Tip #1: Be VERY careful of using your left arm to make up for not being able to use your right. If you think it sucks not to be able to use your right arm, you’ll REALLY hate it when the second arm goes too. And it only takes a couple of weeks if you’re abusing your left arm badly enough.

Tip #2: Learn as many ways as possible to not abuse your arm/hand, because tendonitis can become permanent. And that’s no fun at all. Eventually you’ll find all sorts of little ways to do things without making as many damaging movements. Also, if you let it go into remission enough, it’ll go away (if you catch it early enough) or at least back off enough that you’ll be able to do more. For example, when I first developed tendonitis I’d lift things like mugs very carefully with both hands. It takes some time to develop things that work around the injured tendons, but it’s really important to do so.

Tip #3: Get wrist or arm brace(s). To be honest, they don’t help much with the medical side. But it’s the only visible sign that you have a handicap, which ensures that people will help you with things like lifting heavy objects or opening heavy doors. Also, you can balance things on them (like grocery bags) in ways that will abuse your tendons less.

Tip #4: Frozen bags of peas. One of the best ways of applying cold to the affected area. Running your arm/wrist under cold water now and then is good too if you can’t get to something frozen.

I’m so sorry to hear about the tendonitis. Please please listen to your dear wife, because it can become a permanent and very debilitating injury if you don’t let it heal.