Repossessing my right hand

Week 7, 24 – 30 November 2011

This week I was house bound, except seeing my physiotherapist and GP.

Having left the hospital, I had to arrange everything myself – find a physiotherapist, book all the medical appointments, negotiate between various parties to sort out the weekly showering arrangement, chase up the house fitting works (contrary to what the hospital and insurance company said before the discharge, nothing had been done). I did not have a shower this week as nothing could be confirmed.

That my right hand was non functional made everything hard to accomplish, including even making a phone call. If I tried very hard, I could pick up a piece of paper.  Even though the cast had come off, my right hand felt like it was in a phantom 無形的 cast. And, a slight touch on the wrist would hurt. I had to constantly move my fingers and joints to stretch my muscles.  

After a few days’ hard work, the fingers could stretch to almost straight. I could touch my nose and scratch my left hand.  

When I was in the UK a few months ago, fish pedicure 魚療腳部護理 was a beauty craze 大潮流. However, there is none in Launceston.  Thanks to Dudley (one of our dogs), I had dog "pedicure" at home. When I was in the living room, he liked to sit on my lap and offered his pedicure service. Most of the waxed, cuticle-like 甲殼似的 dead skin had come off, turning my hand from a chicken foot look alike to more like a human hand.