Appointment with a hand surgeon

My wrist issue has really come to head. I'm still able to make things, but I have strained my wrist severely, TWO times this past week...last thursday, getting up from a sitting position, I accidently put my full weight on my bad wrist. It hurt SO badly, it felt like I had broken it. It was the kind of pain that transported me to another place. I had to sit there for a few minutes before my head cleared. Then yesterday, getting out of the car, I used my bad wrist to close the car door. Big mistake. It took the breath right out of me. It hurt and continued to hurt, then it burned. Then my pinky finger started feeling funny. I used my microwavable heat pack on it, and felt better.

Friday night I had a long chat with Mark's parents. This was only just after thursday's experience. Both of his parents have had hand/wrist surgery (from the same place I'm going to tomorrow). They convinced me, quite easily, that it was time to see a doctor.

There is this money situation, however. I don't have any. No health insurance either. Can't afford it. So my biggest fear is that what I will need to do to fix my wrist is going to cost an arm and a leg. My parents have never offered to help me. I think Mark's parents just did on friday.

Luckily, I am going to be able to do this without anyone's help. I have this connection, thank god. My sister in law used to work with a hand surgeon. She was his main surgical nurse, and worked with him in the operating room for ten years. The surgeon's daughter ended up becoming her best friend, and her maid of honor. This doctor's office has been known to work with people who don't have health insurance.

I talked to the office manager today. She knows me. She set me up with an appointment to be seen tomorrow afternoon. The doctor will more than likely give me a reduction in the fees, then I will be able to work out a payment plan. Just being diagnosed shouldn't cost too much. It's possible the doctor might recommend a cortesone (spelling) shot. I don't think that will cost too much either. But if something anomolous shows up in the x-ray...will I need surgery to fix it? I'm already in a little bit of debt from my lack of work this summer. Gods.

I am really glad that this is going to happen. Years ago, when my wrsits first started acting up in grad school, I had an orthopedic surgeon tell me there was nothing wrong with my wrists. Just go home and rest them. Hah!