Author Topic: Severed finger.. Interesting experience so far... (Read 1251 times)

CMore · « **on:** December 18, 2020, 10:22:33 pm »

I was working in my shop last week and a large piece of wire got caught on a drill bit and as it whipped around it cut about 1 inch of my finger off... A little more than an inch of my finger was dangling by a blood vessel, some raw nerves and a thin piece of skin. The bone was also cut into two pieces...

The first hing I said to my friend who was there "Crap I just chopped off my finger... I guess this is going to leave a mark..." Ironically I had my medical bag from my car sitting in the garage (That's another story) So I stuck the tip back on the end of my finger and put a 4x4 gauze pad on it with just enough tape to hold it in place till I got to the hospital.

Thirty minutes later I was in the ER in Wickenburg. I was surprised and happy it really didn't hurt much as long as you didn't touch it or look at it... Too bad this is what everyone wanted to do in the ER...

I made my Titanium / gold wedding band to last forever and it took about an hour to get it cut off with a little hand powered diamond wheel cutter... Before I made my ring I had asked an ER nurse friend of mine how they dealt with Ti rings and they said it was no big deal. Well that may be true in LA but, not in Wickenburg... When I make my next ring it won't be ti.

After getting my ring off they cleaned, splinted and bandaged my finger then I waited another hour or two before I was sent to Scottsdale to be admitted for surgery the next day.

In the photo below where my finger has that unnatural bend... Well that is where it was cut off and in this photo it is just kind of sitting there still... You can also see part of the ring was cut here.

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CMore · « **Reply #1 on:** December 18, 2020, 10:28:34 pm »

If you look close you can see the joint part of the bone is still connected to the joint hopefully I will be able to maintain the joint when it heals...

I was in the hospital for an extra day after the reattached it.

So my time line was.

Wednesday around noon I cut finger off.
Thursday at 12:30 it was reattached.
Friday 4:30 I was discharged form the hospital.

Was back at work on Monday...

coelacanth · « **Reply #2 on:** December 18, 2020, 10:34:01 pm »

Well, you've got a pretty good attitude about it - I'll give you that much. Its ugly looking in the first photo and I imagine it hurt like hell after a bit but with any luck you'll still have a functional digit. I hope it heals clean with no complications.

Just curious about what you were drilling that enabled a piece of wire to get caught in the bit ?

CMore · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2020, 10:35:01 pm »

They had to do two cuts 180 degrees apart to get it off because it would not bend. So the ring came apart in 4 pieces.. Two gold two Ti. When I made this I designed it with a U-channel so it would not be easy to crush since I often work with my hands...

coelacanth · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2020, 10:38:00 pm »

No good deed goes unpunished.

CMore · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2020, 10:47:21 pm »

Quote from: coelacanth on December 18, 2020, 10:34:01 pm

Well, you've got a pretty good attitude about it - I'll give you that much. Its ugly looking in the first photo and I imagine it hurt like hell after a bit but with any luck you'll still have a functional digit. I hope it heals clean with no complications.

Just curious about what you were drilling that enabled a piece of wire to get caught in the bit ?

I was joking around with all the people in the ER and the ambulance ride. I also told the surgeon if he can save it great but, if it is going to be multiple surgeries or real difficult then just cut it off now and call it good.

So far the pain has not been a big deal the only time it hurts is if I hit it.. I did have a guy run into me (my hand) at the VA hospital on Friday it instantly put me on my knees in pain...

OK... I will admit I was being dumb... I was trying to slightly enlarge the hole in a loop in a ground wire while holding said wire... It had worked before when I was lucky... lol My brain even said hey dummy stick it in that vice right beside you... 20 seconds later it became an OH crap this sucks moment... lol Hurry can I get a "do over now" nope too late...

This wire only had one loop in it before the drill grabbed it...

coelacanth · « **Reply #6 on:** December 18, 2020, 11:41:22 pm »

Yup. That was a two owie project. One for the finger and one for when you slapped your own stupid forehead on accounta' yer a big dummy.

Been there. Did that. Got a few scars of my own with stories.

My most memorable one was with a half inch drill and a heavy piece of stamped steel that needed a couple of holes re-drilled for use as a seat mount on the old tractor. First hole went OK but the second one - not so much. Damned thing got loose and hit me three times before I could get away from it. Wasn't quite as bad as yours but there was blood and colorful language.

ynotaz · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2020, 07:46:06 am »

WOW,

sorry to see this and glad they got the finger repaired for you.

Mr. Nobody · « **Reply #8 on:** December 19, 2020, 11:52:50 am »

That is rough man!

Glad you're doing okay and hope you heal quickly from this.

On the bright side, it could have been worse... it could have been your trigger finger!

Fast recovery wishes.

KingGlamis · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2020, 06:29:27 pm »

Ouch. As they say, bet you won't do that again. Hope it heals up well.

Rusty Young Man · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2020, 10:23:33 pm »

Quote from: Josh_357 on December 19, 2020, 11:52:50 am

That is rough man!

Glad you're doing okay and hope you heal quickly from this.

On the bright side, it could have been worse... it could have been your trigger finger!

Fast recovery wishes.

This.^

Hope your recovery is swift and painless.

Brlux · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2020, 10:32:48 pm »

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully it will help me make better choices in the shop.

GTGallop · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2020, 07:03:56 pm »

HOLY CHRISTMAS BALLZ!

Hope you come out OK - Well as OK as you were before. YIKERS and thanks for the pics.

CMore · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2020, 07:06:52 pm »

Quote from: Brlux on December 19, 2020, 10:32:48 pm

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully it will help me make better choices in the shop.

I hope so too... Even though this post makes me look a little dumb I posted it as a reminder to all of us to be careful. At 63 you would think I would know better but, I think my issue was I had gotten away with stuff so often I became a too lax even when I knew better... When that little voice says don't do it... Stop and listen...

Thanks for the well wishes. I will see my doctor tomorrow and will get a first look at what my re-shaped finger will look like in the future..

Mr. Nobody · « **Reply #14 on:** December 21, 2020, 10:43:20 am »

We all make mistakes. Doesn't make you dumb.

Just learn from it is all you can do. Stuff like this could always be worse.

Merry Christmas! 🎄

PogoJack · « **Reply #15 on:** December 22, 2020, 02:19:36 am »

Oh, my! You got a great attitude and seem tough as nails. Thank you for sharing, you might have saved someone here with that, and glad you are recovering well!

Merry Christmas!!

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delta6 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 22, 2020, 07:42:23 am »

Quote from: CMore on December 20, 2020, 07:06:52 pm

I hope so too... Even though this post makes me look a little dumb I posted it as a reminder to all of us to be careful. At 63 you would think I would know better but, I think my issue was I had gotten away with stuff so often I became a too lax even when I knew better... When that little voice says don't do it... Stop and listen...

Thanks for the well wishes. I will see my doctor tomorrow and will get a first look at what my re-shaped finger will look like in the future..

Dumb...hah. For the "Grace of God", many of us have been spared, when in the back of our mind we said to our self "Don't do that!" just before we did something that we knew we really shouldn't do. Don't talk to be about ladders. At some point, Murphy finally catches up to everyone. Glad to see you are on the road to recovery. We all hope your back to normal very soon.

CMore · « **Reply #17 on:** December 22, 2020, 10:13:50 am »

It is looking real good, I have feeling in the finger tip it does move a little. They put in 3 pins that will be removed in a month so it doesn't move to much yet. But any movement shows that everything is hooked back up.

The great part is they put it in a removable plastic splint so I can unwrap it once a day and wash it and let it air out for a while. This helps to combat that "I have an itch under my cast" problem now I can just pop it off. It is nice to be able to move it around for a few minutes a day too.

Thank you to everyone with the well wishes.

coelacanth · « **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2020, 07:54:13 pm »

Looking good so far.

CMore · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2021, 10:45:54 pm »

Well it has been 2 months now... Things are looking pretty good.
I still have a few nerves that are very sensitive but, I do have feeling everywhere. The motor nerves that control the muscles are still regenerating so, my range of motion is still limited.

I am able to clench my hand just enough to hold my steering wheel but, I do not have full strength at that range. I do PT therapy at home several times a day I think PT stands for Physical torture...

I am hoping that in the next 6 months I will have a new finger nail... That is the worst looking part other than my finger is not straight and the tip is ever so slightly rotated... lol I wonder if my finger prints align now?

No more bandages now except while sleeping. I use one sleeping because I still have a stitch that likes to snag on sheets at night and it is a very rude awakening...

The following was taken last week.

CMore · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2021, 10:49:28 pm »

This one is today.. It is a little tilted and the finger pad is slightly rotated.

My left hand grip strength is defiantly a weak side now...

My advice to everyone now is, cutting off a finger sucks and I don't recommend it but, it may not be the end of the world...

coelacanth · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2021, 12:43:54 am »

Thanks for the update.

Glad to hear you are continuing to improve.

PogoJack · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2021, 04:58:57 am »

Looking good, brother!

Keep doing what you are doing, seems like it's working! God bless!

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GTGallop · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2021, 06:31:58 am »

How is your sensory in that tip?
Do you feel:
Pressure - Flat or point?
Temperature - Hot or Cold?
Moisture?
Does it feel numb or tingly?
Do you get shooting pains?

delta6 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2021, 07:48:59 am »

You're finger looks great... kudos to your doctor.....

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