Getting old

OK, I'm only 49 years old. But I have apparently reached the age at which injuries are subtle and harder to resolve. Saturday I woke up and could not feel parts of my left thumb. I thought I probably slept on it wrong and tried to shake it "awake". No luck. Some of the feeling came back later in the day but the numbness continued through today.

A quick check on the internet showed numbness in the thumb to be a common symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Since I've spent the last 40 years working eight hours a day or more at one sort of keyboard or another, this is not surprising. I've never had the severe pains people with CTS can experience, but at various times in the past I've worn wrist braces to cut down on the sharp pains that run up into the shoulders. It just seemed odd to be happening now since I do less keystroking than ever and I mouse with my right hand.

Today I left work early and went to my doctor. Instead of just concentrating on my thumb, as I had been doing all weekend, she started pressing different parts of my hand. That nearly sent me through the ceiling in pain when she touched the soft area between my thumb and finger. I never bothered thinking about, much less touching that area all weekend long. Now I know why!

"You've just earned yourself a wrist Xray," she said and off I went to get radiated.

Turns out the bones are fine, but I have a torn ligament. Something with the lovely moniker, "De Quervain's Tenosynovitis". Solution: a butt-ugly hard plastic splint to keep my thumb in one place and a series of exercises help move the ligament back into place. Should be healed in about a week.

Apparently I did something on Friday to tear the thing. I just can't remember. On the other hand, I'm often moving or stretching or picking something up in a way that is painful and that I forget about two seconds later. I consider it just another joy of age. Things just aren't that easy any more and it's painful to do stuff I used to do without any stress. Evidently I still don't think about it at all, but the consequences are longer lasting!

And the final insult: there's no quick fix for this. Just more work and awkwardness. That about sums up age, I think: More work and awkwardness. It isn't pretty, but it could be far worse.

I'm not writing to complain, either, just noting how terribly boring and uneventful everyday life can be. Even the injuries are boring and uninspiring! I wouldn't have it any other way.