Going Under the Knife Again

I am having surgery next week.

Ok, back up, what?

My 6 month follow up (when surgery would be scheduled at this appointment) was 1/3/09. Now that is all fine and dandy except for one *MAJOR* thing...I am about $100 away from my out of pocket max. I decided if I was going to have surgery it should be before December 31, 2008 otherwise I'd be out another couple grand.

Last week I called my orthopedic surgeon left a message saying I needed to schedule surgery. Apparently, people are not allowed to schedule their own surgeries. The rules are you see a doctor and he schedules the surgery. So I made my appointment for today to see my doctor.

He saw me and explained the whole procedure to me and my mom. (My mom was there because she can ask the tough medical questions.) He explained at around 6 months my thumb movement may improve, but only slightly. He said the surgery won't hinder any progress my body would make by itself, it would just add to it.

I am not sure of the order of it all but he takes a tendon from my index finger (did you know we have extra?! we do!) and uses it and do a little wrappy-poo around my thumb and through my hand etc. and bam! I can hold a cup again! I will need physical therapy after wards. I guess when I do a thumbs up sign my index finger will point out (think making a gun with your hand).

I will be put in an arm cast. I won't be getting a fiber glass cast because we all know fiber glass cast + me equaled a staph infection that required 10 days of antibiotics back in July.

Also, every time I move my thumb the tendon will bulge out a little bit. Cool beans!

Some not so great things:
- He needs to avoid my original nerve graft and that whole area to avoid undoing the first surgery
- He needs to avoid my ulnar nerve. If hit, I will get a ZAP! every time I move my wrist
- The tendon could pull from the incision site
- General Anesthesia (freaks me out! it's like you are told to close your eyes and then you open them right away, but really hours have gone by. Also, whatever dumb things I say under Anesthesia. I've heard everyone says dumb stuff, but I am a babbler normally so Lord only knows what I say)

Good things:
- $100 cost vs. $$$$$
- My mom is off all next week and hopefully Billy can arrange his work schedule around this
- I will be able to hold a cup
- Paid sick time off
- The sympathy looks that people give girls in casts

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Workout today (really I just wanted to read Twilight)
- 30 min. elliptical
- 20 min. bike
- Lower body exercises
- Foam Roller