Hand Jive

You knew it was coming: I made the call to update the knee specialist about the spinal epidural treatments for the lump in my wrist. It's been 2 weeks since the first of three procedures, and before I show up for injection #2, I wanted to try one more time to communicate that my wrist really needs to be treated, not my neck.

I assured the nurse that my neck hasn't felt this good in years: I can turn side-to-side without sounding as if I'm grinding walnuts in a disposal while so doing. I'm not achy in my back, either, which is also good. However, I felt compelled to point out that my left wrist still hurts like hell most of the time, but most especially during the night and/or if I actually use the hand.

The knee specialist's nurse, who was fielding my call, informed me that they "aren't treating" my wrist, but the serious spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis require the spinal epidurals.

Again, I agreed that they aren't treating my wrist -- but pointed out that my wrist is why I made the original appointment. I added that my wrist has a lump in it, the blood vessels are still swelling and throbbing, and I'm in constant pain. I added that those are the symptoms I presented to the knee specialist's PA, who prescribed, ultimately, the spinal epidurals, while assuring me that once the swelling in the cervical spine decreased, so would the symptoms in my left wrist.

I left out the "I'm really, really cranky," as I didn't feel that admission would further the cause of world peace.

When the nurse patiently informed me that "of course" the spinal epidurals won't treat a wrist problem because they are prescribed to treat the spinal issues, as if I were the village idiot, I asked her what she recommends I do about my wrist pain.

"Well," she replied, "I think you need to see (drum roll) a hand specialist! Why don't I check his schedule and see when he can consult on the hand while we continue to treat the spinal issues?"

Yep, it was that easy. I have an appointment to see the hand specialist Oct. 18. When I asked the nurse if she can annotate the appointment "Do NOT cancel," she said, "Oh, we wouldn't do that unless it's an emergency, and we always call and notify the patient first."

Right. And we don't treat a lump in the wrist with spinal epidurals either, do we?