Almost the End of the Wounded Wrist Chronicle @ Orthopaedic Surgery (Khoo Teck Puat Hospital)

My family doctor was of the professional opinion i should be referred to an orthopaedic specialist in my recent review. He strongly felt that six months are sufficient evidence to confirm that drugs (whether induced or topical) are no longer able to help me alleviate the wrist pain.

And here i am today; Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH).

Although KTPH has been in operation at Yishun for the past two years, today is the first time i am actually using the facilities! Not that i hope to visit it very often.....

Compared to other public and even private hospitals, I was impressed with KTPH focus on its major stakeholders; patients like me. The environment was very comfortable and there were little pockets of tender loving care like porcelain cups to hold the 3-in-1 coffee.

There's even a self operated blood pressure measuring machine (my BP was thankfully in the normal range)! Of course i like the provision of all the above but as a citizen who is facing increasingly high medical bills, i wonder if they are really necessary.

Damn, i have digressed too much from the topic!

Dr Vaikunthan, Senior Consultant for Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, is the specialist assigned to my case. It took him only one glance at the still-slightly-inflammed wrist and some questions before he dropped the bomb on me.

A surgery is unavoidable - it has been a good six months, there is a consistent clicking sound whenever i attempted to stretch my thumb and steroid injection would only temporarily arrest the pain. According to the doctor, it would be a simple day surgery under local anaesthesia (LA).

Frustration of being unable to fully utilise my left wrist eventually made the decision for me; I have signed the consent form for an operation scheduled in mid-June.

This means there would be another post on this problematic never-ending ailment!