Uwe's course of illness

The following email reached me on October 27, 2004 (this has been approved by the author for publication on this page):

Hello Monika, here is my medical history.

In the middle of 2001 I noticed a slight pain in my right wrist. Basically only sporadically, here a slight pull, there a stab. The pain came and went, nothing dramatic and was immediately forgotten. At the beginning of 2002, however, the pain turned up more and more often during badminton training. All home remedies were then used, without success. The pain increased, and now and then normal, non-athletic hand movements were accompanied by pain. Then in April I went to the orthopedic surgeon. Better said several times. "Whatever you play badminton, there we have it"! The full program followed: X-rays (at least immediately, but without abnormalities), ointments, warmth, cold, syringes, tablets, rest prescription, etc. etc. During training I stabilized my hand with a bandage, diclophenac tablet in and so it went on for weeks Week. The pain increased steadily. My doctor visits too. At some point I burst my collar and I told him clearly that I should go to a colleague who could do more! My orthopedic surgeon then said sullenly "That's enough for me, off to the MRI". Well, go! (Burdens his budget with 500 euros ...), Monday mornings --- with an introduction to him then again in the evening. The MRI was also very funny, the nurse who had done the MRI gave the pictures to the doctor and when he came out said to me with a grin: "Have you ever had a broken wrist?" Me no". He: "Well then go in, you'll be amazed!" Ha ha ha I can only say ... in the evening my orthopedic surgeon said when I gave him the pictures: "Well, has it got better?" (I'm wondering what, about the MRI?) I gave him the radiological report and he turned pale. Immediately he dragged me to the x-ray and indeed, within 3 months of his first x-ray, you could see a change in the lunar bone. (I can also remember: three times I yelled out loud in pain: in badminton with a twisted shot, when digging in the garden (the worst with LM) and when my clumsy dog thundered on my hand with its square skull Occasionally, or in all cases, the bone must be broken.) The doctor meekly then gave me the tip at which clinic I could introduce myself to their very good hand surgery department. No sooner said than done, but after the senior physician said he had to talk to his chief physician first and then the chief physician opened the door (he was honest), he first had to read the specialist literature to find out what the state of the art surgical technology was before we did could set an appointment for an operation, my confidence was now a little disturbed. I then heard around and finally found my surgeon after 2 other appointments. The pain was now permanent. So bad that I often screamed out loud, could hardly hold a pencil and longed for the surgery date! Originally, the moon bone was to be removed and various bones screwed together to maintain the hand statics, i.e. partial stiffening with STT fusion. However, since I was only anesthetized locally and it turned out during the operation that the lunar bone was still relatively well preserved despite stage IIIb / IV, a change in the operation could be discussed and implemented immediately. My surgeon wanted to do a revascularization after all. He shortened the capitate lying above the lunar bone, the separated 3 mm bone slice was crumbled and stuffed into the inside of the lunar bone. In addition, a blood-carrying artery is tucked in as a kind of water hose. The two capitate fragments are screwed together. Finally, a denervation, i.e. small nerve branches cut through to relieve pain. 2 hours of operation. 2 years have passed now, I am as good as pain-free, I only notice my wrist when it is more strenuous or when it is cold. The hand is restricted in movement upwards and downwards, but it is absolutely suitable for everyday use. I am very, very satisfied, and even dared to do a few light badminton strokes again ... It is also interesting that I had sharp pain in my right wrist 25 years ago (!), Which is why I was at the orthopedic surgeon even then . Nothing found. The pain only and really only occurred while swimming, so that I always went into the water with a rigid wrist bandage. Even as a Bundesliga fighter in judo, I had no pain, only when swimming. Later I gave up my favorite sport, Judo, for fear that I might fall on my hand and hurt my hand. So it can go.