Making a spoon might not be the biggest deal in the world, but it is when you have had thumb pain for 9 months. All of that digging against the grain and gripping is no easy task when your squeeze is reduced to a squish. Those of you with thumb and hand pain can relate. And yes, it finally got better.
Trust me, I had my doubts and thought I may never get relief, but I did. I have treated this carpo-metacarple joint (where the thumb meets the wrist) in many people over the years. I had no idea how much a thumb could hurt or how often. My patients have been unable to open jars, pull up their yoga pants, grip their ski poles, pull a trigger or shake the hand of a new acquaintance. Never has anyone said they couldn’t make a spoon. Never did I think it would be me.
I am feeling so much success and pride in my little spoon. A friend and I made them this past weekend at the HA brewing company with honeysuckle and mud. Appreciation came easy as I enjoyed something I feared I had lost, using my hands. That’s a big loss for a chiropractor. Each time I use my elk hoof spoon to scoop my coffee, or bath salt or tapenade my heart will be jumping up and down in delight.
How did I get better, you might ask? Well, for me, a combination of things. Self-prescribed self-care, diet, chiropractic, yoga, hand exercises, belief and trusting the healing process and a few more things in my doctor bag and clinic. Mostly, determination and paying attention. For you, the combination of care and treatment might be different. I am willing to help, because I understand the pain and know some treatments for healing.
If your grip is weak and you are going against the grain of pain… and you want to make a spoon… I would be happy to help. Maybe we can celebrate our relief together…with tapenade.
Dr. Erika Putnam