Will Noses be the End of Me?

Well, I suppose most of my news is pretty good.  The cortisone shot seems to be helping my thumb.  In the last several days, I've been able to pin and sew up two bear bodies that have been patiently waiting on my work table.  And today I even stuffed both of their heads!

Whenever I work, I am careful to wear my hand brace and to work slowly and for short periods of time.  The pain seems fairly under control, and, as long as I stretch my hands, fingers, and thumbs several times daily, my thumbs don't seem to get stuck in a bent position and snap painfully back into place.  So, in general, good news all around. 

Right now I'm just feeling frustrated because I was just working on embroidering the nose.  I finished the first layer, but then I had to stop.  The tip of my right thumb went completely NUMB!  (The left thumb tip is only mildly numb.)  Goodness, gracious.  When does this end?  So what did I do about it?  Like any self-respecting bear-maker, I got into the chocolate chip cookie dough my eldest daughter had just made!

I've been wondering if the bear noses were getting too rough on my hands and were part of the reason I've been having such trouble with my thumbs.  I'm afraid I now might have my answer.  Oh, it can't be!  What am I going to do?  I've had to stop so many things I love because of my stupid hands and this horrible disease called fibromyalgia.  I can't even bear to think about this now (no pun intended).  I'd better say good-bye for now--I'm getting too teary.  I have to go and find some way to stay positive.