Carpel Tunnel Surgery

    Today, Jarrad and I woke up at 4:30 so that he could take a shower with a special antibacterial soap that he was given by the surgical center.  It is supposed to cut down on infection.
   Ok.
   49%  of paraplegics suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome.  Most of the time, it is because of repeated motion stress that comes with pushing the chair as well as transfers.  There are certain things that can be done to help - padded gloves, wrist braces at night, tendon gliding exercises, cortisone shots, canting your wheels for easier pushes and Natural-Fit handrims, again for easier pushes (which equals less stress), heat and ice treatment to reduce swelling . . . 
   BUT
   You can still have carpal tunnel symptoms.
   Jarrad always thought he might have to have the surgery as both of his parents did but being paralyzed certainly sped up the time table he was anticipating.  We were in acute rehab when he started having tingling and numbness in his hands.  First, it was wrist braces and tendon gliding exercises.  He wore the braces every night and preformed the exercises religiously.  Then he got the cortisone shots and that was wonderful.  Those original shots lasted about 8 months.  He had his wheels canted and the Natural-Fit handrims on his chair.
    When the shots started to wear off, we looked at our options.  We had hoped that the exercises would have helped and we think it did because when we went to the doctor for another shot, he was surprised that the first ones lasted as long as they did.  According to him, they usually last at most 6 months and that is on non paras.  So I think that all the other things that we did helped to prolong the effects of that initial shot.
    So we went to the doctor to get a 2nd shot.  By the way, the second shot didn't last as long - about 5 months this time.  We were kind of nervous but the doctor we went to see was amazing!  He really took time to listen to us and answer questions.  Sometimes, doctors are brusque; this one had a fabulous bedside manner.  We even saw examples of his work on one of the nurses.  Such a tiny little scar.
    Because of our situation (aka paraplegia), he recommended one of his colleagues who does endoscopic surgery.  This would move the incision site to above the wrist and be much smaller and have less scaring.  We opted for that procedure.
     Now we are in the present.  Wake up at 4:30, shower, drive to the surgical center for an 8:00 surgery that doesn't happen because the surgical tool (one use thing) didn't arrive on time so it was 10:30 by the time surgery happened.  It lasted about 30 minutes and went "extremely well"  the doctor said with pleased inflection.
    And now, Jarrad is sleeping off the effects of whatever drugs he was given and will, hopefully, wake up with less pain in his wrists.
    Now, this post is to (hopefully) help someone else who might be looking at getting this done.
So some things random things to think about:
1.  We did consider doing both wrists at the same time.  Apparently, this doctor did do it for another paraplegic BUT she was a small woman and her husband was going to be lifting her.  Also, non paras usually do one wrist at a time.
2. If moving your partner into a minivan, bring a heavy duty garbage bag or something slippery to place on the seat after surgery so that it is easier on you to shift him or her around in the seat.
     If I think of anything else that we learned with this experience, I will add it.  By the way, Jarrad just woke up after sleeping all afternoon (oh, the luxury!) and said his wrist is feeling better!