Trigger Finger Surgery

My doc said trigger finger surgery would be "15 minutes in and out, drive in and drive home." I felt unprepared for how I feel now. It is my first day after surgery. My hand can't open fully - well the trigger finger can't. It was sore at the base of the finger before surgery but nothing like this. Now it is too painful to straighten. Now I'm worried there will be some permanent stiffness. I wanted it done and full recovery before open heart surgery in one month. I was the last case on Friday. Waited an hour after local anesthetic injection before the procedure and I think it was wearing off when they started. I could feel the incision and the stitches and some painful pressure. I really thought I'd be out weeding the garden today from the way my doctor talked about this. If I feel like it will be OK and not permanently stiff and painful I can get through this. I see others were not prepared by their doctors either. It's like he was describing his own experience there, not mine. This pain and all the restrictions about not getting wet and icing, etc is just way different than I expected. Have some of you had this pain in the trigger finger and still healed and been perfectly functioning within a couple months? I don;t know if I should be pushing it to lie flat or let it heal some first. They said they'd call me the next day to see how I was - but it turns out to be Saturday - no call til Monday. My doctor knew I had only 1 month before heart surgery. He said I'd have perfect functioning of my finger.

I gave had several trigger finger releases. It is not a long recovery, but not immediate either. One day, and still stiff is not unusual in my experience. Keep flowing the drs instructions and elevation and do not panic yet. Give yourself some time to heal.

PS No, I am ice-ing. Just not getting the bandage wet. And yes - taking ibuprofen - and vicadin at night. Feeling better over all today but that finger still won't straighten.