MacHete
Hair Cropper & Chipmunk Wrangler
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 2,559
Early last month, I managed to break the index (pointer, trigger) finger on BOTH of my hands. I shouldn't have tried to hustle that biker gang at pool
- That's not what really happened, but it's so much more colorful than the truth.
Anyway, I broke the same bone in each finger, the "P2" on the med charts, but broke them each a different way. On the left hand, I had an open, compound fracture just below the distal joint. This finger was laid out schematically in surgery and reassembled with two steel pins which stick out of my fingertip like aerials. On the right hand, the bone split end-to-end like a piece of crushed bamboo. No antennae array was necessary for this finger, but I believe I am doomed to have a trigger finger larger in diameter than my thumb for the rest of my life. I'm sure you can imagine the inconvenience of not having the use of these critical fingers.
So, when my surgeon gave me permission to remove the splint from my right hand and begin to gently try to regain strength and flexibility, I was only too happy to work on it. I began simply by trying to wrap the finger around a coffee mug (full, of course) and hold it with as little assistance from the other fingers as possible. I then sought heavier items of smaller diameter until I could once again touch the palm of my hand with my fingertip. By this time, it had become difficult to find any objects that were both small around and heavy that were not baseball-bat length. I usually do my rehab exercises while sitting in front of the TV or reading the paper and there is not much room to be swinging garden implements around.
The PERFECT solution to this problem was, not surprisingly, my WWII. It is small enough around the grip that I can hold it with my recovering finger only and rotate the blade (with sheath on for safety and added weight) by moving my finger in oval orbits, exploring my range of motion.
I'm looking into claiming it's purchase as a medical expense. I'll let you know what happens.
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Be Worthy
Anyway, I broke the same bone in each finger, the "P2" on the med charts, but broke them each a different way. On the left hand, I had an open, compound fracture just below the distal joint. This finger was laid out schematically in surgery and reassembled with two steel pins which stick out of my fingertip like aerials. On the right hand, the bone split end-to-end like a piece of crushed bamboo. No antennae array was necessary for this finger, but I believe I am doomed to have a trigger finger larger in diameter than my thumb for the rest of my life. I'm sure you can imagine the inconvenience of not having the use of these critical fingers.
So, when my surgeon gave me permission to remove the splint from my right hand and begin to gently try to regain strength and flexibility, I was only too happy to work on it. I began simply by trying to wrap the finger around a coffee mug (full, of course) and hold it with as little assistance from the other fingers as possible. I then sought heavier items of smaller diameter until I could once again touch the palm of my hand with my fingertip. By this time, it had become difficult to find any objects that were both small around and heavy that were not baseball-bat length. I usually do my rehab exercises while sitting in front of the TV or reading the paper and there is not much room to be swinging garden implements around.
The PERFECT solution to this problem was, not surprisingly, my WWII. It is small enough around the grip that I can hold it with my recovering finger only and rotate the blade (with sheath on for safety and added weight) by moving my finger in oval orbits, exploring my range of motion.
I'm looking into claiming it's purchase as a medical expense. I'll let you know what happens.
------------------
Be Worthy
