I'm still recovering from having surgery done on both of my wrists and it's driving me nuts!! I went from baking like crazy through the fall and the holidays( birthdays, work, wilton courses) to nothing...and that includes tying my own shoes. Has anyone else had this done? How long did it take to get back to cakes? 
~Leslie~
Oh my god. I only had one hand done at a time. 
And I was helpless. I can't imagine both hands at the same time. If I remember correctly it was about 6 weeks before I could resume normal activities. Good news is my hands felt 100% better. Good luck. I feel for you
jo_ann---I had them done about 3 weeks apart, but, the second hand couldn't be done endoscopically, which was a LOT easier. It was a lot more recovery than I was expecting. 
Only my left could be done endoscopically. My right was so bad they cut. I have a scar from the base of my wrist to about the center of my palm. That one took longer to heal. I'm right handed and totally useless with my left. I use to pay all my bills and shop using checks. Well I couldn't even sign a check when I had my right hand done. My mother and even cashiers at the stores would sign my checks for me. Scary thing is the bank never questioned any of those checks. Now, I live in a tiny town and use a small community bank. I've gone to the debit card since then. Feel safer.
I haven't had that done, but I know that I really need to. My right hand is terrible and hurts like crazy after I decorate for a while. After the last wedding cake that I did, I had to keep my wrist on ice for a whole day. It hurt really bad. I've also noticed that when I squeeze the icing bags, my right hand will shake, so I've been having to steady my right hand with my left to keep it from shaking...which results in wavy lines. I'm concerned because I can't do anything with my left hand. My mother has had both of her hands done as well as my brother. They each had both hands done at the same time. That was rough for both of them.
Good luck with the cakes.
Wanda
Wandootie-- My right fingertips had started to lose feeling which could've resulted in permanent nerve damage. I wish I hadn't waited so long to have this done, but it seems to be coming back. I recommend to everyone to have it done sooner rather than later. I also found a plastic surgeon that does these surgeries and, I must say, the scars are almost unnoticable.
everybody's healing time is different (in a former life i'm an occupational therapist). do you smoke? that can slow healing, don't do anything against you doctors orders- don't try to start too soon, if you feel like you aren't progressing well, therapy may help. give yoourself at least 6-8 weeks, that tends to be the average. good luck
I'm a nonsmoker and I'm seeing an OT. He just lectured me about some returning numbness and doing too much too soon. If he saw the condition of my house, he'd know I'm not doing much 
I know I was pushing the limit in regards to CT syndrome...I started wearing a roller blading brace at night and sometimes when I decorated. As it had a rigid component, it did the trick for me as it held my wrist still. That was about three years ago. It is something I always warn my students about when filling their bags to full.
lesisalwaysmore--
I had the exact same surgery last January 28th, 2005. Got back into decorating slowly by March. Kept orders low and simple designs only. My hands kind of fatigued easily, but by May I was running full steam.
I had to stop decorating from November 2004 until my surgery in Jan. 2005. I don't regret doing both at the same time. The only problems I had were that I couldn't pull up my own pants for about a week and I couldn't turn doorknobs. My husband threatened that if I got sassy, he was going to close ALL the doors in the house. My first try at cake decorating was to make a cake for the doctor's office after 6 weeks.
Did you have your surgery endocopically? That's the way I did. The doc sid he wanted me to use my hands, not baby them. But don't pick up anything over 5 lbs. I use to work with handicap children providing physical therapy. That was where I had the most trouble. Couldn't really hold them up or put my hands in awkward position for about 3 months.
Mac-
My right was endoscopic, my left he had to open up after he got in there and couldn't see well enough. He said it happens about 1 in 200 cases, I was unlucky enough to be the 1. I'm definitely glad I had them done, I just wasn't prepared for any complications. I'm back to regular living and a little decorating, but the OT wants to give it another 2 or 3 weeks taking it easy. When you don't feel physically restricted, it's hard to know what's too much... it's just hard playing the waiting game, that's all...
I don't know that I have CT, but I do definitely have arthritis! I've already had joint replacement surgery on my right shoulder, and am facing having both knees done (I've been too chicken to go ahead with that!)
My hands give me fits with the icing bags, so I found a tool called "Easy Icer" that helps me a lot...it is a cartridge system and has a lever on it that lets me put pressure on with my four fingers, or with my thumb (which I try not to do because it hurts so much!)
Easy Icers are from England, I ordered from www.almondart.com, and my son got me a second one from eBay. If you want to look, you can also do a Google search for Easy Icer and get some info there. It is a little pricey, but sure helps me alot!
Janice
I have already started showing signs of CT at the age of 23 Decorating sure does take it out of you.... well and I work full time in a field commonly worked by men so the tools and equipment are not made for smaller hands like mine.
I went to a doctor and they told me that their wasn't much I could do but take an easy. I then happen to mention something to my chiro and she was able to help me so much more. I regularly go in for adjustments to keep everything else inline and help keep the blood flowing. She also gave me an easy excercise I do in the car. I have a rubberband wrapped around my fingers (about the first knuckle down) and just open up my hand. As I get better at it I get stronger rubberbands. I was told this helps the circulation in your wrist.
I also found out that part of my problem is that when I started decorating I have a tendency to dislocate my thumb (although I never had this tendency before.) It doesn't pop or anything when it does it... It seems to gradually work itself out of place. So my chiro also checks this everytime I go in. I found out this was one of my main pains-it just happen to have very simliar side effects to CT.
I hope some of this helps others to keep from getting to surgery. My chiro is working with me to keep me from getting to that point, although she seems to suggest unless I stop working and enjoying my hobby then I am on the right path to surgery.... So i guess I better start saving some money HAHA.
Leily
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