When you are an artist that uses their hands, what do you do when you have injured your dominate hand? I have apparently worn out all the cartilage in my right index finger joint nearest the tip. Osteo arthritis and a little early on the start according to the hand doc. He wants to shave down the bones at the joint to remove the spurs that have been forming, clean up the loose bits caused by bone rubbing against bone, and then fuse the joint at an angle so I can still use it for my art. He could fuse it in the straight position and it would look prettier but I want it to work better. So it seems a fifteen degree angle it is.
How important an artists hands are. I knew they were getting sore sometimes but I kept working thinking it was just like over exercising. I will get therapy on my hand after they take the pins out. The therapists is supposed to go over how to take better care of my hands when I am working. I will be unable to do anything with my right hand for a few weeks and then a few weeks more before I can start back with my stitching.
Maybe that will give me time to do some left handed blogging?
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"Boudoir"
6 years ago
Greetings Cathy
ReplyDeleteWe seem to have the same interests - katazome, kimono, John Marshall and worn out hands. Surgery on my thumbs entailed taking a bone from my wrist to make a new joint bone in my right hand and removing hard fat from my hip (now that is scary, hard fat on my hip) to make new cartilage for my left. My right hand was in a cast for 14 weeks! My left for 10. After 7 years all is still OK. Hope all turns out well.
We artist's need to get together and share more info on caring for our hands! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I hope to get to a class of John Marshall's someday.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see all was successful for you with your artist's tools!