On Easter Sunday I hurt my right hand. I thought I had broken it, but I did not. I had my hand and wrist x-rayed. The x-ray showed that I have very bad tendonitis in it, and my rheumatoid arthritis is worse. The ER nurse put a strange splint on my hand and it goes from my thumb and around the bottom part of my fingers all the way up my arm almost to my elbow. I'm instructed to keep this on for a week or longer.
Two of my three siblings know about my injury and they both told me that I can figure out how to take care of Mom and my needs. I am right handed by nature not left handed.
Can anyone please help me figure out how to do the dishes, laundry, folding the laundry and cooking with one hand? I'm not allowed to get this splint wet and I'm not allowed to use my right hand, even though I have too sometimes.
Also, if someone could give me some tips on how I can pull down Mom's open toed compression stockings and put on her socks with one hand, that would be great also. Mom had both of her knees replaced years ago and she is unable to bend her knees to do this herself.
Thank you all in advance.
Due to my situation I endured during this past Easter, I had no other choice but to take my splint/brace off of my right hand and deal with Momma and her issues daily. Not everyone can do this. I wish you chandraclaws all the best of luck with your situation and I hope that your hand heals as well as I hope your Dad sees that you are in pain and that you too also needs help.
I was hoping this would have been the eye opener to my parents that they needed to call outside help. Nope, they would wait until I was 100% heal and then go to all those doctor appointments, hair cuts, etc. Oh lucky me. They are still waiting.
@blannie: My brother lives a hour and a half away, he's the closest. The other sisters are further away. They have busy lives of their own and they don't have time for their mother or their youngest sister.
My siblings don't want to spend any of their money on us.
Your right though, my siblings are certainly of no help!!!
Use smaller containers that you can lift with one hand while cooking and doing dishes. You could also put a garbage bag around your bad hand (to keep it dry) and use it for stability while handling dishes, etc.
Your siblings are certainly of no help! Do they live locally? I'd be ticked at them in a major way if this is all they're offering by way of help.
You could also look at getting help for a week if you can't manage on your own. Would your siblings pay for someone to come in to get mom dressed and dishes washed, etc? That's another option.
For bathing I wrapped the splint in a plastic bag and taped it tightly shut so I could take a shower holding the splint arm up. I tried to bathe in the sink, forgetaboutit.
As for your Mom and her compression stockings, there isn't anything you can do unless you want to re-damage your right hand as those stockings are tough to put on. Could your Mom go without for awhile? Or maybe one of those siblings who said that you could figure it all out, could give you some suggestions or actually come over to help.