That can't be right, can it?

[lydy]

So, I kind of do have plans to call and see if I can get set up with a PT person. Everybody recommends it, pretty much. In the mean time, I've been trying to do the lovely exercise that they give me, which is try to make a fist, four time a day, in sets of ten. I often get in five reps in a day. I've managed to get beyond the conviction that the pain is of the "something is seriously wrong here" variety. I keep on expecting it to hurt like stretching muscles hurts, and of course, I'm not really stretching muscles, so it makes sense that the pain is different. I've made a little progress on flexibility, too.

But.

Not every time, but pretty often, about a half hour to an hour after I exercise, my finger around the joint turns slightly purple. It looks distinctly bruised. That can't be right, can it? Um, fuck if I know. The coloration fades to a dull pink after a while, and somewhat after that, it goes back to being finger colored. Really, really don't know what's going on. I assume blood is involved.

So, the way health care works, there is exactly zero chance I can call and talk to someone right away. I will call, they will take a message, and some nice person will call me back in several hours. Which kind of doesn't really work well with my schedule, since by the time they call back I'll be in bed, and by the time I wake up, they'll be off work. So, I'm planning to call Thursday to ask about the thing that looks like bruising, and to see if I can get a referral to a hand specialist PT type person. In the meantime, I plan to worry a lot.

Comments

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Making a fist means lengthening muscles on the back of the fingers and hand (at least), though I suppose whether counts as a stretch depends on how tight they are.

[lydy.livejournal.com]

I think the issues at hand (so to speak) are tendons and scar tissue. There's probably some muscle damage, too, I suppose, but I don't think that's really what's preventing the finger from flexion and extension. Mind you, I could be wrong. The nice surgeon man didn't actually provide any data about what was going on, just gave me the exercise and advised that pain was gain. Sigh.

[guppiecat]

Who is your insurance through? Many plans have an "email us your question" service now

[lydy.livejournal.com]

I'm just a 20th century girl, I guess. HCMC totally has electronic stuff, so I sent email asking for the referral and asking about the discoloration. Automation says I'll get a response in two days. Thanks.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

Also what I was planning to recommend! My doctor's office takes email for such things, but I haven't tried it yet.

[mplsfish.livejournal.com]

That happened when I broke my toe. What fixed it was gently pulling the toe out to pop like you would a knuckle that wasn't broken. I am sure it has to do with circulation.

Try pulling very gently. Not so it hurts more than the exercises. Also try squeezing a ball instead of just fist. Also try stretching the fingers the other way, bend back instead of forward.

A PT person will know a LOT more than the Dr about recovery.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Thinking of you.

[laurel]

Ack. Sympathies. I hate the not knowing part and worrying.

No chance you can email your doctor's office (through a clinic website or whatever)? Sometimes that gets a faster answer. Explain your hours and why calling doesn't work so well with them. I suppose utility of this varies greatly depending on the clinic, their systems, the doctors in question, all sorts of factors.

[quility.livejournal.com]

I'm good at worrying! I can help with that part.

Unfortunately I don't have anything more useful to suggest. Good luck!

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Good plan! Put it on your "To Do" list so you can virtuously cross it off every day!

I have no useful advice, but lots of sympathy.

[lydy.livejournal.com]

I am deeply charmed by the idea of putting "worry" on my to do list. At one point, I had a little set of "worry people". You were supposed to take each little doll (they were about an inch long, just thread wrapped around wire, I think), assign it a worry, put the person in the bag, and then go to sleep. While you were asleep, the worry people were supposed to do your worrying for you. I thought they were cute, and was glad to have them, but could never make them work as advertised. I worried that they wouldn't worry properly. I really felt that I needed to give that personal touch to the worry, and that delegating it was unsatisfactory.