Sometimes functions that had been lost return- almost

When I first had any problem related to PTS or AN, whatever you want to call it, it was my right hand that was impacted. At the time, everyone thought this was a simple case of Anterior Interosseous Nerve Syndrome. The only problem was that I had not had any of the common triggers of this syndrome. I thought my doctors had the diagnosis nailed down. After all, they were hand experts. Of course, now looking back, it bothers me that none of the experts ever listened to me when I told them that it all started in my upper arm. I tried to give them clues even then, and even though I did not really know what clue I was trying to give.

Out of the blue, I have this very rare problem that seems to have rendered my right hand almost useless. I say almost, because it was still OK for things that did not require any finesse. I could not pick up a pen, and even if I could pick one up, I could not write at first. It took me a bit of experimentation to find a way to hold a pen, and then a bit of practice to relearn the wrong way to write- simply by moving my entire hand instead of holding the pen, and making use of the finger tips to control making the letters flow.

From earlier posts, I have mentioned that I was constantly keeping my hands and fingers of my right hand in motion. Part of this included trying to hold things with my thumb and index finger. Early on, I was not successful holding anything. I could barely hold my thumb and index finger together tightly enough to do any movement. Over time, this changed and I could get them to hold together and even bring them from the flattened finger pinch back into a more standard O. At that point I started to try that exercise with a pencil between my fingers. My doctors all thought I would never regain use of my hand without surgery, so I had a lot of incentive to prove them wrong.

I eventually had some return of my index finger movement. Shortly after that, I started to hold the pen or pencils between my index finger and thumb, and with my left hand, I would grab the pencil and move the tip while I tried to keep hold it with my almost useless finger tips. Over time, I could hold on with more strength. On occasion I would try to hold the pencil or pen down against paper. Usually, this action caused one thing to happen. That would be the pen or pencil flipping away from me. Eventually, I could hold the pen in contact with the paper, and I would try the next step; to move the pen against paper. And of course, that would flip the pen out of my hand. After a while doing this, and also trying to hold the pen as my left hand pushed and pulled it, I finally could move the pen against paper again. Then it was like trying to learn to write again.

The initial attempts look just like that. I could not even read what I was trying to write. But, now all these years later I can use a pen pencil right handed, for short use anyway. I could never write anything like this document by hand. Even writing out a check at a store I can lose my grip and drop the pen. But, generally I have enough strength to write short things- writing checks or short notes are OK. Much more, and I try to do it on computers and print it out.