I mount a chronic fist-o

Went to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda today to meet a National Naval Hand Specialist, a congenial Captain from the old school, by which I mean he had real trouble trying to figure out how his computer works. Instead of ejecting my CD, he hit the 'off' button.
He's not sure what's going on -- still have the pain when I press my hand back (like sitting on the edge of a swimming pool), with occasional sharp, snaring pain, as if the muscle in the back of my hand had gotten snagged on barbed wire. Happened this morning when I was performing that most difficult and challenging feat of strength and dexterity: drying off in the shower.
He saw a discoloration in one of the images that makes him think that the cartilage around the joint has worn down. It's not a big joint, doesn't move that much, but being damaged may cause the pain. Wants me on high-dose Ibuprofen for 4-6 weeks before contemplating computerized x-rays for more clarity, with surgery/bone graphs/pins/amputation all options down the road.

The offending medicarpus. Or whatever.

In the diagnosive notes he printed out for me, he wrote that we "can't rule out narrowing od [sic] 3rd CMCJ with presence of a 3x3mm subchondral cyst," and I would certainly agree.

But look who loves his wife so much he won't take off his ring even for x-rays.