I had surgery two weeks ago, to the day, and have a few things to say:

1. Your whole arm and shoulder will be numb for about 12 hours, longer than they say, and the Vicoden may make you nauseated, so don't take too much. I took a half-pill every four hours, and it was more than I needed. My finger area was numb for days afterwards, anyway. You won't feel normal till at least 24 hours after surgery.
2. Get a second pillow in bed to rest your forearm on so the cast will stay elevated while you sleep.
3. Get a cushion on your desk, since your elbow will get sore from all the leaning on it.
4. Put a kitchen garbage bag over your hand and cut off the part that hangs below the elbow, then slip a tight elastic band down to your mid-forearm for a simple shower cover. Keep that hand elevated in shower too.
4. A week after surgery, your cast will come off and you will feel pressured to move your hand a lot -- to make a fist and stretch out and to get PT immediately. This is overhyped. Use common sense. Your hand will be swollen and making a fist can be impossible. And doing so will tear at your stitches. My stitches ripped at my pinky, and I got less mobility not more over the next few days. I refused PT the next day except for minor movement, and my therapist was a snide witch about it, refusing to confront the fact that I was getting worse due to their overaggressive moves. I left early. No one is more concerned with your own recovery than you. Stick up for yourself if you feel you are being ask to do TOO MUCH TOO SOON. I waited till my stitches came out, 13 days post-surgery, to push it again. I got iodine capsules to use on two remaining open split areas after the stitches come out. The grooves look deep, because the skin is thick, but the area fills in slowly and scabs up. The delicate balance is moving it just enough for mobility without tearing at the virgin skin hoping to grow in. I am doing rehab on my own now, at a rational rate, not following the PT cookie cutter advice to "make a fist and extend fingers ten times every hour." They made me a good night splint at PT, however, which I use. I will find another PT place if I need it over the next couple of weeks. I got another script for one. But I don't like the prison-guard mentality by some frustrated wanna-be doctors at PT.

Edited 12/28/12 01:58

Dave, something else to remind that bossy PT guy, from the Side Effect section:

"It might be worth noting that a comparison of a postoperatively treated group of patients with a not treated group did not reveal significant differences. H. Herweijer et al. "Postoperative hand therapy in Dupuytren's disease" (Disabil Rehabil. 2007 Nov 30;29(22):1736-41 abstract). "Given the lack of differences in outcomes between patients correctly referred and patients incorrectly not referred, postoperative hand therapy in Dupuytren's disease should be reconsidered."

Easy to commit the false-cause fallacy over PT, attributing too much to it. People will have different outcomes after surgeries even if they did the exact same PT. I'm trying to work my hand back into my normal lifestyle as fast as I can anyway, with the occasional maximum finger stretch and then fist. Nice & easy does it.

That's great, Callie, that you had a full recovery post-surgery for 11 years.

People imagine helping their wound heal after surgery with all their wonderful tricks -- I imagined using aloe vera gel, Neosporin, breaking vit. E capsules, and so on. But my doctor's office forbade it until the skin heals. They said only use a saline solution and then iodine before applying the dressing. I guess some people cake on the Neosporin, and it builds up, traps bacteria, and thwarts the natural healing process. My skin is dry so I have been cheating with aloe vera gel so far, partly based on my life experience with cuts. It absorbs into the skin too. That may come as a shock to some people -- nothing but iodine. (My hand doctor did a great job with the surgery and has a good rep, so I trust the advice from his office.)

Once the little scabs fall off, I intend to use creams. I found that the lip balm Carmex, with beeswax, helps with such things, and is easy to apply in those little applicator tubes.

PS I heard that those who have DS tend to be above average in looks and intelligence. Judging from this forum, that could be true.