Today I had endured enough pain from a wrist, the one with no cartilage left in the main wrist joints.   So what to do since I must use this wrist every day in work and it is getting painful:  Cortisone.

At least the inflamation is reduced and for 6 months there is much relief.   The stuff goes in with hypodermic needle, a nice fine one which fits nicely between the bones of the complicated wrist joint.  Lots of x-rays first, a nice touch by the very skilled doctor and he marks the spot on my wrist. Then the needle goes in, most of the way and then out some as the medicine is spread in the joint.

I had asked the nurse if it might be ok for me to take a photo. She was surprised and thought it morbid. Well, it is a reality in my life and perhaps worth recording.  I asked the doctor and he was fine with it, asking the nurse if she would take the photos.   All had a good time. : )

Really, bad as the full image looks(not shown) the needle was quite fine and fitted well. There was little if any pain.  

I will not post more graphic shots..this is personal and expensive!
I doubt this will start a run of cameras to the doctors clinic, yikes, I hope not.  A bit of my wrist shows, very little. The insertion is about in the middle of the top side of the wrist joint, just where the forearm and hand join.

So, here is my weird post for the season...TomDart.

Sorry to hear of this Tom.May God Blees you with good health to continmue to produc e masterpieces.
Regards
Christo

I can one-up you with my story. Sixteen years ago I had triple bypass surgery and I convinced the surgeon to arrange to take a number of photos of my heart during the operation, so I am one of few people who has seen his own heart, but don't worry, I have no intention of uploading those - LOL!

Thanks, Christo.   This is a continuing problem in my work but control is the answer it seems.

Whaleman, I have been TRIPLE UPPED....much more than one upped with my story.  :  )

As for taking a camera into a medical facility...
I have been in hospitals and clinics with a camera but not with it visible. I  have no intention of taking any photos unless quite private and approved as was mine here.   Many hopsitals have clearly posted camera prohibitions, something I certainly agree with in such personal situations.

Anyway, I did sleep last night with no pain in that wrist...yeah!.                 Tom.

I'm glad to hear yours worked and you are pain free! I had a cortisone shot, a year ago, in my foot for "Mortons Neuroma" and it immediately got worse! I was in severe pain for the better part of last year (hence no cross country skiing for me last winter). 
Funny thing is I had a cortisone shot several years ago for an injured knee and it worked great. I think the problem I have now is more of a nerve problem then a joint or cartilage problem, so the shot was not a good idea. And I'm not even squeemish about needles, but I will definitly be thinking twice about getting any more cortisone.

Well, my doctors will use cortisone only rarely, not any more often than every 6 mos in my wrist and in some tendinitis years ago wanted to wait a year to do any more.  They call it dipping into the well too often.  This stuff even when localized does affect the body system.    I can not take any sort of Prednisone even with its many uses since I over react and get much too antsy and jumpy, very uncomfortable.

All I suspect I am getting in the wrist joints is lessening of inflamation and frayed nerves in that area.  There is no healing, just pain control.

As for the photos, I was surprised the doctor was eager to do it.  The combinaion of him and the nurse with the camera was a miniature play of its own.  They actually enjoyed this different break from the norm.   I am not needle shy and was able to cooperate well for the "shoot", unorthodox as it might have been.        : )         Tom

The photo just shows where the injection was to be made. The reddish stuff is antiseptic, nothing more.

a true photographic addiction...you brought your camera to the doctors office..and took some shots

Yikes...Bruce, you might be right on.   What to do...get another camera?

ROFLMAO!!! Very punny Bruce!!!

Argh! Dude - I'm sorry!
Crushed my right knee and ankle cartilidge in college 15 years ago - wondering when it's going to flare up and I'll need to start something like that myself. Wow - I'd go insane - good luck!

-Lew ;-)