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Thread: Knowing When To Say When.

  1. #1
    Senior Member SiouzQ.'s Avatar
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    Knowing When To Say When.

    I was just in tears because of the fate of my wrists and hands. Once again, I misjudged what I am physically able to do and have re-injured the right wrist that had the surgery on Dec. 15 to remove the old titanium plate and debride the torn cartilage. I'm pretty sure I tore it again the other day doing something I should not have done, which was helping someone move something that they were buying from me because now I have the sharp pain, the weakness, clicking and popping, just like when I injured it last October when I was helping my mom move.

    Even before that, I was having trouble playing more than two songs on my little travel guitar, even barely strumming the strings, and only twice a week. And fabricating my jewelry has been just as difficult; I managed to make a bunch of rings to fill out my inventory and it took 3x as long because I can only do a little each day. I have a few more pieces I wanted to make to round out my stock for the summer and that was all I was going to do, but now I'm not sure I can even do that. At this point I really feel like just giving up the jewelry business and liquidating everything, tools and such, and work on selling my inventory and just being done with it.

    I hate trying to hold out hope anymore that my wrists are going to magically get better over time. I really don't think they are; I have a degenerative condition that seems to only get worse. I don't think there is much more medicine can do for me. I'm more upset about possibly not being able to really play my guitars because there is so much more I want to learn. I've always thought that it would be easier to give up being a silversmith because I have already achieved my goal with it, which was to be successful in a competitive jewelry market such as Santa Fe, except I would miss the extra income from it. But playing guitar and singing really feeds my soul in a way that making jewelry doesn't.

    Anyway, I am wondering if for my mental health it might be better to make a decision about it this year and just be done with it so I can move on, instead of stringing myself along thinking it's going to get better. I guess that is called acceptance. I did call my ortho doctor today to let her know I've re-injured yet again, but I don't think there is much more that can be done. I'm already back in my splint trying to immobilize it.

  2. #2
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    SiouzQ, I'm so sorry. I can only imagine how difficult it is to not be able to do the things you love doing. I have no answers for you, but maybe a suggestion/option to consider - if you really think you need to make an "all or nothing" decision right now, maybe pack everything away for a year and fully concentrate on healing the wrists, your mental health, etc. Regardless of what you end up doing, I wish you the best and send positive and healing thoughts and prayers your way.
    To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
    Be nice whenever possible. It's always possible. HH Dalai Lama
    In a world where you can be anything - be kind. Unknown

  3. #3
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    I am so sorry to hear this. I think happystuff has an interesting way to decide...decide, but wait to get rid of things. I certainly hope the ortho can give you some hope as you work on acceptance.

  4. #4
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    I'm so sorry. I fear you started "normal" activity too early. You are barely 7 weeks post-op. The older we are, the longer it takes us to heal. I would venture 12 weeks of 'light activity' would be a minimum.

    You were doing well so I hope you'll consider a repair of that TFCC one last time.

    Hugs to you.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Tradd's Avatar
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    So sorry to hear. I agree that you need to pack everything away and just concentrate on healing.

  6. #6
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I'll add to the chorus that says put things aside for now and wait.

    You might cast about for artistic activities that don't require wrist strength, but that appeal to you.

  7. #7
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    I am so sorry and I can really imagine how painful this situation is.

    Since you feel you reinjured wrist by helping someone lift something, maybe you just need to really step back from normal activity for a while to heal-- 7 weeks is not long enough to return to normal, and lifting something heavy is probably never going to be something you should be doing. So maybe concentrate on resting and healing and reevaluate jewelry and guitar in 4-5 months? You can certainly sing with others--maybe look into singing with a band?

    Sometimes it takes more than 1 surgery to get it right, and you want to give your body time to heal before asking it to do things that are difficult for you.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Tradd's Avatar
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    Can you sing without any musical accompaniment?

  9. #9
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tradd View Post
    Can you sing without any musical accompaniment?
    That was my question as well. Sorry to hear this latest.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

  10. #10
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    So unfair when your hands help you do what you love...I tend to think the idea of a temporary reprieve (six months or so) rather than an absolute is a good idea. It just might be that after a long rest, you will have some noticeable healing. The messages we tell ourselves about our health can have a huge effect on outcomes. I have had several health "conditions" in my life that I thought would never get better but with patience and time, they eventually did.

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