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Hi. Barbara. It’s definitely been a challenge. I’ve actually. had worse pain after the 3rd surgery . I mean debilitating pain anad throbbing, nerve pain and hypersensitivity. and the. arthritis in my thumb and fingers is amplified. I do believe a lot of it is duee to a very wet. and. cold winter.
But, I’m still playing every day, but I just can’t. play as long, and I’m back to playing barre. chords like I was previously. I can really feel the pain and stiffness when I first start playing, but I won’t notice it as I get into playing. It’s when I stop and go to straighten my wrist and fingers out that the pain is excruciating, but I rest, rub topical pain relievers, and often times ice. Yet, there are other times, I can play for an hour or two and I’m just so into it, that I don’t notice the pain.
My surgeon is leaving his practice as of 1/14. He is around 50 and now has more money than he knows what to do with, and he’s going to Paris to get a doctorate in Philosophy. He wants to teach ethical practices in surgery (kinda scary they have to teach that). He says his collleague who I’m veing transferred to may show surprise at the wrist, but he’s hoping they read all his notes . When I broke my wrist, and with each surgery, I stressed how important playing guitar was to me and to please do his best to let me continue to play. He thinks my playing has been the best therapy for the hand. He said the type of breaks and amount of breaks typically end something like that.