[Birdbrain]

I just looked up your carpometacarpal (CMC) arthroplasty. I'm no expert, but my radial arthroplasty was just one joint below your problem. My thumb felt fully functional by three or four months, at age 60. It was my picking hand, so there wasn't the repeated pressure on the back of the neck. But maybe that will lead you towards better technique. I've heard several guitarists advise that you should use the least pressure on the back of the neck that will fret cleanly, using careful finger placement and a low-action setup. You can also apply compensating pressure on a guitar body by squeezing in your right elbow. I just managed to play some open and barre chords with my thumb free of the neck this way. It wasn't natural, but it works.

The one thing I can confidently advise is that life after ortho surgery is better than you think. I've had similar hand work to yours, and also a total shoulder replacement. I'd definitekly prefer ortho surgery to any other kind. Joint problems are easier to fix and faster to heal than muscle or ligament injuries, so arthritis heals faster than athletic injuries. My need for opiates was gone after a week or so, and icing helped greatly. My post-op pain was never worse than the worst pre-op symptoms, and it led to a pain-free result. So it may not be as bad as you think. Pick a surgeon who explains things well, listens and does 50 or more of your procedures a year. Then, sit back, he's got this...