Trigger THUMB surgery

This past mid-June, I suddenly found myself afflicted with RIGHT hand trigger thumb--> the RIGHT hand thumb was just suddenly very painful to bend/flex in its outermost joint, the one that has the thumbnail. I'm an older guy late in his 70s. A week after it suddenly started, I went to the ER where a young MD didn't tell me what's wrong but had his male RN make a simple bent aluminum splint for the thumb, to keep it straight. He also told me to not bend/flex that outermost joint. Some 10 days after the ER visit, I did some simple online research/readings and figured I had trigger thumb. I soon recalled what I'd done just before the right hand trigger thumb began: I squeezed something with great force and did this same squeezing a few times. THAT was the cause, as I've read for this physical problem. [There are other reasons for a trigger finger/thumb to start but I spotted the reason for my trigger thumb in a short list of reasons at a top medical website.] Due to my stomach, I can't take NSAIDs nor even use the topical NSAID called Voltaren gel ( = diclofenac). I only have ice but didn't engage in regular use of ice. I saw a hand therapist to checked out my right hand thumb. He graded it as I recall a category 2 which means I can still very, very painfully flex/bend that outermost joint (but I see lots of stars when I accidentally or deliberately flex that outermost thumb joint). In 2 days I meet a hand surgeon (a DO, not an MD) to ask questions and then see this surgeon a week later (last Wednesday this month) for trigger thumb surgery.

A corticosteroid injection into the swollen thumb tendon was offered but I'd read that the tendon can be totally cut by the injection which means the problem has instantly turned into BIG TIME hand surgery to fix the tendon. Therefore, I rejected the offered injection of a corticosteroid.

Since I live alone, with no local friends, no family and no helpers near, I'm a bit worried on how to manage life with a bandaged right hand. [I'm RIGHT-handed.] Also, with my current RIGHT hand trigger thumb, I can't properly practice my hobby which is writing in cursive with one of my many fountain pens (which I collect). Presently, my right thumb is straight when trying to write but it should be flexed in the outermost joint when writing. With a straight, unflexed right thumb, my handwriting is weak and the thumb, being straight, can't properly control the section of the fountain pen. [The section's the part (next to nib and feed which is under the nib) where one holds a fountain pen when writing.]

If I weren't a fountain pen user, maybe I'd forgo surgery IF the surgeon would say my thumb won't worsen without surgery. But, of course, I want to easily and properly write cursively again with my pens.

How'd trigger thumb surgery go for any of you living alone or with someone? Was physical therapy required after healing from the surgery? Was your handwriting changed or altered from the surgery done on your writing hand thumb?

Is there anything else to be wary of, such as hand/finger nerves that can be damaged in surgery?