This past spring I had a pea sized knot on the first knuckle of my
left index finger.
It hurt a bit. I thought it developed from smashing my knuckles on doorways and
stress from crocheting as this is my yarn tensioning finger.
Fingers are real important to playing the sax, banging on the piano,
I can fold all fingers to
touch my palm pads below them, except this one.
I went to the doctor who had an xray done and then called in an
orthopedic surgeon
who felt it and said they could fix it. Then I went to speak to a
scheduler who told
me it would take 4 hours and be done outpatient at the hospital. Why
so long I asked, good thing I asked, because
it would require a "bear block" which would render my left arm
useless. And you'll need someone to take care of you for few hours
the woman said blithely. I have no such person.
So, if I couldn't spend the night in the hospital, this was
untenable-- I need my arms
to propel and transfer myself.
Unhappy at not getting fixed, I spoke to a friend in NYC who told me
she had the same thing
and her doctor told her not to worry. Her physician did not even
suggest surgery. We swapped pix. Hers was from computer stress.
Today I shared this story with the new doctor who exclaimed half way
through, NO, these are your legs! Then I looked at the finger and
the large pea/ bubblegum wad size swelling, was barely discernible.
The months of massage and finger yoga had worked their magic.... but
best of all, no surgery!
And better yet the physiatrist said he had someone on staff who could
work more magic on the finger.
Akua
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