Why Surgery?

This is all due to osteo-arthritis, specifically Ehlers-Danlos, which also accounts for the very loose joints. Various joints have been bad at different times. However, where the pain in other joints will come and go, my hands have gotten progressively worse, especially over the last 5 yrs. I've worn braces, had injections of cortisone and Syn-Visc, I've tried Celebrex, Glucosamine-Chondroitin, and all the over-the-counter rubs and patches. If I wanted to keep working I had to have surgery. For that matter, if I wanted to pick up the puppy, garden, or do most anything else.