Lonewolf Online

Finally Out of Plaster (Again!)

Monday 29th October 2007  

In my recent wrist operation to stabilize my distal radial ulnar joint, I had a ligament reconstruction and tendon graft about six weeks ago. I have had an above elbow plaster for 4 weeks, which was followed by a normal below elbow plaster for a further two weeks. Today I saw the consultant who is very pleased with my recovery so far and has given me a splint and referred me to physiotherapy for continued rehabilitation.

I still can’t do anything with my wrist, it’ll be another 4-6 weeks before the tendons have healed enough to allow me to carry anything or turn my wrist fully. Having only been out of plaster a few hours, my wrist is feeling very vulnerable and painful, and so stiff I can hardly move it. Instead I must do special wrist excesses 10 times a day for the next week, avoiding putting any stress on the ligament repair or tendon graft. Its at the stage now where I need to get it moving otherwise it will never be right, but also its at a very delicate stage - too much too soon will break it. I just have to continue to take it easy until I see the consultant in another 4 weeks time. At least I can wash it now!

During surgery they went back into my wrist through the existing scar (which they trimmed back and made a lot neater) and through a new scar on the back of my wrist.

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This post is filed under Car Crash, Injury and Recovery by Lonewolf at 10:41pm

Still in Plaster…

Monday 22nd October 2007  

…But only one more week to go! Its been five weeks, and the plaster is starting to get on my nerves, itching underneath, joints painful and stiff, and to top it off I have the flu.

Haven’t done any astronomy as its been cloudy or misty lately, but I am about to start an Astrobiology course with the University of Central Lancashire, taught via distance learning in the same way as the Astronomy course. Should be interesting and i’m looking forward to starting.

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This post is filed under Astronomy, Car Crash, Injury and Recovery by Lonewolf at 7:55am

Harvest Moon Rising

Thursday 27th September 2007  

Time for a quick update, the pain and swelling from my wrist operation are subsiding now which is good, and i’m sleeping better at night which is also good. Central heating has been broken all week, and last night was particularly cold. The cold doesn’t usually bother me, but this morning my fingers on be bad arm were freezing cold! They’re ok now though.

Last night was the Harvest Moon, so called because its brightness and high position in the sky mean that farmers can stay out well into the night to continue gathering the crops. Early evening, the Harvest moon is typically very orange, due to the Earths atmosphere, and last nights was no exception. Unfortunately I missed the shot I was hoping for (stupid clouds getting in the way) but I was able to get this one a bit later on. Still orange, but not as much as when it was touching the trees.

A few nights ago I was able to get my baby telescope (StarTravel 102) out to view the three quarter moon. My dad helped me out with all the equipment and I was able to take a few pictures through it at prime focus. The pictures never look as good on screen as they do through the eyepiece, I was a little disappointed with them as they just look ‘flat’. If anybody gets the chance to look at the moon through a telescope - do it! It is totally different than looking at pictures, or even binoculars.

Finally, I would like to thank my new laptop (HP TX1250 Entertainment Tablet) for helping me write this post! - My operation makes typing a little difficult and slow, but my new laptop has a swivel screen, making it a tablet with touch sensitive screen and with Vista’s handwriting recognition I can write reasonably fast.

 

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This post is filed under Astrophotography, Car Crash, Injury and Recovery, Computers by Lonewolf at 12:17pm

Back home from Hospital

Saturday 22nd September 2007  

I’m back home from Hospital now. I don’t know a great deal about the operation to fix the instability in my distal radial-ulnar joint (DRUJ), only that it went as well as could be expected and they are confidant of a significant improvement in the stability of my wrist. My arm is in plaster from my fingers to above my elbow, which is a lot less mobility than last time. I am currently taking a lot of pain killers which just about manage the pain, and I have a sore throat from the tracheal tube used to help me breathe during the operation. All of this should pass in a few days.

The plaster will stay on for four weeks, then I will have another one which will be below my elbow. In between then I will also have to have the stitches taken out.

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This post is filed under Car Crash, Injury and Recovery by Lonewolf at 9:12am

There’s a 5 o’clock in the morning?

Wednesday 19th September 2007  

Today is the day of my final wrist op where they are going to graft in some tendons in order to reconstruct my wrist joint. Following from a car crash I was an innocent victim of last year, I have been left with a instablilty of my left radial-ulnar joint. Back in May I had a wrist arthoscopy to determine the cause of the instablilty and hopefully today it will be fixed. I believe that the procedure being used is a palmaris longus tendon graft, as outlined in this article: Hand Case of the Week. I don’t know for sure if thats what is going to happen, but it sounds very similar.

Following the operation I will be in a plaster cast for about 4-6 weeks, from above my elbow to my fingers, and then there will be lots more physiotherapy.

Well, I have to go to the hospital now (6 o’clock AM), I’ll try and post again when I get back home in a few days.

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This post is filed under Car Crash, Injury and Recovery by Lonewolf at 6:24am

Skywatcher StarTravel 102 EQ1

Thursday 7th June 2007  

I have just bought another telescope, this time a short tube refractor. I had been thinking of getting something smaller than my 200mm Newtonian (also Skywatcher) for two reasons: Firstly, following the car crash that I was a victim of last year, I have been unable to carry heavy objects in my left hand, nor have I got a great deal of dexterity in my left wrist. The large Newtonian and HEQ5 mount proved to be a little tricky to setup, align and use. Secondly I have been thinking about getting a small scope for solar use, but was undecided about whether to get a telescope, spotting scope or another camera lens. I was browsing the net when I found this little telescope, and it seemed to be ideal. I know its not going to be as good for deep space objects (my main interest), but with all the light pollution around my area I was having a lot of trouble locating them anyway.

This telescope is much lighter and I can just about lift the mount and tripod with only by bad wrist (without counter balance or OTA attached). This will allow me to continue to explore my astronomy while my wrist is healing (I am still waiting for a corrective operation). The main targets for this scope will be The Sun, The Moon, Saturn (may be too late this year), Jupiter and Mars, and I will also be attempting some globular clusters as well.

While I had my wallet out I also purchased my first set of filters: Antares 11, 12, 15, 21, 23A, 56, 80A colored set, a variable polarizer and a light pollution filter. I also purchased a Thousand Oaks glass solar filter, which should enable me to get some great solar photographs.

Sometime before winter I will be upgrading my HEQ5 with a SynScan kit, which will hopefully find the deep space objects for me! I can use this new telescope as a guide scope and with a long camera exposure I should be able to capture some good deep space objects (that’s the plan!!).

Now all I need is some clear skies!!!!!

 

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This post is filed under Astronomy, Car Crash, Injury and Recovery by Lonewolf at 6:48pm