Today, the bandages came off and my doctor was extremely happy with the results. The skin graft looks great—both on my hand and my arm. Over 20 stitches were removed from my hand and arm. I was counting them as they come out, but the last few were painful so I turned my head.
My doctor was very upset when he realized that I had to go through the recovery without pain medication, but with my history of allergies, we decided not to try any different medicine. And now the therapy of learning to use my hand again without anything for pain. It’s so very sore. While the overall swelling is good, it is still uncomfortable. I can’t really explain the feeling. It’s definitely odd. My thumb almost feels heavy—kind of foreign to me. I can move it inward to squeeze a little, but right now I can’t move it outward at all. My doctor was not concerned. He thinks I am tough and will be able to figure it out in no time. He did wrap it again. Where the skin graft was placed it is still bloody. It will take a while for it to heal. I have to wear the new bandage until Friday. And I have to keep gauze pads between my thumb and hand for a while because it wants to move back into the original position.
It will take some time for me to learn how to use my hand. My finger is stiff as well as my wrist. But he encouraged me to move my hand as much as I can and to do whatever I can tolerate.
My emotions are kind of all over the place. It was a shock to see my hand. My mind is still trying to process it all. My heart, however, continues to whisper praise and gratitude to my Lord. He is opening a whole new world to me and I’m so grateful for the gift. I will work this hand until I can’t take the pain anymore and then I will do it some more. And He will guide me every step of the way.
Thank you my dear sweet family and friends for praying for me and going through this journey with me. I will post more pictures in a few days when this bandage comes off. It looks really bad right now.
Much love,
Candida
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