Righty-oh

I am currently wearing this one

On Monday morning I had a phone appointment with the plastic surgeon's office to talk about how the operation went and if I had any trouble now. I told the assistant that even though the wound was doing fine and the CTS pain had disappeared, another pain had not. I thought the pain in my wrist was due to the CTS, but we are now questioning that.

Yesterday's offering

The main reason for that is that the pain was the same prior to the operation and after the anastaseia (still can't write that) had worn off, it returned the same as before. It is a pain that seems to sit on the inside knuckle of the wrist and it basically prevents me from doing a fair few things. If I don't do anything at all, it will feel fine, but after a while I can feel my wrist start to become stiffer. Not good.

A little dress, but I will only wear it with jeans

If I do something, I try to minimise certain movements as they do cause a lot of pain. Carrying a full cup of tea is out, so that is done left-handedly. Carrying something heavy is out so that is done double handedly or left hand/right arm or not at all, as the left arm is now feeling the strain on muscles as well. 

A real snuggle hoody

The two main things right now that are wrong with my right hand are the wrist (and the burning/grating sensation after a wrong move or prolonged usage) and the thumb which can only be partially used. Which of course hinders dexterity a great deal. 

A men's jumper, but it fits, so I don't care

The plan of action right now is to first get the right hand in order, so early January (first opportunity due to the holiday season), I will have a sight appointment with the plastic surgeon and possibly an x-ray as well to see what is in fact wrong. Only after the right hand is okay will we continue with the left hand. Otherwise I might be completely unhanded for several weeks.

The inspiration to this year's Christmas card

Of course this does not mean I cannot do anything. Typing and writing are easier now, albeit painful. I am glad I have written and sent all my Christmas cards! I do the dishes and have found other ways of holding stuff down to get it clean. I cut with my right hand as I am not a natural lefty and realise a bit of pain is better than cutting fingers off. Well, I think so anyway.

Preferably not in bandages though!

Other than that: the wound looks good, especially now the spider legs are gone. Still a bit sensitive to the touch, but feeling better every day. The headache (the first attack since July people, which should deserve a post all of its own) has finally subsided and yesterday morning the world was white after a light dusting of snow. 

Another recent addition

In a couple of days I will be picking my sister up from the airport and in less than three weeks it is Christmas! All in all: Yeah!!

Tuesday's Travels 34

Well, I knew I could count on you and plenty of you knew where this photo was taken. It was of course in Copenhagen, Denmark, although just saying the little mermaid was enough as well. I was not that fussy this week (for a change). Yamini, Harm, Cecilia (My Mind's Eye), Millie & Walter, Gattina, Hilary and Fun60 get a full point, Janice gets half a point.

My story? I only ever visited Copenhagen once and I wanted to see the little mermaid. So, me and two colleagues found her (with ease: well sign-posted) on her perch in the water. Everybody had said how small she was, but I was pleasantly surprised as she was life size. I took several photos of her and I actually have her hanging in my home somewhere as well. 

Oh, you don't care too much about my story do you? You want to know who won? Well, first of all there is of course an overall winner: Yamini. Up until now she had the most points (Gera came second, Fun60 came third.). So, out of all the other correct answers: Cecilia of My Mind's Eye is the winner! Picked by Miss O herself. Congratulations. The calendar will be heading your way asap.

On to this week's challenge (oh yes, we keep going). Where is this? Have you ever been? Tell us your story. Answer next week!

Spider legs on Brom's birthday

No no! Don't worry, he did not receive spider legs on his birthday. He would not have liked that at all and neither would I. The spider legs are mine. Well, not real spider legs, but the stitches in my hand. They look and feel like spider legs. However, today they will be coming out. This afternoon to be precise. 

Apart from some swelling still, the wound looks really good and well healed up. A bit sensitive to the touch, but not painful. That can not be said for my wrist. I had this pain prior to the surgery and it has continued until now, although it does not spread to the arm anymore.

Last week I tried to do some knitting and although I could do it, the pain was very much not good. So I decided that that would need to wait a while longer. I am doing the dishes every day now, even though that is quite painful too. And then on Friday I developed my first headache attack since July (!!!), which left me out of the game for a day or two.

But who cares about my hand and (lack of) use of said appendage when today it's BROM'S BIRTHDAY! Yes, he turned 48 today and is enjoying it very much. I had promised him a new pair of Christmas socks, but unfortunately I haven't been able to make them yet. He says that it's fine and it's not Christmas yet anyway. 

Miss O wanted to say Happy Birthday Brom too

I did make him some other socks prior to OotH-day though and he has been wearing them Every Single Day he likes them so much. So, hopefully he will get his proper present soon. We are all crossing our fingers.

Photo on Sunday 32

He is here! Well, he was anyway. Saint Nicholas arrived last Friday and I had a ringside seat to see him arrive at the school just across from my house. Not on his horse Ozosnel (Osoquick in English, his horse Amerigo retired a few years ago), but on a tractor he drove himself.

There were plenty of children waiting for him and his aide Pete to arrive and load them up with presents, sweets and ginger nuts. Perhaps a word of warning here and there, but on the whole a good thing. About an hour later I heard the tractor start up and they left again, on their way to the next school.

Third attempt

To be honest, there is probably plenty to write about, but I just can't seem to get inspired. The hand is doing a bit better each day, although wearing jeans is still quite difficult as I still cannot operate the button part properly. Which is not such a problem of course, unless you really need the use of a certain part of the house quickly. Just saying.

On the subject of the bra. I have had plenty of people commenting on it and I agree totally: I could have gone without as I wasn't going anywhere anyway. However, but, and such. I like wearing one. I feel cleaner with one on. And after all: I am not sick, which would be my main reason to not be wearing one. Just saying.

The weather right now is quite bad, with rain and wind. We finally got the remnants of Storm Arwen which hit the UK recently. I had plans to go out today and get myself a nice Christmas dress. But, as the weather is like this and the knee is complaining a tad, I think I will hit my home trainer instead and find all my Christmas clothes next week. 

In other news: I managed a proper shower this morning (bliss), the laundry is done (bar the ironing) and I will have a hot chocolate with my lunch. All in all, not bad for a third attempt.

Tuesday's Travels 33

Plenty of you knew this was Venice and the Bridge of Sighs. Points this week go to Gera, Yamini, Hilary, Millie & Walter, Harm and Gerrit.

My story? The first time I ever visited Venice was back in 1989, when I was living in Medulin in what was then Yugoslavia and is now Croatia. Me and a colleague took a boat from Pula to Venice and spent the day there. I have been back several times since, but for some reason I have always thought of it as a dirty and busy place. Yes, I know getting off the beaten track is the way to go, but the sheer volume of people visiting would suggest plenty of money coming in and I think it is used for a lot of things but cleaning the city. Rant over!

On to this week's challenge and I told you it would be a special one where there is a prize to win. And it is like all the other challenges: give me the right answer and you're in with a chance. So, what is the prize? A desktop calendar made with photos taken on my hikes in the Netherlands this year. 

So, on to the actual photo. Where was this photo taken? Have you ever been? Tell us your story. Answer and winner next week!

Pity party

Miss O in dreamland

So, over the last few days I have been having a bit of a pity party here at number 7. Feeling a bit sorry for myself and such. It all started really with the combination of dishes and bra. I couldn't do one nor could I undo the other. It needed a solution which would be my Mum. 

Alas, my Mum was having a bit of a problem herself and so did my Dad: Covid-19 had come to number 49. Yes, they both tested positive and were not feeling very good with it. The sniffles, the coughing, the slight loss of voice, taste and smell. Not good. 

St Nicholas and Peter

Another solution presented itself, although less favoured: my friend. The reason I didn't favour that as much was the fact that she herself was recovering from a broken foot and even though she was getting to be more mobile, she was not up to scratch yet.

But, a date was set that she and her husband would come over to help. Until fate threw not one but several large spanners in the works. Because I had been in touch with both my parents prior to them testing positive, it was deemed a good idea I would get tested too. I could have the Corona virus myself. 

Asleep again

As I was calling my friend to cancel her coming over, she told me that they were all feeling below par and had decided to get tested themselves as her daughter had been in touch with someone who had been in touch...

On Saturday morning I made my way to the nearest test site, which fortunately wasn't too far as the only means of getting there was on foot. It was drizzling, it was cold and it was just not nice. Test taken I returned home to wallow in self pity. enjoy a quiet afternoon.

My friends all tested negative and by the early hours of Sunday I also had a negative result. It took some time to actually get logged in to see the result and the atmosphere was pretty grim here for a while, but I got there eventually. 

Meanwhile I had been trying to do the dishes myself and managed a couple of plates and a bit of cutlery before giving up due to pain. I have done a little bit each day and as of today I am nearly through the lot. I also somehow managed to undo the bra I wore and even managed to get a new one on. Very painful, but it is something.

It's 3 cm, the tape measure kept moving.

Last night I unwrapped my hand. The (male) surgeon had told me that he would make a 1,5 cm incision. Not sure what kind of tape measure he used, but look at the photo! That is no 1,5 cm!! It must have been quite black and blue under the bandages, as there are still some yellow remnants on my wrist and some blackish/blueish remnants in the palm of my hand.

Mu virtual outlook in Iceland right now

It is also still quite swollen and I don't have complete use of the hand yet. Some (sudden) movements are very painful and they prevent me from using it very much. It did feel nice to be able to wash my hands properly again though. Next week the five stitches will come out. 

Other than that I am doing fine. Still not reading much, but I am watching a lot of television and the stationary bike also gets a lot of action. I was up to 18 km yesterday. On my regular bike I only ever got to 9, so I am doing okay with that. I will have to if I want to finish my virtual tour of Iceland's Ring Road. A medal awaits at the end and I still have 75% to do. 

On the plus side of life: my parents are on the mend, my Dad sounding almost like his old self yesterday (he was very nearly voiceless), I was negative, the weather is nice, my sister is coming in less than two weeks and Christmas is just around the corner as well. 

Photo on Sunday 31

These were taken in order and show me having some trouble getting over the stile, while Brom was cheering me on and holding on for dear life.

Recovering

Doesn't it sound as if I were seriousl ill? Instead of just recovering from am minor operation. And it was minor: in by 5 to 11, out by 10 past! The actual operation I did not feel, the anastasiea (I never know how to spell that and with two fingers this becomes even worse) worked a treatz. it was painful for my arm however as tyhey had to stem the bloodflow to my hand. They did not want a bloodbath for some reason...

But it didn't last that long and then the nurse covered my hand in a thick bandage and I was good to go. 

I am not allowed to get the bandage wet now and as I am an unwilling and clumsy leftie by now, I am having some troubles, but all in all I am doing okay. 

Apart from one thing, well a few really. I really do need to do the dishes, but as I still have some pain in my wrist itself and the hand is so thickly bandaged, that is nearly impossible. I will give it a go, but I don't know how far I will get. I did think about asking my mother, but she and my dad have tested opositive on their home test and are now waiting to hear if it is certain they do have Corona. The are both feeling quite under the weather anyway.y

On their way to get tested yesterday, they did drop off the hometrainer for me though. no walking (gammy knnee) and no proprer cycling left this option, but with my parents' home out of bounds... so, I will get back to indoor cycling today, after all, how else am I going to complete the Iceland Ring Road>.<?

Getting dressed is fine, apart from the bra. I am wearing a sports one now, but tthere is now way my dexterity is good eough yet to take it off, so I would need help there as well. And I can write, but only at a certain angle,so I do mst by writing with ny left hand. Dod I say I was a nwilling leftie?u

Right now you have read my post and I do want to apologise for all mistakes. It/s hard enough typing once, going back for corrections is not happening!

Did you notice?

DNA specimen bottles filled with what the inhabitants
of Leeuwarden thought their city consisted off.

Perhaps you only read my blog and never comment and in that case you will not have noticed anything different. However, if you do leave a comment now and then (or always), you may have realised something is not as it was. 

Because for the time being all comments need to meet with my approval before they are being published. Nothing to do with spammers (although they are a real pest), but everything to do with the upcoming Tuesday's Travels, where a prize can be won. 

Tower Bridge in London, not to be used now...

On normal TT's I publish the photo and you can give your answer for everyone to see, perhaps giving them clues. However, for the prize TT I want to give everybody an equal shot (and don't worry, it is not something that nobody will know, I may be mean, but not that mean). Which means not giving anybody ideas or clues or whatevers. 

Once the next TT has appeared and the prize has been awarded, things will go back to normal. Promise!