The accident

**JayAmel** · #1 11-26-2006, 03:20 AM

Hi folks,

On Nov 14 I was at home with my wife, and a woman was there who had come and visit us because she wanted to adopt a kitten (my wife is a cat breeder).

I asked everyone there if they wanted some drink, and the woman said "yes please, just a glass of water". So I went to the kitchen, and filled a glass with water. When I was about to leave the kitchen, I slipped, fell and, yes, the glass tore my right hand on two distinct points.

In some kind of luck, the woman who was there was a nurse, and it took her half a second to diagnose I had cut the tendon that commands my thumb. At the same time, my daughter was back from college, so she ran to the drugstore to buy some stripe.

Then my wife and daughter took me to the clinic. After diagnostic I also had 4 nerves cut, they decided to transfer me to a hand-specialized hospital. I had the operation in the evening the day after. Three surgeons worked on repair of my and during an operation that lasted two hours and half. Next day I was back home.

Now I have two months of daily hand rehabilitation with a kinesitherapist. I probably won't be able to play bass normally before mid January. But the first signs of my recovery are very encouraging : except still some pain due to the trauma my hand suffered, I can move my thumb again.

I have some loss of sensitivity on my thumb and index, but thanks God I have kep sensitivity on ALL the zones of my fingers I need to play bass. Now I just have to be patient and follow the recovery steps seriously.

Att. mods > I put this post here, if I was wrong please feel free to move it.

Nils · #2 11-26-2006, 03:31 AM

Damn that's not very nice! I'm afraid to damage my hands all the time, especially since I'm a carpenter/construction worker/painter. And all that can happen just by falling with a glass of water in your hand? I'm gonna start using my mouth and feet to do everything except playing the bass from now on...

**JayAmel** · #3 11-26-2006, 03:43 AM

Yes, the stupid thing is that I did not have the reflex to throw the glass away when I figured out I was about to fall. This is scary, and each time I live the situation again in my mind, I shiver.

I wish to pay tribute to the hospital staff (surgeons + hot nurses

) who were extremely professional and so kind with me.

ALiP BoB · #4 11-26-2006, 03:50 AM

I feel you man

Nils · #5 11-26-2006, 04:36 AM

Well, you always know you should've done afterwards... I hate when you experience something frightening or really unpleasent and you can re-live it and it's actually scarier than it was when it first happened.

m0nst3r · #6 11-26-2006, 04:39 AM

I've also had an accident with a glass, though not nearly as severe as yours. One day I went to get some ice out of a bag of ice that was placed in the freezer, and because I didn't want any ice to fall onto the floor, I figured I would lift my glass up to the bag. Unfortunately, I didn't quite make it. The glass ended up shattering in my hand, and I got a small, but very deep, cut on my ring finger. It didn't really hinder my playing that much, but it was uncomfortable to play at times. I was really lucky that it wasn't a lot worse than it could have been. It's really scary that something something as simple as getting someone a glass a water or getting some ice from the freezer can potentially end one's bass career.

**JayAmel** · #7 11-26-2006, 05:48 AM

The good thing (hmm?) in this story is that I had no contract coming before February. I will miss no gig, no rehearsal, no studio session, etc.

Yes, living the accident again is scary, really more frightening than the accident by itself. Physical pain too comes much later. I believe that just after the shock some kind of endorphines protect us from pain and from figuring out how severe the accident was.

The good side of the story is that I will have enough recovery for playing bass again without having to change my way of playing, and also that I know more than before how much I love playing bass.

I never stopped to stay positive since the accident, I guess this is also a big part of a good recovery.

Thanks to all for your friendly words,
Jay

morf · #8 11-26-2006, 07:23 AM

Im glad you can still play bass after rehab, it could have been worse! I hope everything heals quickly

jady · #9 11-26-2006, 08:22 AM

Blessings to you brother!!!!!!!! You have my prayers for a speedy and FULL recovery!!!!!

Mojo-Man · #10 11-26-2006, 08:38 AM

Hope for a full recoverery?

I too a few years ago went through a bad hand injury.
The waiting is the hardest part.
With rehaib, and hard work.
My hand is better than before.

Best of luck.

tplyons · #11 11-26-2006, 01:19 PM

I did the same thing, and I assure you: DO NOT PLAY BEFORE THEY TELL YOU TO. It'll only slow down the healing. I did this and still am not 100% in my middle finger, but it works.

davidmurphy · #12 11-26-2006, 01:32 PM

Hope you get better soon!

Don't want to think about anything happening that would mean I couldn't play again!

You've used up your luck for this week. Hide under a blanket til next Monday!

Crazyeelboy · #13 11-26-2006, 01:32 PM

JayAmel:

Just remember that these things can take a while heal fully, so take it slow and keep the faith!

Baryonyx · #14 11-26-2006, 03:31 PM

Ouch! I hope you make a full recovery, and take it slow!

**JayAmel** · #15 11-26-2006, 03:39 PM

Yeah, I won't hurry, I know it takes some time, but I really had to put my heads on my new bass for a few minutes. I did it without using my thumb and index at all, and I let them quiet to avoid any kind of damage or hurt.

Doctor said I could start playing again around mid January, which means two months from the operation.

I know I have to be careful if I don't want to pay a hard bill later...

Munjibunga · #16 11-26-2006, 10:12 PM

She went to buy some Stripe? You mean, like, the toothpaste?

#17 11-26-2006, 10:25 PM

I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

George

markjazzbassist · #18 11-26-2006, 11:00 PM

im glad you can still play. i hope and pray that rehabilitation goes well.

Neb Maro · #19 11-26-2006, 11:36 PM

I also hope that you have a speedy recovery and that nothing else happens to bring further trauma to your hand.

Poop-Loops · #20 11-26-2006, 11:39 PM

Note to self: always throw away whatever you have in your hands if you are about to fall down.

As selfish as that sounds, I WILL use that advice and I thank you for sharing your story. Hope you have a speedy recovery. Like others have said, just lay off of it until it's healed. You can cause microtears and stuff that will just take longer to heal.