Miss Alice Bremner-Smith 2023-08-18 Person 5 5 0

I have had problems with my hands since 2005 [Trigger fingers, Trigger Thumb, Carpel tunnel] and have had two hand operations. Hand problems are wretched: we take our hands for granted and don't realize how much we rely on nimble and flexible fingers until something goes wrong. A year ago, I had De Quervains' Disease diagnosed in my right wrist. First Hand Consultant, [male] didn't bother too much to get to the bottom of the problem. After an X Ray and a Cortisone injections, he pronounced I needed surgery. I asked for a second opinion and was referred to Alice Bremner Smith. I liked her calm and slightly reserved manner. I was very reluctant to have surgery because of the long rehabilitation required. Nevertheless, the pain was constant and interfering with every aspect of my life. Alice took on board my reluctance to have surgery: she referred me to a wonderful hand therapist and suggested another Cortisone injection. Alas, by March 2023, it was clear the De Quervains was back and the only option was surgery. Again, Alice listened to my requests, agreed to do the operation under Local Anaesthetic at The Lister which was my choice of hospital. In fact, she came in specially to operate on me. I also appreciated her visit to me before the op: she sat in the room with me and explained why she wanted to perform the surgery and yet she didn't bully me into it. Two weeks after the surgery, I had bad nerve irritation from the dressing and Alice came to The Lister to change the dressing to something less irritating to the sensitive nerve. Again, I was enormously grateful as this was the Thursday before the Easter Weekend and changing dressings is not really what a highly qualified hand surgeon is supposed to do. Best of all, Alice referred me to another excellent hand therapist who guided me through the rehabilitation period. I could not believe it when I stepped on a tennis Court in May and was able to use the racket with no pain. I also couldn't believe that I now have no pain at all in using a computer keyboard, chopping vegetables, putting on makeup, holding a pen, and using a mobile phone. I cannot even remember the ferocious stab of wrist pain which used to accompany every hand movement from turning the pages of a book to lifting the kettle. It really does seem a distant memory! Given that I had had the De Quervains for over a year, the result post-surgery is better than I or my physiotherapist ever expected.