aggie79 wrote:Update: my finger is healing well. It still looks funny - probably always will - and still hurts when I touch something, but that pain is decreasing by the day.
Tom -
Three years ago I caught my right thumb (and I'm right handed and a carpenter) in a machine that roll forms metal siding. It ripped off the nail and flesh to just behind the first joint but left the bone and most of the muscle intact. The ER sewed down some loose skin then refered me to an orthopedic surgeon. I had stopped at a convenience store for a cup of ice for the part that was severed but the ER Doctor just threw that away.
The next day the surgeon performed a revision amputation where more of the damaged flesh is removed then took a strip of skin about 6 inches long from my arm and did a graft, basically wrapping it around the exposed stump like those thin fruit roll snacks.
It took about six weeks to heal and everthing turned black and sloughed off. A nail grew back but looks more like a claw. The grafted part is always numb but there are a couple of very tender parts that feel like stepping on a nail if I put any pressure on them.
When I left the ER I stopped to pick-up RX for antibiotics and pain. I asked for some extra plastic bags and wrapped them around the bandages. Feeling no pain from whatever they used to deaden the thumb at the ER I went back to work and was swinging a hammer like before except I couldn't grip it tightly enough that wouldn't fly off a time or two.
After the surgery the next day I rested a day then went back to work. I had to switch to a roofers hammer with a wrist strap and bought a smaller battery operated screw-gun because I couldn't wrap my bandaged hand around the one I had been using. There was some pain for quite a while but more of a nuisance than disabling.
I trained myself to be ambidextrous to relieve some pain but mostly to be prepared if I suffered any additional injuries - I still operate the machinery.
The new thumb is about 1/2 an inch shorter than before, weird looking, but functional. Could have been much worse.
M C