The Finger

My finger is not broken!  I went to the doctor's office around lunch yesterday.  5 minutes of paperwork, 20 minutes of waiting, 5 minutes of talking ot his PA, 1 minute of xrays (3), a few more minutes of waiting, then a few minutes with the doctor, and then I was out of there -- all in less than an hour!  My kind of doctor's appointment! 

So according to the doc, the xrays look great.  Bones are all perfectly normal and where they belong.  No chips or anything, and no arthritis (hmmm, I've been a knuckle-cracker for years!). 

He said he's surprised it's still so swollen and painful now, after 8 weeks of waiting.  He said no more splint or buddy taping (but he said that was a good idea initially, thanks Bella!).  He said at this point, that will decrease mobility in the joint. 

It's apparently several ligaments on the inside of my index finger that are torn.  He said frequently when ligaments like that tear, there can be a chip of the bone removed in the process, but that didn't happen to me. 

I'm supposed to compress it with athletic tape (or vet tape he said, interesting...).  Not to the point that it's too tight to bend or causing pain, but enough to hopefully reduce the swelling in the next few weeks.

Bottom line is that he thinks it will be painful for another month or two, and may remain swollen and unbalanced in appearance for even longer, but all that matters:

No surgery
No inability to type
No limitations on motion or exercise (stop if it hurts)
Full recovery expected! 

Whew!