Of Sound Machines and Carpal Tunnels

Quick update on my neighbors and a sound machine. For the upstair wanderers who roam about nightly above my head - whether sleepwalking or awake - the sound machine definitely helps. Either that, or since I got my sound machine (which, as far as I can tell, is a small fan in a plastic casing that creates steady noise), they've found a way to sleep through most of the night. Whatever. I'm happier with the machine. You know - law of averages - that if I stopped using the machine, they'd be up wandering about more frantically than ever before through the wee hours. (I was going to say Stygian darkness to sound v. impressive, but any one who's lived in a condominium complex knows that it's never that dark - except possibly in a closet.)

Now, as to carpal tunnels. They are the areas in our wrists (if you're human) resembling a tunnel through which our nerves and blood vessels flow. For whatever reason - my hand surgeon says there is no definitive cause - I have managed to have bi-lateral carpal tunnel syndrome. That means my carpal tunnel areas in both wrists are inflamed which causes pressure on the nerves. The result is numbness in both hands, most specifically in the first three fingers of each hand. It's most apparent in the fingertips. Untreated, the nerves will die. So, surgery was called for. I'll let you look it up. It's a very simple day surgery.

Yes, it is simple surgery, but it is surgery. When I was discussing this all with my hand doctor, it all made sense and so we went forward with it this past Friday. Then on Saturday after the anesthesia finally wore off, it dawned on me that my hand really hurt, had a large wrap on it and I really needed to treat it carefully. There's also been the small matter of doing everything one-handedly. O.K. No big surprise there, it's just that I'd been thinking about the pros and cons for so long, the whole process became more hypothetical than real. So much so, that I've been a wee bit bummed with the fact that I need to give my hand time to heal. Oy. I'm also a bit spooked at the bruising that's growing up from the dressing. Reality vs. hypothetical.

All in all, the whole process has been very good. My hand is healing well. I swear my fingers are already feeling better. Sore palm, happy fingers - which is good, 'cause otherwise this post would be taking all afternoon to type without a little assist! Now...just need to get the other wrist done. When? Probably in a month. Thinking again. The difference here is that this time I have the surgery, hopefully, I'll be more prepared for the patience I need to have with myself to heal afterwards.

Then, with freed nerves, I can get out of this incredibly attractive inertia, and start setting the world on fire - metaphorically speaking!