Three weeks today
For all of you that may be facing carpal surgery, my three week report. First of all, if you are experiencing tingling or numbness in your fingers, thumb and first two fingers primarily, or wake up with your hand asleep, get checked out. There are two procedures, one more invasive. It won't get better.
But I am experiencing far less pan and suffering that I could have imagined. Now I'm not saying no discomfort, but less than I thought. I'm still following a five pound limit with my left hand. It is still quite sore.
That said, I'm playing my mandolin four times a day for anywhere between ten minutes to half an hour. I'm pushing my limits and backing off or quitting when I reach them. It is stretching the skin across the wound that shuts me down. I can play fiddle tunes and most double stops and three note chords. Four finger chop chords aren't happening yet, and closed position scales take more pressure than comfortable. But I feel playing to the level of some discomfort increases my ability a bit more each day. I don't play to pain. I play to beginning of soreness and shut down.
But this is really much more than I would have hoped for, and my mental attitude is far better being able to play what I can. I even sang some old timey songs at an open mic last Thursday. Might pick up a guitar one of these days.
Still plenty I can't do, but I can do enough.
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Originally Posted by Br1ck
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