want to cut open my finger to repair this partial PIPJ ligament tear (proximal radial collateral, MRI says)
In meantime will run to Maria, my hand therapist for guidance next Tuesday…
Bloody hell I should have spoken to my insurance agent sooner. Yes I had an accident it is always an accident lol (accident: I slammed the fridge door close and my middle finger got caught in the handle when doing so - which is true. I just don’t remember all the other ways and more crucially the FIRST time I probably sprained/tore my finger ligament)
No oops lol the hand therapist letter says no recollection of trauma cos last month I told her I had no idea how this injury happened (look I believed the GP I saw on 19 March that it was arthritis- which I am now told was ridiculous- how would I have known?)
So got to see my lovely hand therapist and she explained in layman’s what the MRI says (basically apart from the known torn ligament, the other 2 sides of my finger has sprained ligaments), she also told me the realities of not doing the operation and going ahead.
It makes sense to go ahead. My ultimate goal is to not have arthritis in this hand when I am old and I am hearing the operation is the only way I can get as close a guarantee to this.
If I let it heal on its own it may be fine but there’s also a chance it doesn’t heal tightly and could be prone to reinjury - like if musuko grabs my hand.
Post operation I am looking at a long rehab. The finger will be stiff and it will be weeks to recover full mobility then strength. But after 6 weeks in a cast I think I can cope.
Time to learn how to write with my left hand