Cruising The Seven Seas: Fit to Return to Work

Fit to Return to Work

27^th October 2012

The good news is, my right wrist has been operated on for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. After a series of tests, having my wrist tapped to check for pain and pins and needles, and electric shocks being sent down my arm, I had Open Release surgery. Open Release surgery consists of a small slit in the palm of my hand and the tissue being removed/cut away from the median nerve. The procedure takes about twenty minutes.

It’s a strange feeling as you are under local anaesthetic and can feel what’s going on. Cutting my skin sounded like someone cutting into fabric! You can feel the tugging, but there’s no pain. A tiny stream of blood trickles but it doesn’t tickle. I wish I could have taken a photo, but I wasn’t allowed to look and had my face covered by a sheet!

Straight After Surgery

Sausage Fingers

After surgery, the median nerve was “stretching out” and it felt as if there were continuous volts of electricity pounding through my hand to my fingers. It wasn’t necessarily painful at first, just very uncomfortable.

A week later and the stitches were out. Having said that, as soon as the stitches came out, the slit slid open and up flowed a small current of red. Butterfly stitches were then applied to keep the wound closed.

Four days later the butterfly stitches were nervously removed by myself. All that was left was a pink-red, scabbed line and a couple of pin-point dots.

Butterfly Stitches and Tape

Stitches Out and Tape Removed

In between all of this, I was going back and forth to the surgeon’s office for medical leave paper work for Image and their American Maritime medical company. Quite frustrating as they need an update every month, even if the surgeon has signed me off for two months. In return I received a whopping $6 a day medical leave payment!

Once the two months was up, I was back again with another piece of paper in my hand for him to fill out. He must have been sick of the sight of me! The surgeon knew what my job consisted of – repetitive movements and lifting/moving heavy weights. As a precaution, he signed me off as “fit to return to work but on light duties for 1 month”. Why? Chances of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome returning are high with my type of job. Being a ship photographer and only 25 took that “high” rocketing up. The surgeon actually expects me back soon to have my median nerve released again, if I carry on with the job I’m currently doing.

Five Weeks Later

A month and a half later, I’m officially off medical leave, fit to return to work!

Here comes some bad news. I’d gone back to the surgeon to let him know that I have pain, swelling and pins and needles in two and a half of my fingers in my right hand. Annoyed, he explained that the Ulnar nerve in my wrist which controls the (right half) middle to pinkie finger must be trapped too.

Turns out, as my medical debark papers from the cruise ship stated “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome”, that’s what I was tested and operated for. As the pain was all across my hand, the surgeon didn’t think the check both nerves and thought once the median nerve was released, all the pain and aching would stop. Instead the Ulnar nerve is trapped inside the Guyon’s Canal.

What’s the solution? More Open Release surgery, but it can’t be done for a long time because I’ve just had one batch of surgery and the tissue will still be scarred. Wonderful! Just what you want to hear!

In the meantime, I can take anti-inflammatories and wear a wrist brace for support. Wearing a wrist or hand brace was always on the agenda as a way of guarding the scar on my palm and prolonging any chances of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome returning. It’s disheartening and frustrating knowing both nerves could have been released at the same time. I will, however, be holding out for as long as possible until I get the Ulnar nerve sorted.

Looking on the bright side, my wrist will one day be fixed. Having said that, my job as a cruise ship photographer will probably have to draw to a close soon. My work as a photographer, won’t!