Overwhelming..........

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Registered: 03-29-2003
Overwhelming..........
6
Mon, 02-09-2004 - 4:26pm
sadness! I went to the Dr. the other day and got a very good report on all of my 'numbers'; the a1c was 5.5 and cholesterol etc. were OK, but.... I showed the PA a little 'knot' in the palm of my hand. I almost didn't show her, because I thought it was such a little thing. She said she knew what it was, but that she would have to let the Dr. tell me. She said she couldn't pronounce it (I looked it up in the Dorland's, and I agree, I can't pronounce it either). When he came in and looked at my hand, he said he would write it down for me (he probably couldn't pronounce it either). Well, I have Dupuytren's Contracture or palmar fibromatosis. Nothing can be done about this malady until it gets bad enough for surgery. It causes the ligaments in the hands and feet to become shortened (this is an over-simplification). The fingers curl and can't be straightened, which makes it impossible to pick-up things. Typing will eventually almost impossible for me.

Although, I have done fairly well about not having depression in the past, today, just before lunchtime, I was gripped with what I would call an overwhelming sadness. I think it was just because I probably needed something to eat. Is this just something that is dwelling in the back of my mind only to bounce up when I need something to eat? Does anyone else have this experience without being completely depressed? 2sweet02

2sweet02

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Registered: 04-30-2000
Mon, 02-09-2004 - 5:10pm
I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
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Registered: 03-29-2003
Mon, 02-09-2004 - 7:20pm
Oh Thanks! Cheryl.....I really needed that! I guess what I want is somebody just to hear something about this. My DS, who is older than I (she is 73), said that; "There is nothing wrong with you!" That I should be taking care of her; "After all, I would take care of you!" Now, there is a long story behind this. When all of our parents were needing help, I did just about everything there was to do for both my DH's as well as my parents. DS only made three trips from her home to see our folk, although, she did help me get them into a decent retirement home. Now, that her husband has died and she is alone in her house across town, she expects me to care for her. When her husband was dying, I was there every day for months. (She and her DH bought my parent's house.)

How can I deal with the fact that I can daily feel the strength of my hands going away, and my feet are affected too? She is telling me that there is nothing wrong with me! It is true, that nothing can be seen yet, but I can feel the changes going on; I kept blaming part of my hand and feet problems on diabetes, now I know that there was something else happening as well. I can't tell what the Dupuytren's is doing compared to the diabetes. If anyone can help me to decide which is which, I think that would help. 2sweet02

2sweet02

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Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 02-10-2004 - 3:55am

Oh, I am absolutely so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I know how that goes due to having been given the same diagnosis after having had surgery done on my wrist to shorten the bone due to my accident while stock car racing. How ever I have not been struck with not being able to straighten out my fingers as of yet, but I do know it will come some time in my life and that I am so not looking forward to. If you would like more information on this I do still have a pamphlet that my hand surgeon gave to me on this, which I can scan and e-mail it to you or post it here I think since I have never tried posting anything that I have scanned before. Do not worry, because my surgeon says it is a simple procedure that will not cause any problems and that any fingers unable that you can't straighten out will be able to once again. Although I know this doesn't make you feel any better as it didn't me since nobody wants to have surgery done at all, but it is a doctors simple way of making his patient feel better and not so worried. That is very funny that your doctor couldn't pronounce it, but it is a hard word to pronounce and it took me a few times after my doctor told me how to pronounce it. I still at times have a tough time doing it.


Just know that you are not alone in this and that there are others out there with the same thing as you who know how it feels to be diagnosed with something such as this. We will make it through this and go on to do so many things even after surgery has to be performed. Do know that I am here for you like so many other of our members. Sending you some big cyber hug in hope of it helping you to feel a tad bit better. Take care and know that we are here for you.

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Tue, 02-10-2004 - 11:17am
Thank you for offering to scan the pamphlet. That is so sweet of you. Truly, I hope it will be years before I need surgery, but I am finding that my typing is a little clumsy lately. I don't know if it is in my head, but I used to be a very fast and furious typist with very few errors. I've always thought since our retirement that the keyboard would be here for my enjoyment; now, I find this skill may be in peril. I'm so afraid that I won't be able to take care of myself! My Dear Great Aunt had to have her fork or spoon placed in her hand and she was confined to a wheelchair! Of course, this was ages ago, in medicine, but still.....2sweet02

2sweet02

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Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 02-11-2004 - 12:40am

Do not worry about your typing not being as good as it once was, because mine has also gotten pretty bad with many mistakes unlike the way I use to type with no errors in it. I also have carpal tunnel and tendinitis in both of my wrist so that doesn't help much at all when it come to my typing, but I so enjoy it even if it on occasions causes me some pain in which I would never give it up from the pain so that I can keep in touch with all my wonderful friends here and else where. I know that some point in my life I will have to get the surgeries done to fix all my hand and wrists problems due to my only being 34, but until I really have to have surgery I will continue as I always have and not let this nothing stop me at all from doing what I truely enjoy. So don't you let this frighten you one bit, because it is very mild and easily fixed with no need to be scared at all. Althought surgery is always something to be scared about, but I've had so many all through out my life from 1 1/2 years of age with an appendicitis that was removed and of course my wonderful ankle surgery at about the age of 4 from getting it stuck in a bicycle tire spokes while my mother was giving me a ride to caterac surgery at age 10 and 11 for both eyes, but that is just a few of my surgeries that I have endured and so many more to come of course. In my opinion if it is my time then it is my time and nothing is going to prevent my death, so while I am still able to enjoy life I plan to do so to the hills since we only have one life to live and I have so many things I still want to do.


I will be scanning that pamphlet for you and either posting it here or e-mailing it to you, because I want you to feel a little relief from this and not so scared from it with all the what ifs and instead see that this isn't really such a terrible thing what so ever that can easily be fixed. It may take me until the weekend due to my two little boys who are both a little sick with the ends of a cold and myself included, but I will get it done since I really want you to read it and find out more about this. So just know that you will be reading the pamphlet very soon with some very good information in it that I really hope helps you out a whole lot. So you take care and try not to worry yourself so. Do have a fabulous day!

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Wed, 02-11-2004 - 7:50pm
Do take care of yourself and your children; the pamphlet will be appreciated, but don't feel rushed about sending it. 2sweet02


Edited 2/11/2004 7:51:46 PM ET by 2sweet02

2sweet02