Hi all - long time semi-lurker here -

Just got back from seeing The Hand Doctor. Dr. Hand says it's time for
more surgery. She wants to fuse my "MP" joint - the middle one, where
the hand/thumb divide.

The MP joint bones in my thumb are so worn down, & my ligaments are so
loose, that I can't keep the thumb from "collapsing".  Imagine you're
trying to hold a cup, and suddenly your thumb is sticking out to hitch
hike.

She wants to fuse the joint - put it in one position & fasten it that
way, so it won't move.

She said a normal person's joints get "50 miles of use" in a lifetime.

She said "yours get one..." and I was waiting for "hundred".

She said "...thousand."

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

Didn't see this one coming. Gotta wrap my head around it.

The work she did 18 months ago rebuilding the basal joint (down by the
wrist) is still good. I could do almost anything by moving the tip of my
thumb & the basal joint, and I wouldn't have the pain & the dropping of
things I have now.

Of course I'm right handed.

The left side will be in the same shape someday (she's told me so).

Anybody have a fused MP joint? With or without a rebuilt basal joint?
How's that working for you?

/Beth (Call me "Lefty")