One down, nine to go

[sb47]

I never thought I would have to post on this thread but here I am.
This afternoon I was working up some splits as I have done for many many years when all of the sudden it got me.
While running the splitter I some how managed to put my finger where it didn't belong and before I could react, it was to late.
I crushed the end of my index finger on my left hand to the point where it was curshed and just hanging on by a small piece of flesh.
It happened so fast I had no chance to react. My first thought was a band aid ain't gonna fix this one.
Went strait to the ER where they did the best they could to stitch it back on, but according to the doc, I'm gonna lose the end of my finger at the first knuckle.
I'm going to a specialist on Monday but I'm not expecting to keep it. Doc said in most cases the end of the finger is the hardest to save. The end was snow white and was completely numb and didn't have any blood flow to it so it's probably gonna die and fall off or they will have to remove it. It didn't bleed much at all but it sure smarted a good bit. The ER doc's were great. It was a slow day for them so they got me strait in with no wait. Can't say enough good things about the hospital and the 5 doctors that worked on me. I think the hardest thing for me is I play guitar and I may not be able to play anymore. That and learning how to pick my nose with my middle finger. I'm still hoping that it can be saved but not holding my breath. Word to the wise. Never put your finger where it don't belong. I can't wait for the middle of the night throbbing to keep me up at night.I'll keep you posted after see a specialist.

 

[holeycow]

Damn! Son-of-a-*****. Sorry to hear that. I hope it works out better than expected.

 

[KarlD]

....only joking, please no mashed up stumpy finger pics
Whenever I get hurt I always ask myself “How much would I pay to undo what has just happened?” The greater the pain the more I’d pay, the longer the lay off, the more I’d pay. A very pointless exercise for sure, but I can’t help myself
So, my question to you, what would you honestly pay to undo the accident? $20,000?
All being said, I hope you have a fast recovery

 

[sb47]

3:30 am update. She's really thumping now. Feels like it's in a vice hurts more now then when it happened. Oh the agony. Gonna be a long sleepless nigh tonight. Took 2 narcos and 2 Advil's and a soma for good measure. All they gave me was Acetaminophen with codeine #3. I didn't fill it cause that stuff makes me sick. Monday my friend, who has caner will get a refill of Hydro Morphine and will give me some. Sure wish I had some now.

 

[farmer steve]

This sucks SB. I know you split a lot of wood. Iv'e had a few black nails over the years but never drew blood. Hope you heal fast buddy.

 

[sb47]

Sitting here in agony I decided to run down to the all night pharmacy and get my meds filled. I figured i'm sitting here in agony at home, might as well be in agony while driving. 5:00 am on a sunday meant no traffic and no wait when I got there. I picked up the codeine #3 and an antibiotic. Even though codeine doesn't sit well for me, at this point anything is worth a try.

 

[sb47]

This sucks SB. I know you split a lot of wood. Iv'e had a few black nails over the years but never drew blood. Hope you heal fast buddy.

I have my share of blood blisters and black finger tips, but crushing the end of my finger brings a whole new level of throbbing pain. Sleep is out of the question right now.

 

[sb47]

....only joking, please no mashed up stumpy finger pics
Whenever I get hurt I always ask myself “How much would I pay to undo what has just happened?” The greater the pain the more I’d pay, the longer the lay off, the more I’d pay. A very pointless exercise for sure, but I can’t help myself
So, my question to you, what would you honestly pay to undo the accident? $20,000?
All being said, I hope you have a fast recovery

Taking pictures was the last thing on my mind.

 

[uniballer]

Best wishes for your recovery.

I shortened my left thumb by a little bit (barely into the bone) about 10 years ago with a miter saw (always make sure the workpiece is firmly up against the fence). I am right-handed so I was really glad this injury was on my left. The OT people say that the thumb is a more disabling injury than any finger.

In my case, the ER people sewed the lopped end back on as a "biological bandage" that turned black and eventually fell off. No infection, and the recovery has been almost complete. The tip is not as well padded as before, and it looks a little funny on close examination. There is a tiny spot with no feeling at all.

 

[sb47]

2 Acetaminophen and Hydrocodone, plus 1 soma at 3:00 am and 1 Excedrin and 1 Acetaminophen with codeine # 3 at 5 am and the finger still hurts but I'm as high as a kite.

 

[sb47]

8:15 and my narcotic cocktail seems to be helping. Got a few hours of nap time. Still hurts but a lot more tolerable. I just noitced I didn't close up the chicken coop last night. Gates wide open. I wonder if I lost any birds last night. Gotta do a head count to see if they all made it.

 

[sb47]

 

[Del_]

Ouch!

Sorry to hear it.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Ouch!! I feel your pain, 52 years ago had a push mower flip over on me mowing a neighbors hill. Pushed mower away from me with my left hand and two fingers had tips hanging by a thread, index only had an inch slice. Was lucky when mother drove me to hospital and doctor started working on it, his buddy stopped in to see him and he was a plastic surgeon, asked if he wanted him to take a look and he put it back together. Hope yours turns out as well as mine did, took a lot of heat for giving every one the finger for a few months. Black nail happened from bolt on splitter wedge being to long, it's no longer long. I bet it feels better with your hand raised! May you gain full function, with a trouble free recovery.

 

[uniballer]

I almost forgot. There is hope for your guitar playing. Top 10 Musicians with Missing or Damaged Fingers

 

[farmer steve]

That's a butt pucker for sure @sb47. Guess what I'll be thinking about the next time I run the splitter?

 

[sb47]

Went back to the er today to make sure everything is normal and no infection setting in. They said the bone in the finger tip was crushed so they don't expect it to heal being that it's crushed like dust. I will go to a specialist tomorrow so we will see what they say.

 

[sb47]

....only joking, please no mashed up stumpy finger pics
Whenever I get hurt I always ask myself “How much would I pay to undo what has just happened?” The greater the pain the more I’d pay, the longer the lay off, the more I’d pay. A very pointless exercise for sure, but I can’t help myself
So, my question to you, what would you honestly pay to undo the accident? $20,000?
All being said, I hope you have a fast recovery

I'd pay a lot to have my finger back. I don't know whats worse. Not being able to play or being able to pick my nose. Sometimes you need that finger nail to pry those crusted bugger's loose.

 

[sb47]

ER Dr's are only there to patch you up. A specialist may be able to fix it. I'm hopping they can fix it. I would rather be ahead of it then be behind.
I din't want to here "well if you just came in sooner, I could have fixed it"

 

[sb47]

No splitting wood for awhile. Customers will have to load them selves till I heal up.