Last night I slept well, having taken a Tramadol around 11 p. m. I wrapped my forearm with ice and took it off after a short time. When I awoke, my fingers were completely nimble but there was still some residual numbness which should go away as the median nerve heals. The base of my hand feels like I caught a baseball without a glove on.
After riding and showering, it was time for the big moment. Off came the bandage. First came an ace bandage, then layers and layers of what looked like cotton. The last bit was some small bits of gauze over the wound.
The incision is about twice the width I was expecting. Judging from the bruises on my wrist above the incision, I am guessing that the doctor needed to fish around for a clear path to the ligament.
The surgeon closed the wound with three stitches. I was expecting to put a regular band-aid over the wound but I clearly needed something bigger. Fortunately, I had a perfectly sized flexible mega-band-aid. I put it on right after taking a much-needed shower.
I’ll be taking pain meds and icing the area on and off until next Tuesday when I go for my post-op appointment. I suspect the stitches will come out then.
A Few Spokes Shy of a Wheel 
Maybe you can get a job with the Cleveland Clinic. You describe things well and the photos are great. Everything looks good. As they would say “The wound is well approximated”.
Seems kind of exactimated to me. In any case, no sign of infection. My hand strength continues to improve.
But was your shower a real shower as it was before the bandage came off? Or did you no longer fear wetting the bandage because you knew it was coming off anyway? Either way a success.
I took the surgical bandage off and showered as usual but with care not to disturb the stitches. I put the big bandaid on after drying the area.
Sounds like the healing is continuing nicely! Keep being a good patient!
Thanks, K. Looks like I’ll get out of shoveling snow next week. 😉
Good timing!
Best wishes for your recovery!
Thanks. Another couple of week should do it.
Hope so?
!