If my hands hurt most of the time, I would look into one of these:
http://www.taurususa.com/product-details.cfm?id=625&category=Revolver&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=
Nine rounds of 22LR or 22Mag with changeable cylinders.
You could handle this one for sure.
Use a small semi auto, just make sure you have a round in the chamber, then you only need to flip the safety. People worry too much about a round in the chamber, I have kept all my weapons chambered for more than 60 years, never had one go off, that I didn’t intend to go off.
A 25 cal can hold nine and most people won’t keep coming with that many rounds in them, 32 is about the same size. As a plus they make a lot of noise for the size and they fit nicely into a pocket or purse.
Stay away from the Taurus rimfires. They have an atrocious 12 lb double action trigger pull that can’t be lightened. S&W are very nice.