The cold, it’s so so cold and boy these joints don’t like it. Cue all the blankets and hot water bottles, and maybe I should consider more gloves to wear too, to keep the joints warm.

With the last few weeks of holiday, I’ve been using my walking stick and pole in the opposite hand (the fused one) to give the pre op hand a break, and to practice as well. It’s been going so well, it actually feels more natural. Even helping the lumbering limp I have from the hips too.

I’m a month away from seeing the Hand Surgeon 4th December, and hoping I’m 2 months from surgery, so I’m using this time to practice brushing my teeth with the left hand, and other things too. As having my dominant hand done, so I think the recovery might be harder this time round.

I’m immensely lucky I have a partner that already thinks of how I do things, so lids are loosened, or left off. But if you don’t have someone to help, now is the time to assess your home, and imagine how you will do things one handed, or opposite to your dominant hand. Could an electric tin opener help you? Have more batch cooked meals ready and frozen, so you can just microwave them. ( I did this with chilli con carne, curry, and spaghetti bolognese it was a godsend) could you decant your pain meds into a dish, so you don’t battle blister packs (I still struggle with packets)

Using these helps warm the hands up for the day, lubricate the joints and ease the stiffness out gently. It also helps my right (unoperated side, elbow as I’m having a lot of pain and weakness in the arm and elbow, as well as the CMC joint)