Hands

[fiddleteacher]

Until last year, I never appreciated what incredibly useful things hands were. They pick up heavy loads, cut paper, write letters, play fiddle, loads of things. Nearly a year ago, my hands began to stop doing some of those things without pain, and now do fewer things than they used to do. I can't make a fist, for example, and though I'd never have

Comments

No news from the doctors?

[scarpia]

All those fancy tests for nothing?

Have you asked about bionic hands? No kid will mess with the Six Million Dollar Teacher, at least not twice.

[fiddleteacher]

Not nothing exactly. We have determined that it isn't carpal tunnel (I think I could have told the Drs. that), and probably not arthritis, due to the lumps in my palms along the tendons. It's probably a more severe version of trigger finger which I've had for years in the left hand (and now it's in both but worse in the right), but I had no idea it could be so painful. They think cortisone injections into the area of the lumps will help it. Didn't help when I first got it, and I'm afraid to have it done before the gigs I've got coming up in case it gets worse as a result of the procedure. I can still play, more or less, and I don't want to be dealing with unknown consequences until I have time to be able to cope with whatever happens. What I've read about it isn't encouraging. I think this isn't going to go away.

I don't think the bionic hands are trained to play fiddle, though I could use them to impress the kids. Hmm...

odd that I read this today

[dandelion4you]

This weekend a member of my guild was telling how she had all but lost the use of her hands due to arthritis and nothing worked until she tried devils claw (herb) and can now do needle point again. It's just one persons second hand opinion, but if nothing else works it might be worth a try.

Re: odd that I read this today

[fiddleteacher]

Thanks! It's worth a try, though I'm pretty sure it isn't arthritis, at least not the main problem. I had a freind last fall who suggested that celery would be good for it. Hasn't helped the hands any, but eating celery isn't a bad thing, overall!