Losing a finger

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Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg
 
Mate, not a bad effort at all.

A few years ago, an older Italian woman came running into a workshop screaching that her husband cut off his finger on a saw bench.

I triaged him while the Ambo's were called, sat him down, raised his arm, as he was wandering in shock, compressed the finger end to slow bleeding and collected the missing bit into a cold pack just in case it could be attached.

There was chaos all around with the oldies turning up for him, Ambo's appreciated the quick common sense assistance.

I have never panicked, even when I have been hurt badly.

Accidents do happen.

Best of luck with the surgery.

;)
 
Sorry to hear that Patrick, but at the same time I'm kind of envious.

I crushed this one under a log on a 40 ton wood splitter about six or seven years ago. A plastic surgeon "saved" it, but the joint is now painfully buggered with arthritis and grows more gnarly and disfigured as each year goes by. After the mid knuckle it's as stiff as a board and still too painful to push buttons with. I've said to Mrs D that if it gets much worse I'm going to get it cut off. I figure I'll miss it when the time comes, seeing as I'm right handed too, but I'm getting fed-up with constant pain.

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Maybe you should have a talk with an OT or Physio to get an idea on the rehabilitation options post surgery, and an idea of how you can adjust and get used to using your middle finger with your thumb, instead of your index finger?

Anyway, good luck with the surgery Patrick
 
Not finger but thumb story... .... Working in a Sheet-metal-shop has its hazards and they came to bite me and a workmate one friday arvo... 25min before beer o clock... We had been folding these stupid little things all day, that they use in the sliding door industry... 1500 of them... So i was operating the folder and mate was loading material and removing after folding... And placed both thumbs in to remove a piece Before it was folded...

I didnt realise that his thumbs were in the folder and i proceeded to fold ....they were removed... One on first joint, 2nd was on hand joint.... Well he was ok sort of and i was a bloody mess. We both ended up in hospital.. Me overnight with Shock, but mate was in for 2 weeks.. Took him 10mths to recover and i never worked in the workshop ever again after that day...

He was unable to operate snips for well over 12 months, But now he is back to work in a SM Workshop and able to operate snips, pliers and all sorts of tools now...

The body has a way of adapt to loosing vital fingers and toes.. It just takes some time to re-learn these things...

Being a Finger in Patrick and Deepseeker situation i think they will find that healing time will be not fun, but once healed, should adapt just fine...

Best of luck to both of you Fellas...

LW...
 
Patrick1 said:
Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7222/1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg

Not nice Pat all the best, you'll have it sorted in no time. Have you given thought to the possibility it could be related to hanging around dam it of late :p you two are creating a competition by the looks of things :lol: :beer:
 
I feel for you there LW, coming from a trade background myself. I've seen people wounded from the mistakes of others- including my own mistakes, and been wounded by theirs. Often born out of the mind-addling repetition of some particular job or project. Although there is never any intent, you carry that survivor guilt for the rest of your days.

It's made worse too when you see the shiny asses, suits and bean-counters reducing lunch breaks from an hour to 45 minutes, to 20, and then doing away with tea breaks etc. You need that time to restore your thought processes and reaction times, and bond with the people whose lives are in your hands and vice versa.

And speaking of fingers and work accidents, my late father had the end of his middle finger missing from when he was a mechanic in his 30's. He was working on a drum brake on a car when he asked the TA to raise the jack a notch, but the kid miss-understood and let it down. Quick job, no stands or even the removed wheel under the car for safety. My now-retired brother-inlaw's was his own doing though- apprentice Cabinet maker, pushing timber through the buzz saw- "Oh crap- that's my little finger sitting on the bench"......... Weird thing is, for many years he would get phantom pain or go to scratch the itch on the half that's missing.

I wasn't even allowed to touch the big angle grinder in the first couple of years of my apprenticeship, and now I cringe when I go into B's and see the equipment for sale and hire that any joe can walk in off the street and hire or buy.
 
RM Outback said:
Patrick1 said:
Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7222/1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg

Not nice Pat all the best, you'll have it sorted in no time. Have you given thought to the possibility it could be related to hanging around dam it of late :p you two are creating a competition by the looks of things :lol: :beer:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :| :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dont you start :lol: Have You and Bigwave been talking :lol:
As I said to Patrick " Made ME Smile when I 1st seen it :lol: :lol: Because it was not ME :lol: " and a BIG :Y: .
Now I cant get a High 5 from my friend :argh: Only a high 4 :eek: ( To soon ) ;) ;)
 
dam it said:
RM Outback said:
Patrick1 said:
Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7222/1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg

Not nice Pat all the best, you'll have it sorted in no time. Have you given thought to the possibility it could be related to hanging around dam it of late :p you two are creating a competition by the looks of things :lol: :beer:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :| :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dont you start :lol: Have You and Bigwave been talking :lol:
As I said to Patrick " Made ME Smile when I 1st seen it :lol: :lol: Because it was not ME :lol: " and a BIG :Y: .
Now I cant get a High 5 from my friend :argh: Only a high 4 :eek: ( To soon ) ;) ;)

:lol: :lol: no I haven't seen or spoken with Pete for a long while. High 4 :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Patrick1 said:
Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7222/1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg

That wound is not closed up so how the hell will it heal correctly.
 
dam it said:
RM Outback said:
Patrick1 said:
Back in September I had a lil boo boo at work. Yesterday the Surgeon told me that the finger has gotta come off next month. It didn't heal well and it's about useless. Just gets in the way now. Guess I've gotta change my Avatar from Stinky Pat to Stumpy Pat.
I hate the idea of losing my trigger finger but I don't have much choice. Anyone else ever lose a dominant hand index finger? I'd like some input on your healing and brain relearning/retraining experience.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7222/1639737248_20210907_120433.jpg

Not nice Pat all the best, you'll have it sorted in no time. Have you given thought to the possibility it could be related to hanging around dam it of late :p you two are creating a competition by the looks of things :lol: :beer:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :| :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dont you start :lol: Have You and Bigwave been talking :lol:
As I said to Patrick " Made ME Smile when I 1st seen it :lol: :lol: Because it was not ME :lol: " and a BIG :Y: .
Now I cant get a High 5 from my friend :argh: Only a high 4 :eek: ( To soon ) ;) ;)
4 1/2
 
Geez Patrick, do you tend to already manage around it, since you said it is useless & gets in the way?

My wife has a finger that points at an angle more than Deepseekers. I can never tell what the hell she is pointing at.

Dad had a mate who was a horse trainer & he lost 2 fingers in an accident on his dominant hand. I was amazed how he managed to do the stuff we take for granted with no fuss at all.

Hope all goes well fellas when the time comes & you find the adjustment much better than you expect.
 

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