Let's get physical...physical

I wanna get physical....

Physical therapy. That seems to be the new buzz world. No typo there. I'm probably looking at all sorts of long-term treatments over the course of the next year. We have to break down what can be done, how we're going to do it, and when that is going to take place.

More specifically, we're going to use a series of castings (old school white castings) to slowly stretch my fingers out straight. Currently, they are curled into a half fist. Once the fingers are straight from this process similar to braces and retainers, we'll focus on the movement.

Currenty, there is decent movement in the knuckles and a little less but still movement in the other joints. The muscles have a numbers of difficult factors against them. Repeated surgeries, radiation, brachytherapy especially, scar tissue, and tightness from the graft and flap attaching to the muscles all make movement more challenging. I guess having most of the flexor muscles removed probably doesn't help anything. Regardless, after we straighten we work on movement.

Hopefully with time I'll at least have the claw motion of my straight fingers and thumb to do most things like holding or grabbing an item. That is the most guaranteed motion but a normal opening and closing isn't out of the question just a factor of luck, work, and what’s left being agreeable.

As always, I'm doing everything. We're going to do a number of treatments with acupuncture including laser acupuncture, massage, and very positive thinking and visualization of healing.

The pain is still pretty bad. Increasing the amount of aggregation to the area with stretches and braces is both great for motion and discomforting at the same time. Not to end up like Butchy Yost, I've been reducing the amount of oxycontin I'm taking. The nerve pain medication is a different story. I tried to cut back. It hurt badly. I'll wait a little longer before I do that again. We are attacking this problem with acupuncture as well.

I wasn't trying to write a long post since I have a check up Friday with the doc. Maybe I'll just check in afterwards.

Take care of yourselves and each other.

CP

PS Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, is starring in a new, delightful show on VH1, "Rock of Love." Bret, a mansion in LA, 25 Hooters girls, strippers, and groupies make for one of television’s greatest new reality shows. Catch it on Sundays, after church, of course. It rocks...it really, really does. (Ash agrees)