Kienbock's disease

• By everylittlething
• Posted May 24, 2009 at 6:15 pm
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Hello, I don't have the illness you suffer, but have had a partial wrist fusion on my right wrist. It is my dominant hand, of course. Bear with me as this is a really long post, sorry. Had this done about two years ago, and learned many valuable cuss words as a result. Totally unexpected. Too much damage for the dr. to fix, so he fused it. Take your pain meds a little before you are supposed to, you will be grateful. First, remember to get elastic waistband sweats or pants WithOut the elastic in the ankles. Elastic ankles are enormously hard to remove with one hand. Don't think someone will be able to help you with regular pants, because you will be very surprised how quickly the irritation of a pair of pants on crooked can overrule the pain in your wrist after surgery. Wear them and practice for a couple of days before surgery to get used to them one handed. Get them in lots of colors, you will drop stuff alot. Get a soup-sized coffee cup with a large handle (the kind you get with a teddy bear in it as a gift). You will find you can eat and drink nearly anything out of it one handed. A can opener that you can mount under a cabinet, old fashioned plastic plate with a v-shape of metal serrated teeth. *most important*. I still cannot use an electric one one handed. Coat hooks on the wall or coat rack for the things you wear so you don't have to fold clothes. Slip on shoes, flip-flops, boot-like slippers. If you are a woman, over the head bra or men's white tank tops (they are thicker). Coats with wide wrist openings. Men's gloves for the injured hand. It will be nearly impossible to drive/ride a bike for a while, you bend your wrist nearly in every part of it. Be careful! Keys in doors are interesting, too. Canned oranges in pop-top can vs/ peeled oranges, no argument. The very best thing to do on a weekend to practice is to put on a sweatshirt with your good arm through the sleeve like regular and your bad arm kept inside the sweatshirt, no cheating!!! Do your whole day regular, see what is the most difficult, and plot out solutions to get round them. I wish I had done so, wish I had known to do so. My main difficulties are in the kitchen and bathroom. Doing dishes, put a washrag in the bottom of the sink to keep things from moving as you try to wash them. Scrubbers with handles. Yay! Have yet to figure out how to dry my back after showering, with one hand, so I put on a robe. It works. Get a cheap back-scratcher, very important. Things you have to cut up, cut up and freeze in single serve bags now before surgery and about three weeks worth. Floss tools, the ones with handles. Toothpaste with flip top caps. Mouthwash with flip top caps. Ketsup, mayo, salad dressing, etc the same. If you have firefox, download 'mouse gestures' for your mouse. Makes the internet easier to use with one hand. You can have the meat counter at your store cut your meat into bite-size portions, as cutting is the hardest thing I have found. Well, beside curling my hair with a curling iron, finally gave up and cut my hair off. Too many burns. Back scrubber for bath or shower, and rails or a high back kitchen chair to hold on to when getting out. If you slip, you WILL try to catch yourself with your bad hand, guaranteed. And even if it has never happened before, for some strange reason it will after your surgery. Twist top anything (pop, milk, salsa) is how you will find most foods. Needs two hands. See previous mention of under counter bottle opener. You will be in the kitchen crying because there is so much food, and no way to get in to it. Also consider electric scissors for bag stuff. Keep your hand elevated, even after they say it's OK not to. It helps with the discomfort a lot, and seems to heal faster. It will never be the same as it was, but always keep this in mind-it never would have anyway even without the surgery. Fusion will change your world. Something so very small will be so very major. There is so very much more I could tell you. You will be limited, just not stopped. You will get very frustrated, just don't get up. There are many things you may have to give up doing, like writing in cursive or smacking someone in the back of the head. Your wrist won't bend to do so. If you find you have to smack someone in the back of the head, there are many people who will do it for you gladly. Free of charge. And if you can let go of what you might never be able to do, you will be just fine. I will never be a Rockette. Nor can I write in cursive. But I have learned to type again, putting the keyboard on my lap or standing at my desk so I don't have to bend my wrist. And I don't wear mascara anymore, I need my eyes NOT to be poked out. And I can laugh. You have lived your whole life up to now how you have lived it. And you have found ways to get around the disability this problem has caused you this far. You will adapt, and you will be stronger. You are special, but don't forget- you are not alone.

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• By everylittlething
• Posted May 24, 2009 at 6:22 pm
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You will get very frustrated, just don't get up
Should have been 'don't GIVE up'.
Sheesh. Sorry, can't spell sometimes

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• By TonyRom
• Posted November 4, 2009 at 10:50 pm
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Yes, I was given a Proximal Row Carpectomy operation on my wrist on the 24/9/09.They took out the Lunate , Scaphoid and Triquetrum bones and fused the rest. After the operation I was put in a half cast for 6 weeks and during this time I experienced considerable pain even though I was taking 150mg Tramal painkillers twice a day. After the 6 weeks my surgeon inspected my wrist and could'nt move my wrist up or down without extreme pain. I have now been put in a full cast to completly rest my wrist. But since then (1 week ago) I have experienced bad pains through my fingers and thumb if I even just pick something light up. I will see the Surgeon in two weeks and if the pain has not improved I don't what will be his next plan of action he will take. It is a very frustrating disease. My surgeon did say that Iwas in the very early stages of treatment whatever that means. I hope this explains a little more for you.

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• By TonyRom
• Posted November 4, 2009 at 10:55 pm
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Very well put. I had my operation (Proximal Row Carpectomy - they took out the Lunate, Scaphoid and Triquetrum bones and fused the rest) on 24/9/09 and have been through many of the things you point out. You had yours two years ago, so I'd like to ask how long it took for the pain to go so that you could start physio.

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