Friday, August 16, 2013

Broken Tenodesis Update

People really should say "relax" tenodesis, because that's what it is! I've been struggling with tenodesis of my wrist, which means it had started compensating for weak fingers. It helps a lot of people be functional, but I don't want it. I'm trying to keep normal form, which may make me not as functional, but my goal is to continue strengthening until my function is normal again.
And I'm achieving it! It took sitting in the passenger seat in a 12 hour car ride, retraining my wrist and fingers, but I can flatten my hand now and keep my wrist in neutral position. Patience and meditation comes in here - I literally think about "relaxing" my hand flat. It's not perfect, I still have to work on it, but I can DO it. Heck I can even extend my wrist and keep my fingers straight! So now I'm working harder at extensor strength. It's slllooowww but I have movement in everything, and it's coming. My grasping etc - flexor strength - is coming along quite well, definitely functional.

The car ride was a Fabulous trip to Columbia, Missouri, where I finished veterinary school, then worked as a fish biologist for a year. I love this place, I have amazing friends there, and a piece of me is always there. I found out I can now SWING again (!), hiked to Table Rock and the Devil's Icebox (a bat cave!), went birding at Eagle Bluffs, visited my old river crew, and visited my old office the Missouri River. Walking in hills and long grass did a lot of muscle building for my ankles, gastrocs, and extensors. I need to find a place like that here in south Louisiana! ;)

Colleagues and Coworkers at Les Bourgeois


TODAY is the day to start Hal Higdon's 30/30 program if you don't run now but want to run the NOLA RnR half! Hal Higdon
My training log, I haven't posted it in a while: Training Log

I get sad and scared sometimes still, but not as much, at least not right now. I'm working on being less in my head and relying on my intuition more. I don't understand it exactly, I'll let you know when I do!
Snakebyte started 1st grade this week, dang kid! My favorite triathletes, the Zaunbrecher twins et al, have been kicking butt all over the nation. My own triathlon club is doing awesome. Nic is awesome. Life could be worse. Have a great week!

3 comments:

  1. It's good to hear some good news! Happy Friday!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. "I'm working on being less in my head and relying on my intuition more. I don't understand it exactly, I'll let you know when I do!"

    It is nothing compared to what you have been through but I had a forklift come down on my hand with a few tons of weight. The physical therapy was worse than the initial healing. Your statement makes a lot of sense. It is not so much about what you could do before, that is in your head. You have to accept what you can do afterwards. My fingers don't work as good as they originally did, but they work pretty functionally and I'm extremely lucky in that regard.

    I think this is what you are saying here. Living in your head is lamenting what was before. Relying on intuition is accepting the signal your brain sends your limbs now, and the capacity of you digits to respond. It is an odd place to be. Not bad, just odd.

    ReplyDelete