[Marilyn]

Gina, so sorry you are going through this. I have the same problem and wear wrist splints at night. My right side is worse than the left, and my whole arm will go numb and become very painful. I thought for sure it was my neck, that I had a nerve that was getting pinched when I sleep. They did a nerve study in January, and it was determined to be carpel tunnel. I couldn't believe that a pinched nerve in my hand could hurt all the way to my shoulder until the first night I wore the splints. I slept through the night without pain or numbness. Not all nights are so good. I still have problems. I had an appointment with a surgeon on January 18th, but got a stomach virus that day and did not get to see him. I haven't gotten around to rescheduling the appointment, and will wait now to have the surgery until after Melissa's wedding.

There is a type of surgery now that they do with minimal incision, and that's the kind I want. I'm going to the best hand surgeon in our area, and if he can't do that procedure, I'm going to Houston. They say you can have it done with no stitches and be back up and going very quickly.

I've researched it on line, and if they do the longer incision, people complain that the incision bothers them for some time, and I can see how it would on your hands. You use them so much and have them in and out of water all the time.

Hope you get better, and if you have to have the surgery, that it goes well!!